Installing Freeimage + image_science on Leopard

So I upgraded to Leopard the other day (actually I did a clean install), and all is well until I attempted to start a rails project that uses image_science. image_science depends on Freeimage as I’m sure you’re aware, and the Freeimage install was failing spectacularly. Google to the rescue! Here’s how I got it to install:

From http://www.ruby-forum.com/topic/129554#578387

1. I started with a clean install of Leopard.

2. Install macports for 10.4

3. Install the xcode dev tools from the Leopard disk – *be sure to also install the 10.3 sdk from the xcode dev tools install*

4. sudo port install freeimage

5. cd /opt/local/var/macports/build/_opt_local_var_macports_sources_rsync.macports.org_release_ports_graphics_freeimage/work/FreeImage

and change this:

LIBRARIES_PPC = -Wl,-syslibroot /Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.3.9.sdk
LIBRARIES_I386 = -Wl,-syslibroot /Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.4u.sdk

to this

LIBRARIES_PPC = -Wl,-syslibroot /Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.3.9.sdk/usr/lib
LIBRARIES_I386 = -Wl,-syslibroot /Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.4u.sdk/usr/lib

6. sudo port install freeimage

7. sudo gem install -y imagescience

8. cd /Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8/gems/RubyInline-3.6.4/lib

9. edit inline.rb

look for the line

flags = @flags.join(' ')

and change it to

flags = @flags.join(' ') + ' -lruby'

10. remove ~/.ruby_inline

Some notes:

Step #5 pertains to the file Makefile.osx

Before attempting to install freeimage again in step #6, be sure to cd out of /opt/local/var/macports/build/_opt_local_var_macports_sources_rsync.macports.org_release_ports_graphics_freeimage/work/FreeImage
I just did a “cd ~” before “sudo port install freeimage”

Big thanks and all credit to original posters Thomas Mango and Michael Steinfeld for this information.