h1. New Gem Generator
h1. newgem
h2. What
Quickly bundle any Ruby libraries into a RubyGem and share it with the world, your colleagues, or perhaps just with yourself amongst your projects.
RubyGems are centrally stored, versioned, and support dependencies between other gems, so they are the ultimate way to bundle libraries, executables, associated tests, examples, and more.
Within this gem, you get one thing - newgem - an executable to create your own gems. Your new gems will include designated folders for Ruby code, test files, executables, and even a default website page for you to explain your project, and which instantly uploads to RubyForge website (which looks just like this one by default)
h2. Installing
The newgem application is distributed itself as a RubyGem and is available immediately after installation.
sudo gem install newgem
Alternately, download the gem and install manually.
h2. The basics
Go to the folder where you want to create your new gem folder structure, and run the newgem command to generate your gem scaffolding.
$ cd ~/ruby_projects
$ newgem wizzo
create
create config
create doc
create lib
create log
create script
create tasks
create test
create tmp
create lib/wizzo
create History.txt
create License.txt
create Rakefile
create README.txt
create setup.rb
create lib/wizzo.rb
create lib/wizzo/version.rb
create config/hoe.rb
create config/requirements.rb
create log/debug.log
create tasks/deployment.rake
create tasks/environment.rake
create tasks/website.rake
create test/test_helper.rb
create test/test_wizzo.rb
dependency install_website
create website/javascripts
create website/stylesheets
exists script
exists tasks
create website/index.txt
create website/index.html
create script/txt2html
force tasks/website.rake
dependency plain_theme
exists website/javascripts
exists website/stylesheets
create website/template.html.erb
create website/stylesheets/screen.css
create website/javascripts/rounded_corners_lite.inc.js
dependency install_rubigen_scripts
exists script
create script/generate
create script/destroy
create Manifest.txt
readme readme
Important
=========
* Open config/hoe.rb
* Update missing details (gem description, dependent gems, etc.)
As of 0.10.0 - you can generate test::unit or rspec test stubs via the -T or --test-with options. For example, -T rspec generates a spec folder with some test stubs.
h3. Setup
Now modify the constants at the top of *config/hoe.rb*, with your name, email and the location where you'll host your website for the gem. The defaults are tied to RubyForge for uploading the gems and the website (see below).
h3. Create code and tests
Then create your libraries (files in lib) and your tests (files in test that look like test_TESTNAME.rb). "James Edward Gray II":http://blog.grayproductions.net/ did a "nice video":http://macromates.com/screencasts on test-driven design, that's worth watching if TDD is new to you.
If you create any new files, you need to manually add them to the Manifest.txt. Alphabetical order is optional, but it will make the results of rake check_manifest look clean if you keep them ordered. If a file is not in the Manifest.txt it will not be included in the gem when you package and release it.
h3. Executables
You can include executable Ruby applications in your gem, which will be accessible on Windows and Unix/Linux/MacOS, by creating scripts in the bin folder. When the gem is deployed by users, these executables will be automatically placed within their path.
h3. Website
The final step before releasing your gem to the world is the all-important website. Edit the file website/index.txt using Textile/Redcloth syntax. Syntax highlighting is also supported (see below). If you need more website pages, create more *txt* files in the website folder.
Run the rake task rake website_generate to convert all your website txt files into html files.
NOTE: Currently, the initial index.txt file includes my details not yours. Currently you need to change this manually.
If you don't want a website, remove the website related files from the Manifest.txt.
h3. Change the gems version number
The version number is set in the file lib/#gem name#/version.rb. Update it as appropriate with major, minor and bug fix numbers. This value will be used when generating your website, for example.
h3. Check the manifest
Manifest: a customs document listing the contents put on a ship or plane.
"Google - define:manifest":http://www.google.com/search?q=define%3Amanifest
Similarly here, a manifest is the log of the files to be packaged into a gem. If its not in the Manifest.txt file, the users won't get it.
Before you package your gem, you can compared the list of files in your gem folder, with the Manifest.txt:
rake check_manifest
The results show a _diff_ of the two.
h2. Package and test locally
Before releasing a new version of a gem, it is a great idea to install the gem locally and do some sanity checks. You know, to limit the chance of you looking like a noob.
rake local_deploy
This generates the website html files into your website folder, and locally installs the gem, ready for testing and local use.
Now pretend to be a user, and do some tests - especially of new functionality - so you are comfortable all the files have been packaged up, and you haven't missed anything in the Manifest.txt.
