How can I install and use ack library on Windows?

Question

I have never used Perl, but I am really impressed by the ack, which I would like to use for source code searching, etc.

Can anyone guide me of how to make use of this excellent library on Windows?

Nonalcoholic

Answer 1

Start by installing perl http://strawberryperl.com/

Install App::Ack by typing (in a windows command shell)

C:\>cpan App::Ack

And undoubtedly this will prove useful http://learn.perl.org/

Britneybritni

Note that using strawberryperl's portable version the directory of strawberryperl must not include spaces, otherwise odd errors rise. – Reverent

Protip: cpanm(1) is a lot easier to use than cpan(1), and it's also available in Strawberry Perl. – Apoplexy

Answer 2

Not all the tests pass on all versions of Windows. You can most likely get 100% functionality from ack even if the install tests fail. Here is the command to force installation if failing tests prevent a normal install:

perl -MCPAN -e "CPAN::Shell->force(qw(install App::Ack));"

Eisenhower

Or save yourself a lot of typing with cpanm -f App::Ack. Add -n to skip tests since they currently don't really pass anyway... Won't affect anything other than skipping them, saving you time, but also leaving you not knowing if they would have passed... – Apoplexy

Thanks for the info that the tests don't pass, but the install is okay. I was looking for a tarball solution until I found this post, but this is much easier. – Horning

Answer 3

If you already have msysgit installed, then you don't need to install Perl, because you already have a version. You just need to download the standalone version of ack and put it somewhere in your bash path¹. You can then run ack from your msysgit bash prompt.

If you also want to be able to run ack from the Windows command prompt, then you will need to create a batch script somewhere in your Windows path² with the contents:

@"C:\Program Files\Git\bin\perl" C:\path\to\ack-standalone.pl %*

(You'll obviously need to edit the paths above to match your msysgit installation and where you placed the ack script.)

_{1: I just stuck mine in the mysysgit bin directory: C:\Program Files\Git\bin\ack. This isn't the most sensible location for it, but it works.
2: Again, I just created the file ack.bat in the msysgit bin directory C:\Program File\Git\bin.}

Kelseykelsi

I simply dropped ack-standalone.pl in C:\Program Files\Git\bin, using the filename ack (without extension). After this, running ack from Git Bash worked. No batch files or modification to the path were required. – Merwyn

@Merwyn Yes, I do say that in my answer, (although I guess I could have worded it more clearly). The batch files and path modification are necessary if you want the script to run from within Windows's Command Prompt. (Which, also, I could have explained better.) – Kelseykelsi

Well, if you would edit your answer to word this more clearly, that'd be awesome! – Merwyn

@Merwyn Done. (Better late than never!) – Kelseykelsi

Answer 4

If you have cygwin installed, you can simply download the standalone version. Perl is installed with cygwin. Here are the steps:

$ vim .bash_profile

Remove the comments from the lines:

# if [ -d "${HOME}/bin" ] ; then
#  PATH="${HOME}/bin:${PATH}"
# fi

Load the changes:

$ source .bash_profile

Make a bin directory:

$ mkdir ~/bin

Download ack (from the homepage):

$ curl https://beyondgrep.com/ack-2.22-single-file > ~/bin/ack && chmod 0755 ~/bin/ack

Note: you will have to manually install curl as it doesn't come with cygwin by default.

Jesicajeske

The lines you commented out in .bash_profile are the lines that check ~/bin exists before adding it to the path. Since you create a bin directory, the checks can remain and it will work (and should remain, in case the bin directory is ever removed). – Crumpler

After cygwin is installed, all 3 lines are commented out. As I indicate, you should remove the comments. I'm not sure why the middle line was missing the comment symbol, but I've edited it and added it back. – Jesicajeske

Nice stand-alone file solution. Thanks for also giving the information about the PATH and .bashrc – Horning

Answer 5

You should also run the following command to enable color highlights: cpan Win32::Console::ANSI

Siphon

This should be a comment, rather than an answer, since it's not an answer. – Bathsheb

Answer 6

Nothing worked for me, until I went to the ack website and saw this.

And I ran the following command in cmd prompt:

choco install ack

Shrub

I'm told I already have it installed, but am getting bash: ack: command not found when trying to run it in git bash / MINGW64. I don't know what any of these words mean and I miss linux – Handmade

Answer 7

I had to force cpan to install App::Ack since some of the tests didn't pass:

C:\> cpan
cpan> force install App::Ack
cpan> q

Impend

Answer 8

Depending on how you feel about installing pre-built binaries from open source projects, you might also consider The Silver Searcher (ag). It's ack-compatible and faster than ack. It's also available on Linux from the repositories in recent distros.

http://blog.kowalczyk.info/software/the-silver-searcher-for-windows.html

Pengelly

Answer 9

You can install ack via cpan:

install strawberry perl

run cmd as admin

install ack:

cpan> force install App::Ack

it should work from there, followed this guide: http://www.jeedo.net/how-to-install-ack-on-windows-10/

Worked without any hitches.

Commandant