Installing 'Compass' via the command line receive error "extconf failed, exit code 1"

Andrew M picture Andrew M · Aug 30, 2014 · Viewed 17.7k times · Source

Couldn't find an answer to this. Running OS X Yosemite Beta v2

When following compass install guide ensure that your gem is up-to-date

gem update --system

Then run

gem install compass 

Answer

Duncan picture Duncan · Sep 4, 2014

Assuming your installation failed for the same reason as mine, you'll notice that the error logs states:

"You have to install development tools first."

So, install xcode and try:

xcode-select --install

Follow the onscreen instructions and you should be golden. For reference, this is the error I received when attempting

Computer:Folder User$ sudo gem install compass

Building native extensions.  This could take a while...
ERROR:  Error installing compass:
    ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.

    /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/bin/ruby -r ./siteconf20140904-3376-i1l5f8.rb extconf.rb
checking for ffi.h... *** 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=/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/bin/ruby
    --with-ffi_c-dir
    --without-ffi_c-dir
    --with-ffi_c-include
    --without-ffi_c-include=${ffi_c-dir}/include
    --with-ffi_c-lib
    --without-ffi_c-lib=${ffi_c-dir}/
    --with-libffi-config
    --without-libffi-config
    --with-pkg-config
    --without-pkg-config
/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/2.0.0/mkmf.rb:434:in `try_do': The compiler failed to generate an executable file. (RuntimeError)
You have to install development tools first.
    from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/2.0.0/mkmf.rb:549:in `block in try_compile'
    from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/2.0.0/mkmf.rb:502:in `with_werror'
    from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/2.0.0/mkmf.rb:549:in `try_compile'
    from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/2.0.0/mkmf.rb:1044:in `block in have_header'
    from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/2.0.0/mkmf.rb:895:in `block in checking_for'
    from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/2.0.0/mkmf.rb:340:in `block (2 levels) in postpone'
    from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/2.0.0/mkmf.rb:310:in `open'
    from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/2.0.0/mkmf.rb:340:in `block in postpone'
    from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/2.0.0/mkmf.rb:310:in `open'
    from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/2.0.0/mkmf.rb:336:in `postpone'
    from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/2.0.0/mkmf.rb:894:in `checking_for'
    from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/2.0.0/mkmf.rb:1043:in `have_header'
    from extconf.rb:16:in `<main>'

extconf failed, exit code 1

Gem files will remain installed in /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/gems/ffi-1.9.3 for inspection.
Results logged to /Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/extensions/universal-darwin-14/2.0.0/ffi-1.9.3/gem_make.out