`load_missing_constant': uninitialized constant Debugger::CommandProcessor

To make a long story short, I've been having some development configuration issues. I've switched to rvm and bundler, but sometimes my old gems bit me when I'm not expecting it.

While trying to restore sanity to my development environment, I came across this error.
"`load_missing_constant': uninitialized constant Debugger::CommandProcessor "

In my Gemfile, I was specifying:
gem 'ruby-debug'
gem 'ruby-debug-base'
gem 'ruby-debug-ide'

According to this thread, http://youtrack.jetbrains.net/issue/RUBY-5341, if I'm using RubyMine, I do not need to include ruby-debug which is for the command line.

My new Gemfile includes just
gem 'ruby-debug-base'
gem 'ruby-debug-ide'


Also on this journey, I decided to uninstall all my old system gems. I was able to do this with opening a new terminal window, rvm use system, gem list --local, sudo gem uninstall GEMNAME. I was able to get rid of most of them this way, but a few were still lingering around. I did an gem env and removed some directories including:

/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8
/Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8



I'm still on 10.5

What I learned at RailsConf 2010 presentation

See this pdf

Software Engineering Craft (or Software Engineering as a performance art)

Experiment with full time students this summer to explore this topic.

In a language and framework of their choice, have students select a short project to build, ie a blog website, or twitter client mobile application. Include testing. In the first session, build the project. (Time it.) Repeat again. Repeat again. Repeat again. After each session reflect on what you learned. Was there insights about the IDE? Where there key command short cuts? Do your test cases get better from defects from previous sessions, or do they get worse because of short cuts? Is there an aspect of the technology that you are deficient in that requires additional practice? (Katana example) Look for trends across the student population.

Based upon trends across the student population, identify further areas of practice.

Try same experiment with paired programming.

http://github.com/edgecase/ruby_koans

Inspiration: improv - learning scene work or singing a song from scratch. Take an impossible task and break into small concrete steps. Slowly build upon the steps to reach the goal. Sometimes explore the concept of each step with positive and negative examples.

Inspiration: Katana for TDD

Inspiration: Learning to play the piano. Strength building exercises. The whole point of the exercise is to build up . Much like dance where there are patterns, technique and skill aspects to a class. The patterns make learning dancing fun and motivate the student to keep going. Playing a song is rewarding. Working on skill is tedious but makes the fun stuff more accessible and easier to accomplish.


http://rubyquiz.com/
Ruby Koans - http://github.com/edgecase/ruby_koans


Javascript learning - http://ejohn.org/apps/learn

Integrating openid, google apps, and ruby on rails

My university uses Google Apps for Universities. We wanted users to be able to authenticate to our rails application using their Google Apps account. Since Google Apps now supports openid, I thought that this would be really straightforward. A friend had just installed openid on his site and it was a breeze. I thought I would just install a few gems and get on with other rails development activities. I have no intention of becoming an openid expert. Here are the steps that I followed to get it to all work together.



Step 1) Enable Federated Login using OpenID on your Google Apps domain.

http://www.google.com/a/cpanel/{your-domain}/SetupIdp

Step 2) Download your needed gems

a) gem install ruby-openid
This is JanRan's ruby implementation of open id

b) gem install ruby-openid-apps-discovery
This is Google's extension of ruby-openid to work with Google Apps

c) gem install rack-openid
This is a rack wrapper around JanRan's open id

d) ./script/plugin install git://github.com/rails/open_id_authentication.git
This is Rails code to make integrating in with open id easier

e) Modify config/environment.erb and add this line
require 'gapps_openid'


Step 3) Add some code to your rails application.

