rails console doesn't load due to libreadline

Question

I have recently reinstalled ruby 2.1.2 like so since I wanted to install a gem (ruby-debug-ide)

sudo rvm reinstall 2.1.2 --disable-binary --with-gcc=gcc-4.2

Since then, I can't load my console using bundle exec rails c due to the following error :

/Users/ohad/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.1.2@aaa/gems/activesupport-3.2.11/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:251:in `require': dlopen(/Users/ohad/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.1.2/lib/ruby/2.1.0/x86_64-darwin13.0/readline.bundle, 9): Library not loaded: @@HOMEBREW_PREFIX@@/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.6.dylib (LoadError)
  Referenced from: /Users/ohad/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.1.2/lib/ruby/2.1.0/x86_64-darwin13.0/readline.bundle

Tried brew uninstall readline and brew install --build-from-source readline which worked but didn't solve my problem.

Connelly

Possible duplicate of Rails Console Not Loading – Salpingectomy

Answer 1

Ran across this today, to solve it I did:

brew rm -f readline

brew install readline

brew link readline --force

Hope it helps.

EDIT: I recently ran into this problem again (after downgrading Ruby) since I wrote this, and I now prefer @califrench's solution from the comments below:

ln -s /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.dylib /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.7.dylib

Sententious

worked for me too, thanks! although when running brew doctor it tells me to unlink it? I think that is what caused the error to come up in the first place, strange.. – Stickpin

For me cp /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.dylib /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.6.dylib did the trick. Looks like rails 4.2.6 was looking for libreadline.6 instead of libreadline. I probably should have symlinked it to be honest though. So ln -s /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.dylib /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.6.dylib is more appropriate. hope this helps others who are still stuck! – Marris

I've found @califrench's solution to work after finding rails c was broken after upgrading to Sierra. – Astra

no idea why this suddenly started happening this morning but califrench's solution worked for me when none of the others did.... thanks! – Goodnight

Didn't work for me... Thanks @califrench, your solution was more simple and it works :D – Aleda

Thanks @califrench. This worked for me too like most others. I am adding this as community wiki answer. You are still welcome to add this as your own answer, when you get time. – Dressler

Thanks @califrench, OP's answer didn't work for me, the comment did. Might want to post it as an answer :) – Jaehne

and run rails console after spring stop – Illuse

Answer 2

Based on a comment on the accepted answer with more up-votes than the answer, this seems to be the most popular solution.

Looks like rails 4.2.6 was looking for libreadline.6 instead of libreadline. So just need to create a symlink.

ln -s /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.dylib \
/usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.6.dylib 

Hope this helps others who are still stuck!

Woebegone

Thanks for posting my solution. I have gotten good feedback and was about to post it. I up-voted this! – Marris

@califrench, it's a community wiki, please do some edit to make it as you like and then you will be added as a contributor too. (It's kinda injustice not to see your name here!) – Dressler

Solved my issue as well! I'm using Rails v4.2.4. Thanks! – Lowbrow

Thanks Califrench and Tareq! I up voted this answer and downvoted the answers that are showing up higher in the rankings (but not as helpful). Unfortunately, I don't have enough rep to change the public totals. Hoping future readers will also place similar votes. – Southernmost

Thanks, this worked! In my case, just needed to change ...libreadline.6.dylib to ...libreadline.7.dylib – Guillemette

Answer 3

I was able to resolve the same problem by reinstalling Ruby. On the Homebrew side reinstalling readline (even from source) didn't help.

I'm using RVM so this sorted it for me:

rvm reinstall 2.3.1

I think Homebrew may have pulled in readline v7 recently for some other package, which I suspect could well be the culprit.

Debenture

Thanks — that fixed it. For rbenv users, the rbenv equivalent is rbenv install -f 2.3.1. – Arleyne

Same here! re-installing 2.3.1 fixed it for me. – Gel

I do not meet the issue when working in terminal, but only in RubyMine (???). And re-installing fixed it (???). – Ellinger

I've seen situations where RubyMine SDK points to an out of date/wrong RVM gemset. Most typically when I upgrade the global default Ruby version. I'd suggest checking the SDK – Debenture

Was having issues running knife commands for ChefDK and this fixed it. – Hafer

Worked for me, Ruby 2.3.0, Rails 4.2.7, RubyMine 2017.3.1. Thanks! – Omission

Answer 4

After getting a lot of positive feedback on my comment on @mauro_oto's post, I thought I'd post this as an answer:

For me cp /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.dylib /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.6.dylib did the trick. Looks like rails 4.2.6 was looking for libreadline.6 instead of libreadline. I probably should have symlinked it to be honest though. So ln -s /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.dylib /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.6.dylib is more appropriate. hope this helps others who are still stuck!

Marris

Answer 5

Adding gem 'rb-readline' to my Gemfile fixed this problem for me. See https://github.com/ConnorAtherton/rb-readline.

Cecilycecity

Answer 6

None of all this worked for me. I am using osx sierra. This what worked for me.

ln -s /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.7.0.dylib /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.6.dylib

Hope this helps someone out there.

Centrepiece

Answer 7

My ENV: Ruby: 2.2.1, Rails: 4.2.1, macOS Sierra 10.12.4;

The below command works for me and my colleague:

ln -s /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.7.0.dylib /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.6.dylib

Sensorium

Answer 8

This solved my problem:

Replace libreadline.{version}.dylib with the version you are getting error for:

ln -s /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.dylib /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.7.dylib

Grouper

this is the answer – Dhruv

Answer 9

On OSX using homebrew, you can specify which readline version is active. e.g.

brew switch readline 6.3.8

(it's likely installed in /usr/local/Cellar/readline/ )

Horlacher

Answer 10

I was experiencing a similar problem but with more updated versions. The error I had was:

dlopen(/Users/juanjo/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.5.3/lib/ruby/2.5.0/x86_64-darwin18/readline.bundle, 9): Library not loaded: /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.7.dylib (LoadError)
  Referenced from: /Users/juanjo/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.5.3/lib/ruby/2.5.0/x86_64-darwin18/readline.bundle
  Reason: image not found - /Users/juanjo/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.5.3/lib/ruby/2.5.0/x86_64-darwin18/readline.bundle

The important part is Library not loaded: /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.7.dylib

Looking at /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/ I saw I had installed libreadline.8.dylib, not 7.

To solve my problem, guided by the other answers, I had to do the following:

ln -s /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.8.dylib /usr/local/opt/readline/lib/libreadline.7.dylib

In other words: ln -s /.../[libreadline you have] /.../[libreadline you need].

Jellaba