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[update] If we have time and desire, I’m also thinking of putting together an introduction to the RubyMine Ruby IDE from the JetBrains team. Just a quick intro on its basic functions and features.

Join us at 6pm at the Indian Creek campus of the Columbia Gorge Community College, room #311.

Code Update

If you have the code already, there’ve been some changes that will necessitate installing some more libraries, mostly for testing, so run:

$ cd crgta
$ sudo rake gems:install
$ sudo gem install rspec rspec-rails rcov ci_reporter thoughtbot-shoulda faker

to install all the new testing infrastructure.

For those who haven’t grabbed the code, and need to get set up, I’ve written a Getting Started page to help you along.

Install Ruby.

• If you’re on Mac, you probably already have it if you’ve installed XCode, which you probably already have if you’re a developer. That version (1.8.7) is perfect.
• If you’re on Linux, use apt, yum, or whatever your package manager is.
• If you’re on Windows, there’s a RubyInstaller that you can download that takes care of the details for you.

Full details are on the Ruby Download Page.

Beef-up Ruby with Gems and Rails

Grab RubyGems, Ruby’s packaging system. After you do that, you’ll be able to install Ruby on Rails. With Gems, the easiest way to install Rails is:

$ sudo gem install rails rspec rspec-rails rcov ci_reporter thoughtbot-shoulda faker

(Note: if you’re on Windows, you won’t use “sudo”)

That’ll give you Rails and all of the Rails pre-reqs.

Get Git, and get familiar with Github

The GTA code is hosted on Github. You can always see the CRGTA repository using the website.

If you’re not familiar with Git, our source control revision system of choice, you’ll need to be. Head to the Git download page and grab it.

Fork the code

You’ll probably want to have an account on Github. This is our workflow for making changes to the codebase, so if you want to have your changes included, you’ll need an account on Github. Using your account, you’ll fork the code so that you can work on your own version. When you have changes that you want added to the main repository, you’ll send a pull request.

Update your system with code pre-reqs

Now that you have Ruby, Git, and your Github account, go and fork the code and clone the repository to your local system using the command

$ git clone git@github.com:USERNAME/crgta.git

replacing USERNAME with your Github username. This will create the directory called “crgta” where you run this command. You’ll use the Gem system to install some prereqs using the following commands:

$ cd crgta$ sudo rake gems:install

This command uses rake, Ruby’s make system, to install gems that the codebase requires.

Create and migrate your database

At this point, you have a local version of the codebase. Every Rails app is tied to a database, so you’ll need a database. You have to create a file called database.yml in the config directory. If you browse to the config directory of your new codebase, you’ll see the file example_database.yml, which you can change to database.yml. This is a configuration file for the SQlite database, which is good enough for our purposes. Once you have this file, use the following commands in the crgta directory:

$ rake db:create$ rake db:migrate$ rake db:seed

This will create the database and add some initial data. After you’ve done this, you can issue the command:

$ ./script/server

which will start the application on http://localhost:3000.

Pull upstream changes

After you fork the code and start working, you’ll occasionally want to pull the changes from the main CRGTA repository. That will keep your codebase up to date so that you stay with us. Head to the forking help page for details.

Get to work

Now you’re set. Go play with the database, add functionality, and check out the Wiki page, which will be the home of the features list and details on codebase needs.

On tap for the first hour are tips and tricks in Ruby, including a possible intro into programming the Android device using Ruby.

For the rest of the time, we’ll be hacking on the Gorge Tech Alliance website. If you haven’t, you should head over to Github and fork the CRGTA repository so you can start committing changes. Check out Github’s help page if your a Git newbie. We can help you at the meeting as well.

Hope to see you there.

Our next meeting is Thursday, April 8th.

Meeting Agendas

I have an idea for regular meeting agendas that include ample time for both new Ruby programmers and the veterans to get something from RubyGorge:

• Ruby Basics (6-7 PM): Newbies can bring there laptops and we’ll work to get Ruby set-up on them if they don’t already have that. Once that’s done, we can have a bit of an introductory Ruby discussion. For this first Indian Creek meeting, we’ll be getting acquainted with the room, and with each other.
• Ruby Gorge (7-9 PM): The remainder of the evening will be more advanced discussions on Ruby, featuring topical sections that people may present, or full-on pair programming. For this first meeting, I’d like to discuss plans for RubyGorge to build a website from the ground up to help the Gorge Technology Alliance.

This is an open discussion on agenda, so feel free to bring up issues and ideas over on the Google Groups page.

The list is also especially useful now that Open Source Bridge is coming to Portland, and the conference presenters have offered RubyGorge one free pass to raffle off to a lucky Gorge Rubyist. So head over to the Google Group, or use the handy subscribe form over there in the sidebar, and sign up to be a part of the email conversation.

Unusual Location

RubyGorge is still looking for a permanent home, so in the absence of one, I (John Metta) am hosting the “block party” at my house. I’ve got a normal-sized house, it’ll be tight, but friendly. There’s a nice projector and screen all set up that we can use if needed, some development space for pair programming (kitchen table and counters) and even public restrooms (well, just regular bathrooms, really). I’ll have some soda, water and maybe beer and pizza if everyone wants it. There’s probably room for 10 people so give me a shout if you’re coming just so I can plan.

Discussion topics included:

• The trials and tribulations (well, the hilarity) of what happens when someone new to Ruby accidentally builds a fully functional web application (Rails makes it so easy that it actually happened!). That lead to…
• The upcoming merge of Merb into Rails 3.0, including what that means for the Object Relational Mapping in the exciting new Rails version. That lead to…
• Databases and the technology behind non-relational database frameworks like CouchDB and Hadoop, concepts like Map-Reduce, and the integration possibilities of relational and non-relational databases. Followed by the normal segways into things like…
• How people have learned Ruby and what steps some of us have taken to do so.
• What are some specific language constructs that are interesting and/or different from other languages (Seth and yours truly learned a ton about the beauty of Ruby Blocks!)
• A discussion on JRuby and Ruby’s ability to run under a Java JVM, including discussion on Cold Fusion, Clojure, Scala, and similar alternatives to plain old Java.

We also had some discussion following the normal tangents and rabbit holes, including…

When and where to hold meetings!

Having determined that Thursday is a good day, and that we can at least hold the momentum of every two weeks for another week (at least, right?), the next RubyGorge meeting is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, February 11th at 6 pm. We’re still working out a good location that will allow some good computer work and will announce that as soon as we find a location.

Thanks so much to the Ruby enthusiasts who energized this, both those who made it and those who couldn’t make it but who look forward to making the next ones!

Come have a pint and hang out with other Ruby programmers for a couple hours.

One the agenda: Figuring out our meeting schedule and other logistical stuff necessary for a rockin’ great Users Group.