# \[slightly OT\] up key doesn't work in irb **URL:** \ **Category:** ruby-talk\ **Created:** [22 March 2003 12:14 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/slightly-ot-up-key-doesnt-work-in-irb/5289 "2003-03-22T12:14:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Emmanuel\_Touzery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e274bd/32.png) [@Emmanuel\_Touzery](https://rubytalk.org/u/Emmanuel_Touzery)\ **Post date:** [22 March 2003 12:14 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/slightly-ot-up-key-doesnt-work-in-irb/5289/1 "2003-03-22T12:14:50Z")
Hello, ``` I had ruby 1.6.2 which came with my mandrake 8.0. I just upgraded to ruby ``` 1.6.8 (compiled from source), and now in irb the “up” key doesn’t work anymore, instead ^[[A is displayed on the screen… ``` I'm sorry if it's basic UNIX/linux knowledge.. I don't find anything on ``` google, also because google scrambles the string “^[[A”. And in the time being programming in ruby has become horrible, as I really depended in this irb feature… ``` thank for any answer, ``` emmanuel > **···** > > – > “Droit devant soi, on ne peut pas aller bien loin” > - Le petit prince, Antoine de Saint Exupéry ---
**Author:** ![ts1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a8b319/32.png) [@ts1](https://rubytalk.org/u/ts1)\ **Post date:** [22 March 2003 12:20 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/slightly-ot-up-key-doesnt-work-in-irb/5289/2 "2003-03-22T12:20:13Z")
>   I had ruby 1.6.2 which came with my mandrake 8.0. I just upgraded to ruby > 1.6.8 (compiled from source), and now in irb the "up" key doesn't work > anymore, instead ^[[A is displayed on the screen... Verify that ruby has build the extension readline pigeon% ruby -rreadline -e 1 pigeon% If it give an error, goto ruby-1.6.8/ext/readline and run   ruby extconf.rb to see if it give an error message Guy Decoux ---
**Author:** ![Emmanuel\_Touzery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e274bd/32.png) [@Emmanuel\_Touzery](https://rubytalk.org/u/Emmanuel_Touzery)\ **Post date:** [22 March 2003 12:29 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/slightly-ot-up-key-doesnt-work-in-irb/5289/3 "2003-03-22T12:29:21Z")
THANK YOU. installing readline-devel and recompiling ruby fixed it… wow, that was a fast and accurate answer :O) emmanuel, back on track > **···** > > On Saturday 22 of March 2003 13:20, ts wrote: > > > Verify that ruby has build the extension readline > > > > pigeon% ruby -rreadline -e 1 > > pigeon% > > – > “Droit devant soi, on ne peut pas aller bien loin” > - Le petit prince, Antoine de Saint Exupéry ---
**Author:** ![Shashank\_Date2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@Shashank\_Date2](https://rubytalk.org/u/Shashank_Date2)\ **Post date:** [22 March 2003 15:28 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/slightly-ot-up-key-doesnt-work-in-irb/5289/4 "2003-03-22T15:28:50Z")
“ts” [decoux@moulon.inra.fr](mailto:decoux@moulon.inra.fr) wrote in message Hello Guy, I am using ruby 1.6.8 (2002-12-24) [i586-mswin32] installed with PragProg’s one-click installer on Windows. I do not have “up” key problem in irb. But I know that readline my version of ruby does not have readline support, because … > > I had ruby 1.6.2 which came with my mandrake 8.0. I just upgraded to > > ruby > > 1.6.8 (compiled from source), and now in irb the “up” key doesn’t work > > anymore, instead ^[[A is displayed on the screen… > > Verify that ruby has build the extension readline > > pigeon% ruby -rreadline -e 1 > pigeon% … when I do this I get an error : ruby: No such file to load – readline (LoadError) > If it give an error, goto ruby-1.6.8/ext/readline and run > > ruby extconf.rb So will I have some other problems down the road? This question is for those involved: is readline support on Win32 planed in future ? ---
**Author:** ![ts1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a8b319/32.png) [@ts1](https://rubytalk.org/u/ts1)\ **Post date:** [22 March 2003 16:51 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/slightly-ot-up-key-doesnt-work-in-irb/5289/5 "2003-03-22T16:51:58Z")
> So will I have some other problems down the road? No, you just don't have access to this extension : this just mean that you can't use cursor key with irb (just like with the old DOS) but irb still work fine. Guy Decoux ---
**Author:** ![Shashank\_Date2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@Shashank\_Date2](https://rubytalk.org/u/Shashank_Date2)\ **Post date:** [22 March 2003 17:29 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/slightly-ot-up-key-doesnt-work-in-irb/5289/6 "2003-03-22T17:29:03Z")
“ts” [decoux@moulon.inra.fr](mailto:decoux@moulon.inra.fr) wrote in message > No, you just don’t have access to this extension : So there are some programs I won’t be able to run. Right? > this just mean that you can’t use cursor key with irb By cursor keys, if you mean the up-down-left-right arrow keys, then I have confirmed that I can use them in IRB even without the extension. But that may be part of the native windows magic because I can do that even at the command prompt:C:\> Thanks for you help. – shanko ---
**Author:** ![ts1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a8b319/32.png) [@ts1](https://rubytalk.org/u/ts1)\ **Post date:** [22 March 2003 17:34 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/slightly-ot-up-key-doesnt-work-in-irb/5289/7 "2003-03-22T17:34:20Z")
> So there are some programs I won't be able to run. Right? Well, readline is just to have access to up-down-left-right arrow keys : if these keys work in irb without this extension this just mean that on Windows you don't need it and you'll able to run any programs. Guy Decoux ---
**Author:** ![Shashank\_Date2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@Shashank\_Date2](https://rubytalk.org/u/Shashank_Date2)\ **Post date:** [22 March 2003 19:29 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/slightly-ot-up-key-doesnt-work-in-irb/5289/8 "2003-03-22T19:29:35Z")
“ts” [decoux@moulon.inra.fr](mailto:decoux@moulon.inra.fr) wrote in message > Well, readline is just to have access to up-down-left-right arrow keys : > if these keys work in irb without this extension this just mean that on > Windows you don’t need it and you’ll able to run any programs. Got it ! > Guy Decoux Thanks, Guy.