# windows_install.rdoc

Path: | doc/windows_install.rdoc
Last Update: | Tue Feb 01 14:02:52 +0000 2011

Note: You can view the latest version of this guide online at the Rubygame wiki: rubygame.org/wiki/Windows_Installation_Guide

## Gather Dependencies

- Ruby, the language itself. The easiest option here is the one-click installer. This will install Ruby and a number of useful libraries without any hassle.
- SDL. Download the Win32 binary package, e.g. "SDL-1.2.14-win32.zip".

The rest are optional dependencies, but highly recommended. If you don‘t have them, you won‘t be able to use certain features of Rubygame.

- SDL_image. Grab the Win32 binary package, e.g. "SDL_image-1.2.8-win32.zip".
- SDL_mixer. Just like before, grab the Win32 binary package, e.g. "SDL_mixer-1.2.9-win32.zip".
- SDL_ttf. Again, get the Win32 binary package, e.g. "SDL_ttf-2.0.9-win32.zip".
- SDL_gfx (compiled version). Many thanks to a generous Rubygame user (bmatthew1) for providing a compiled Windows DLL for SDL_gfx!

Once you have downloaded everything, unzip them and copy the *.dll files into the <code>C:\windows\system32</code> directory. This will allow the libraries to be detected and loaded by Rubygame.

## Install Rubygame

The simplest way to install Rubygame is: `gem install rubygame`

Or you can download the source from Github and follow the installation instructions in README.

## Conclusion

If all goes well, you have successfully installed Rubygame. Try to execute `require ‘rubygame‘` in an irb session and run the provided samples to ensure that everything is acceptable.

If you have any trouble installing Rubygame, please post in the forums.

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