 
class SessionsController < current_user =" @account.users.authenticate(params[:name]," required =""> ["http://axschema.org/contact/email", "http://axschema.org/namePerson/first", "http://axschema.org/namePerson/last"]) do |result, identity_url, registration|
       ax_response = OpenID::AX::FetchResponse.from_success_response(request.env[Rack::OpenID::RESPONSE])
         case result.status
         when :missing
           failed_login "Sorry, the OpenID server couldn't be found"
         when :invalid
           failed_login "Sorry, but this does not appear to be a valid OpenID"
         when :canceled
           failed_login "OpenID verification was canceled"
         when :failed
           failed_login "Sorry, the OpenID verification failed"
         when :successful

       email = ax_response['http://axschema.org/contact/email'].first()
       first_name = ax_response['http://axschema.org/namePerson/first'].first()
       last_name = ax_response['http://axschema.org/namePerson/last'].first()

       if result.successful?
         #Look up the user and if they don't exist then create the user
         @current_user = ...
         if @current_user
           successful_login
         else
           failed_login "Sorry, no user by that identity URL exists (#{identity_url})"
         end
       else
         failed_login result.message
       end
     end
   end
 end


   private
     def successful_login
       session[:user_id] = @current_user.id
       redirect_to(root_url)
     end

     def failed_login(message)
       flash[:error] = message
       redirect_to(new_session_url)
     end
 end

If you are still stuck, here are some other helpful links:

To understand open id: http://www.devx.com/opensource/Article/37692/1954?pf=true

To get google mail to work with rails plugin: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2492043/ruby-open-id-authentication-with-google-openid

To understand all possible AX schema fields: http://www.axschema.org/types/#sreg

Discovering end points: http://groups.google.com/group/google-federated-login-api/web/openid-discovery-for-hosted-domains

Part 2

If you get a warning message like this
WARNING: making https request to https://www.google.com/accounts/o8/.well-known/host-meta?hd= without verifying server certificate; no CA path was specified.
WARNING: making https request to https://www.google.com/accounts/o8/site-xrds?ns=2&hd= without verifying server certificate; no CA path was specified.
WARNING: making https request to https://www.google.com/a//o8/ud?be=o8 without verifying server certificate; no CA path was specified.
Generated checkid_setup request to https://www.google.com/a//o8/ud?be=o8 with assocication AOQpcUfj9hGDs4DukDUrxhChnVBMbtoKAlXgvzQ1dp1L0yp6wCDxeFlx

The fix is pretty simple.
a) In your config/environment.rb file add the line
OpenID.fetcher.ca_file = "#{Rails.root}/config/ca-bundle.crt"
b) You'll need to get a ca-bundle.crt file. You should add in certificate authorities that you trust. If you are in a hurry, you can use the one in the ruby-openid-apps-discovery gem. Unpack it and find it in the lib directory. I copied mine to my application's config directory.

Disappointment of arrival of my iPad

On the first day the iPad was available, I was one of the diehards to order it. I debated between picking it up or having it shipped to me. Instead of dealing with the hordes waiting in line at the Apple Store, I pictured myself at home, leisurely waiting for UPS or FedEx to arrive at my door. At the time, I didn't realize that April 3rd, 2010 was Easter weekend.

When I realized that I would be out of town for Easter, I began scheming how I could pick up the package first thing Saturday morning. When I had the tracking number from UPS, I discovered that UPS will call isn't open on Saturdays, besides UPS couldn't do anything since Apple hadn't shipped the product. When I received a FedEx tracking number for Saturday delivery, I was very excited, I would be able to show my iPad to my 20 relatives for Easter! I wondered if the change of shipper happened because of the rumored iPad production problems. Anyways, I was excited that I could work with FedEx to pick up my package. After arranging will call pick-up with FedEx, and getting the car fully packed up for our Easter trip, we drove to the FedEx warehouse. After waiting what seemed like eons, I had my iPad finally in my hands! Then I realized it felt awfully light. I opened it to discover not my iPad, but only an iPad case!

After my disappointment faded away, I realized that they had done split shipments. Instead of my iPad arriving on Saturday, as advertised, my iPad would be arriving on Monday.

I had looked forward to showing my iPad to all my relatives during Easter brunch. I thought it was brilliant that Apple was releasing it this social weekend. Now, I get to show all my relatives my empty case and tell a fun, yet disappointing story.

Update: My iPod arrived on Monday morning and it certainly is magical!