One set of tests you should do is to repeat any tutorials you include in your website. If your gem is dependent on other gems that are rapidly changing, its possible your tutorial might be invalid even if your unit tests are successful. Best you find any errors before the users start emailing you!
h2. Releasing your gem to the world
Once you're ready for release there are some final steps.
h3. Setup your environment to upload to RubyForge.
There are several steps you need to perform initially to "setup your environment for uploading gems to RubyForge":rubyforge.html.
h3. Document changes in History.txt
Between each version of your gem, you probably changed something. You should document this in the History.txt file. For each new release, you need to add two paragraphs that look like this:
== 0.5.4 14/4/2007
* 1 major improvement
* 150% more Wizzos
* 2 bug fixes
* Wizzos are the proper colour
* You only get Wizzos when you ask for them
The two paragraphs will be automatically picked up by the following release process and documented against the release on RubyForge site. To see an example of the end result, look at the "*History* page for newgem":http://newgem.rubyforge.org/rdoc/files/History_txt.html.
The History.txt notes for your first release have already been started for you.
h3. Release the gem and upload the website and rdocs
Run rake deploy VERSION=X.Y.Z after you've done all these steps. It does the following:
# Uploads your website to rubyforge
# Uploads your rdocs to rubyforge
# Packages and uploads your gem to RubyForge
It can take an hour or two before new gem releases are available via the gem installer. But when they are ready, everyone will be able to download and install your gem using:
sudo gem install #gem_name#
If your GEM_NAME and RUBYFORGE_PROJECT name are the same, then:
* http://RUBYFORGE_PROJECT.rubyforge.org is your website, and
* http://RUBYFORGE_PROJECT.rubyforge.org/rdoc is your rdocs
If they are different, then:
* http://RUBYFORGE_PROJECT.rubyforge.org/GEM_NAME is your website, and
* http://RUBYFORGE_PROJECT.rubyforge.org/GEM_NAME/rdoc is your rdocs
h2. Bonus tasks thanks to Hoe
Your gem uses the Hoe gem to provide a dozen or so useful rake tasks for managing your gem, such as release, check_manifest and publish_docs.
See them all with:
rake -T
Remember, the Rakefile is yours to extend as you please with more rake tasks, such as the website tasks which are already added.
For more information about each task, see the "Hoe README":http://seattlerb.rubyforge.org/hoe/
h2. Related articles
* "Original blog article and tutorial":http://drnicwilliams.com/2006/10/11/generating-new-gems/
* "Tutorial: Publishing RubyGems with Hoe":http://nubyonrails.com/articles/2007/06/15/tutorial-publishing-rubygems-with-hoe by "Geoffrey Grosenbach":http://geoffreygrosenbach.com/
* "Using New Gem Generator in Windows":http://codeconversations.blogspot.com/2007/07/using-new-gem-generator-in-windows_8009.html by "Jorge Cangas":http://codeconversations.blogspot.com/
* "Building a Ruby Gem":http://bogojoker.com/blog/2008/05/building-a-ruby-gem/ by "Joseph Pecoraro":http://bogojoker.com/ (includes a Problems/Troubleshooting section!!)
h2. Dr Nic's Blog
"http://www.drnicwilliams.com":http://www.drnicwilliams.com - for future announcements and
other stories and things.
h2. Forum
"http://groups.google.com/group/new-gem-generator":http://groups.google.com/group/new-gem-generator
h2. How to submit patches
Read the "8 steps for fixing other people's code":http://drnicwilliams.com/2007/06/01/8-steps-for-fixing-other-peoples-code/ and for section "8b: Submit patch to Google Groups":http://drnicwilliams.com/2007/06/01/8-steps-for-fixing-other-peoples-code/#8b-google-groups, use the Google Group above.
You can fetch the source from either:
* rubyforge: "http://rubyforge.org/scm/?group_id=<%= rubyforge_project_id %>":http://rubyforge.org/scm/?group_id=<%= rubyforge_project_id %>
git clone git://rubyforge.org/newgem.git
* github: "http://github.com/drnic/newgem/tree/master":http://github.com/drnic/newgem/tree/master
git clone git://github.com/drnic/newgem.git
h3. Build and test instructions
cd newgem
rake test
rake install_gem
h2. License
This code is free to use under the terms of the MIT license.
h2. Contact
Comments are welcome. Send an email to "Dr Nic Williams":mailto:drnicwilliams@gmail.com.