How can I use Ruby code in .NET?

Question

I'd like to use a RubyGem in my C# application.

I've downloaded IronRuby, but I'm not sure how to get up and running. Their download includes ir.exe, and it includes some DLLs such as IronRuby.dll.

Once IronRuby.dll is referenced in my .NET project, how do I expose the objects and methods of an *.rb file to my C# code?

Thanks very much,

Michael

It is so hard to find documentation on this one, no wonder it has you confused. — Sam Saffron
– Sam Saffron, Commented Sep 17, 2009 at 22:42

Sam Saffron · Accepted Answer · 2009-09-17 22:45:28Z

5

This is how you do interop:

Make sure you have refs to IronRuby, IronRuby.Libraries, Microsoft.Scripting and Microsoft.Scripting.Core

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using IronRuby;
using IronRuby.Builtins;
using IronRuby.Runtime;

namespace ConsoleApplication7 {
    class Program {
        static void Main(string[] args) {
            var runtime = Ruby.CreateRuntime();
            var engine = runtime.GetRubyEngine();

            engine.Execute("def hello; puts 'hello world'; end");

            string s = engine.Execute("hello") as string;
            Console.WriteLine(s);
            // outputs "hello world"

            engine.Execute("class Foo; def bar; puts 'hello from bar'; end; end");
            object o = engine.Execute("Foo.new");
            var operations = engine.CreateOperations();
            string s2 = operations.InvokeMember(o, "bar") as string; 
            Console.WriteLine(s2);
            // outputs "hello from bar"

            Console.ReadKey();


        }
    }
}

Note, Runtime has an ExecuteFile which you can use to execute your file.

To get the Gems going

Make sure you install your gem using igem.exe
you will probably have to set some search paths using Engine.SetSearchPaths

edited Sep 17, 2009 at 22:45

answered Sep 17, 2009 at 22:39

Sam Saffron

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2 Comments

Robert Harvey Over a year ago

I think I would rather put bamboo shoots under my fingernails than do this.

Sam Saffron Over a year ago

Granted, its hairy, but doable. Sure with dynamic support this will get easier.

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