How to go from a ruby script to a working website?

[Ralph Wood]

As you've probably guessed by the title, total newbie here.

My main interest is developing web stuff, and for that I started
learning programming through PHP. However, I discovered Ruby and
immediately fell in love with it.

I started following Chris Pine's Learn to Program and with the knowledge
I got so far, I started building a few very simple programs of my own.
The thing is that they're all limited to the Terminal (I have a mac),
but what I really want is to use them through a web interface (inputs,
forms, submit, etc) so I can also experiment with Javascript/AJAX.

However, I have no clue how to do that and can't seem to find
information on it anywhere. It seems the only way to access Ruby
programs through a webpage is with the aid of frameworks like Rails and
Merb, and they seem like too much trouble for what would be a simple
one-page app. I guess could use Camping or only the Merb-core, but I
would like to understand exactly what I'm doing, and just basically be
able do it all by myself.

So, what am I missing? What is the link between .rb and .html?

 

[Daniel N]

On Thu, Oct 16, 2008 at 8:56 PM, Hoesel, Dani=EBl van <

You could use the Merb-core in combination with the passenger mod for
Apache. That mod allows you to run rails and merb applications just like = php
applications. Just upload and go. And indeed you could use Rails, but it'= s
easier to start with a merb application.

Example:
http://www.modrails.com/documentation/Users guide.html#_merb

As you can see passenger mod supports multiple simple frameworks. So mayb= e
you could try one of those.

Regards,

Daniel

-----Original Message-----
From: (e-mail address removed) [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: donderdag 16 oktober 2008 11:19
To: ruby-talk ML
Subject: How to go from a ruby script to a working website?

As you've probably guessed by the title, total newbie here.

My main interest is developing web stuff, and for that I started
learning programming through PHP. However, I discovered Ruby and
immediately fell in love with it.

I started following Chris Pine's Learn to Program and with the knowledge
I got so far, I started building a few very simple programs of my own.
The thing is that they're all limited to the Terminal (I have a mac),
but what I really want is to use them through a web interface (inputs,
forms, submit, etc) so I can also experiment with Javascript/AJAX.

However, I have no clue how to do that and can't seem to find
information on it anywhere. It seems the only way to access Ruby
programs through a webpage is with the aid of frameworks like Rails and
Merb, and they seem like too much trouble for what would be a simple
one-page app. I guess could use Camping or only the Merb-core, but I
would like to understand exactly what I'm doing, and just basically be
able do it all by myself.

So, what am I missing? What is the link between .rb and .html?

Using merb-core for a one page app is not a silly idea. You can use it wit=
h
a very_flat (1 file) merb application.

to genearte the stubs to get you going for this use

merb-gen very_flat my_app

then run it with

merb -I <app_file>

HTH
~Daniel

 

[Trans]

As you've probably guessed by the title, total newbie here.

My main interest is developing web stuff, and for that I started
learning programming through PHP. However, I discovered Ruby and
immediately fell in love with it.

I started following Chris Pine's Learn to Program and with the knowledge
I got so far, I started building a few very simple programs of my own.
The thing is that they're all limited to the Terminal (I have a mac),
but what I really want is to use them through a web interface (inputs,
forms, submit, etc) so I can also experiment with Javascript/AJAX.

However, I have no clue how to do that and can't seem to find
information on it anywhere. It seems the only way to access Ruby
programs through a webpage is with the aid of frameworks like Rails and
Merb, and they seem like too much trouble for what would be a simple
one-page app. I guess could use Camping or only the Merb-core, but I
would like to understand exactly what I'm doing, and just basically be
able do it all by myself.

So, what am I missing? What is the link between .rb and .html?

start with cgi.rb
learn about webrick
comprehend rack
all "explodes" from there

 

[Jim McKerchar]

Take a look at one of the frameworks that has been built on top of Ruby
such as Merb or Rails

 

[Brian Candler]

they seem like too much trouble for what would be a simple
one-page app. I guess could use Camping or only the Merb-core, but I
would like to understand exactly what I'm doing, and just basically be
able do it all by myself.

For a one-pager app, look at Sinatra. I've only given it a quick try,
but it looks a lot cleaner and simpler than Camping.

 

[Michael Guterl]

As you've probably guessed by the title, total newbie here.

My main interest is developing web stuff, and for that I started
learning programming through PHP. However, I discovered Ruby and
immediately fell in love with it.

I started following Chris Pine's Learn to Program and with the knowledge
I got so far, I started building a few very simple programs of my own.
The thing is that they're all limited to the Terminal (I have a mac),
but what I really want is to use them through a web interface (inputs,
forms, submit, etc) so I can also experiment with Javascript/AJAX.

However, I have no clue how to do that and can't seem to find
information on it anywhere. It seems the only way to access Ruby
programs through a webpage is with the aid of frameworks like Rails and
Merb, and they seem like too much trouble for what would be a simple
one-page app. I guess could use Camping or only the Merb-core, but I
would like to understand exactly what I'm doing, and just basically be
able do it all by myself.

So, what am I missing? What is the link between .rb and .html?

Vintage may be of interest to you, although the documentation seems to
be sparse.

http://rubyforge.org/projects/vintage/

 

[Ralph Wood]

Thanks for all the replies.

I've looked into your suggestions with more depth, and the possibility
I'm liking the most is the Phusion's Passenger mod.

But first I think I'm gonna try liquid's mini-tutorial on how to use
just merb-core to get a one-page app working. It looks like the more
hands-on approach, and it's what I'm looking for at the moment.

I had read about Sinatra earlier, but it looks like the project is
offline. Vintage looks interesting, but it appears to be somewhat
abandoned.

Just something else that isn't quite clear to me: my app should be
written in an erb file, right? Or HAML or the like.

 

[Daniel N]

[Note: parts of this message were removed to make it a legal post.]

Thanks for all the replies.

I've looked into your suggestions with more depth, and the possibility
I'm liking the most is the Phusion's Passenger mod.

But first I think I'm gonna try liquid's mini-tutorial on how to use
just merb-core to get a one-page app working. It looks like the more
hands-on approach, and it's what I'm looking for at the moment.

I had read about Sinatra earlier, but it looks like the project is
offline. Vintage looks interesting, but it appears to be somewhat
abandoned.

Just something else that isn't quite clear to me: my app should be
written in an erb file, right? Or HAML or the like.

Hi Ralph,

You can use erb or haml for your views. It depends on what you're
comfortable with. My personal preference is haml but each to his own.

Cheers
Daniel

 

[Michael Guterl]

Thanks for all the replies.

I've looked into your suggestions with more depth, and the possibility
I'm liking the most is the Phusion's Passenger mod.

But first I think I'm gonna try liquid's mini-tutorial on how to use
just merb-core to get a one-page app working. It looks like the more
hands-on approach, and it's what I'm looking for at the moment.

I think merb is a great choice.

I had read about Sinatra earlier, but it looks like the project is
offline. Vintage looks interesting, but it appears to be somewhat
abandoned.

I want to point out that just because there hasn't been a Vintage
release in awhile does not mean it has been abandoned. It's purpose
is relatively simple and probably does not require many updates.

Michael Guterl