Trying to build BuildR 1.4.1 on Ruby 1.8.7

I just spent quite a bit of time trying to get Buildr to work on Ruby. I started with 1.9 but that did not work. All my team was using 1.8.7, but on Mac.
So I started down the 1.8.7 path, then I found the standard Gem did not work for Ruby 1.8.7 on Windows XP.

Then I tried to build the gem from source:

1. Get the latest: http://github.com/apache/buildr/zipball/trunk
2. cd into buildr directory “gem build buildr.gemspec”
3. gem install buildr -v 1.4.1

But I was getting this error:

C:\temp\Downloads\apache-buildr-d6f197f>gem install buildr -v 1.4.1 --platform x86-mswin32-80
Building native extensions.  This could take a while...
ERROR:  Error installing buildr:
ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.
C:/usr/bin/Ruby187/bin/ruby.exe extconf.rb
checking for jni.h... no
*** extconf.rb failed ***
Could not create Makefile due to some reason, probably lack of
necessary libraries and/or headers.  Check the mkmf.log file for more
details.  You may need configuration options.
Provided configuration options:
--with-opt-dir
--without-opt-dir
--with-opt-include
--without-opt-include=${opt-dir}/include
--with-opt-lib
--without-opt-lib=${opt-dir}/lib
--with-make-prog
--without-make-prog
--srcdir=.
--curdir
--ruby=C:/usr/bin/Ruby187/bin/ruby
Gem files will remain installed in C:/usr/bin/Ruby187/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rjb-1.2.5 for inspection.
Results logged to C:/usr/bin/Ruby187/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rjb-1.2.5/ext/gem_make.out
C:\temp\Downloads\apache-buildr-d6f197f>gem install buildr -v 1.4.1 --platform x86-mswin32-80Building native extensions.  This could take a while...ERROR:  Error installing buildr:        ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.
C:/usr/bin/Ruby187/bin/ruby.exe extconf.rbchecking for jni.h... no*** extconf.rb failed ***Could not create Makefile due to some reason, probably lack ofnecessary libraries and/or headers.  Check the mkmf.log file for moredetails.  You may need configuration options.
Provided configuration options:        --with-opt-dir        --without-opt-dir        --with-opt-include        --without-opt-include=${opt-dir}/include        --with-opt-lib        --without-opt-lib=${opt-dir}/lib        --with-make-prog        --without-make-prog        --srcdir=.        --curdir        --ruby=C:/usr/bin/Ruby187/bin/ruby

Gem files will remain installed in C:/usr/bin/Ruby187/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rjb-1.2.5 for inspection.Results logged to C:/usr/bin/Ruby187/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rjb-1.2.5/ext/gem_make.out

Then I came across this posting:

http://www.mail-archive.com/users@buildr.apache.org/msg00945.html

Gave me the missing peice:

1. Installing the Ruby one-click installer is not enough, you also need the
devkit so you have a compiler and make. The devkit is a 7zip file available
on the same page as the one-click installer. You just extract it to your
Ruby directory and make sure the paths in devkit/msys/1.0.11/etc/fstab are
accurate.

Then I ran the buildr help command to ensure this was working

C:\temp\Downloads\apache-buildr-d6f197f>buildr help
(in C:/temp/Downloads/apache-buildr-d6f197f, development)
Usage:
  buildr [-f rakefile] {options} targets...

Common tasks:
  artifacts             # Download all artifacts
  artifacts:sources     # Download all artifacts' sources
  build                 # Build the project
  cc                    # Execute continuous compilation, listening to changes
  clean                 # Clean files generated during a build
  clobber               # Clean up all temporary directories used for running tests, creating documentation, packaging, etc.
  compile               # Compile all projects
  default               # The default task is build
  doc                   # Create the documentation for this project
  eclipse               # Generate Eclipse artifacts for all projects
  help:projects         # List all projects defined by this buildfile
  help:tasks            # List all tasks available from this buildfile
  idea                  # Generate Idea artifacts for all projects
  idea7x                # Generate Idea 7.x artifacts for all projects
  idea7x:clean          # Delete the generated  Idea 7.x artifacts for all projects
  install               # Install packages created by the project
  junit:report          # Generate JUnit tests report in reports/junit
  package               # Create packages
  release               # Make a release
  test                  # Run all tests
  test:failed           # Run failed tests
  uninstall             # Remove previously installed packages
  upload                # Upload packages created by the project

For help on command line options:
  buildr --help
Downloading org.apache.ant:ant:jar:1.8.0
Buildr aborted!
RuntimeError : Unable to download org.apache.ant:ant:jar:1.8.0. No remote repositories defined.

(See full trace by running task with --trace)

This was able to get me to run buildr, but now I get another error:

C:\svn_workspaces\xIVR\agent-ivr\trunk>buildr -vt install
(in C:/svn_workspaces/xIVR/agent-ivr/trunk, development)
** Invoke C:/temp/repository/org/springframework/spring-aop/3.0.2.RELEASE/spring-aop-3.0.2.RELEASE.pom (first_time)
** Execute C:/temp/repository/org/springframework/spring-aop/3.0.2.RELEASE/spring-aop-3.0.2.RELEASE.pom
Downloading org.springframework:spring-aop:pom:3.0.2.RELEASE
Downloading org.springframework:spring-aop:pom:3.0.2.RELEASE
Buildr aborted!
RuntimeError : Unable to download org.springframework:spring-aop:pom:3.0.2.RELEASE. No remote repositories defined.

So then I reverted back to buildr 1.3.5, uninstalling 1.4.1 first, then followed the above steps again.

I hate to say RTFM because there is just so much to read, but, there you go!.