Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I install Ruby on Rails on my home computer?
- Yes, you can. We recommend BitNami RubyStack. This is the full package that greatly simplifies both installation and then development in Ruby on Rails. It is available for Windows, Linux and Mac. It comes complete with all required components, including Ruby, Gems, Rails, several web servers (Apache, Mongrel, Webricks, Lighttp) and two database systems (MySQL and sqlite). BitNami RubyStack is distributed for free under the Apache 2.0 license. Download the NATIVE version 2.1-0, which currently supports Ruby 1.8.7 and Rails 2.3.9 (we are not yet working with Rails 3!).
- How can I edit *.rb and *.html.erb files?
- If you are using a Kingston University computer in one of our labs - no problem, we have configured everything for you. Otherwise, we recommend SCiTE editor, that supports Ruby source code very well. It is not a part of your BitNami RubyStack installation, and you will have to download and install it separately.
- What database systems do rails use? How to switch to MySQL?
- If you have installed BitNami RubyStack, this has automatically setup two different databases systems for you: MySQL and Sqlite. By default, your projects will run in Sqlite - and that's usually ok, especially if you just started your adventure with Ruby on Rails. Sqlite is a fast and compact database system, does not require system services or servers to run, and will be sufficient for most small or medium scale projects. Click here if you would like to switch to MySQL.
- I don't have a web server and I need to submit my HTML/CSS coursework
- I have provided a special Servers Page for those struggling with the upload to a web server.
- If I don't know how to ftp my files, can I use Wordpress to submit my HTML/CSS?
- Sorry, but no, you can't. Click here to find out why not.
In every other matter, please contact me.
Copyright (C) 2009-2011 by Jaroslaw Francik