Summary

This file shows how to install Xiki. Xiki is like a shell console with GUI features. It is also a glue language. It ties together many of the things we developers use. Such as shell commands, code, files, directories, notes, urls, database queries, and many other things. It accomplishes this by using a wiki-ish text syntax that can be expanded directly from a text editor. See http://xiki.org/screencasts if you have no idea what I'm talking about. :)

It has a web interface, but runs best from a Xiki-enabled text editor. It has menus for quickly getting started with using various tools and libraries. Also you can easily create your own menus, in about ten different ways. Many of them will seem obvious to you.

Supported platforms: MacOS and Linux. Pair with me if you want to see Windows support, support for your text editor, or just to hack on Xiki! (find me at twitter.com/xiki).

Install Ruby 1.9.3

Type "ruby -v" to see which ruby version you currently have.

On ubuntu, do: $ sudo apt-get install ruby1.9.3.

On the mac, install rvm (http://google.com/search?q=install+rvm) and the do: $ rvm install ruby-1.9.3

Install Xiki

Either install as a gem, or install from github.

Install from github

  $ git clone git://github.com/trogdoro/xiki.git
  $ cd xiki
  $ sudo gem install bundler   # <- no "sudo" if using rvm
  $ sudo bundle                # <- no "sudo" if using rvm
  $ sudo ruby etc/command/copy_xiki_command_to.rb /usr/bin/xiki

  # Or, if you're using rvm...
  $ ruby etc/command/copy_xiki_command_to.rb /usr/local/bin/xiki

Or, as a gem

Note: at the moment this will give you the old Xiki version. Use the "github" instructions.

  # This will work again soon, but currently use github
  $ gem install xiki --pre

Verify the 'xiki' shell command works

Close your current console window and open a new one. Then type...

  $ xiki

Troubleshooting

If you run "$ which xiki" and it doesn't show /usr/local/bin/xiki or /usr/local/xiki, delete the 'xiki' file it shows. (Normally it would be ignored but you probably have your gem bin dirs at the beginning of your PATH.)

Check the process log for error messages (/tmp/xiki_process.rb.output).

It should delay slightly the first time and be fast subsequent times. If you run into errors and then fix them, you'll want to run the "xiki stop" command. Use 'ps' to verify that the "xiki_process.rb" dies - manually kill it if not. Try opening a new shell console window when trying the "xiki" command after fixing things.

Bring up the Xiki web interface

  $ xiki web/start

Then follow the instructions you see (it tells you to go to http://localhost:8161). Under "Getting Started" it walks you through creating menus and trying them in the web interface, and then getting Xiki running in a text editor.

See the web log for trouble-shooting (/tmp/xiki_web.output).

Getting help

Join the google group for help with installing, or to chat about whatever or share your ideas:

http://groups.google.com/group/xiki

Or tweet to @xiki.