Changes

• Fixed bug where missing intermediate file dependencies could cause an abort with —trace or —dry-run. (Brian Chandler)
• Recursive rules are now supported (Tilman Sauerbeck).
• Added tar.gz and tar.bz2 support to package task (Tilman Sauerbeck).
• Added warning option for the Test Task (requested by Eric Hodel).
• The jamis rdoc template is only used if it exists.
• Added fix for Ruby 1.8.2 test/unit and rails problem.
• Added contributed rake man file. (Jani Monoses)
• Fixed documentation that was lacking the Rake module name (Tilman Sauerbeck).

What is Rake

Rake is a build tool similar to the make program in many ways. But instead of cryptic make recipes, Rake uses standard Ruby code to declare tasks and dependencies. You have the full power of a modern scripting language built right into your build tool.

Availability

The easiest way to get and install rake is via RubyGems …

  gem install rake    (you may need root/admin privileges)

Otherwise, you can get it from the more traditional places:

Thanks

Lots of people provided input to this release. Thanks to Tilman Sauerbeck for numerous patches, documentation fixes and suggestions. And for also pushing me to get this release out. Also, thanks to Brian Chandler for the finding and fixing —trace/dry-run fix. That was an obscure bug. Also to Eric Hodel for some good suggestions.

— Jim Weirich

Playing with continuations is great fun, but thinking deeply about them does tend to stretch the brain cells. If you always wanted to understand continuations better, but found them a bit hard to comprehend, Mikael Brockman has written a wonderful little introduction on the topic (via Tim Bray).

If you are interested in real world uses of continuations, see SeaSide and Borges.

  $ gem list --local rake

  *** LOCAL GEMS ***

  rake (0.4.15.1, 0.4.15, 0.4.14, 0.4.13, 0.4.12.1, 0.4.12, 0.4.4)
      Ruby based make-like utility.
  $
  $ rake --version
  rake, version 0.4.15.1
  $
  $ rake _0.4.12_ --version
  rake, version 0.4.12

Since rake is installed as a gem, you can run the executable of any installed version. By default, gems will run the latest one. But if you wish to run an older version, gems will accomodate you.