Install autoreconf on OSX lion?

Question

I'm attempting to re-install ruby 1.9.3 with a patch that will allow me to use ruby-debug.

When following the instructions and running

rvm reinstall 1.9.3 --patch debug --force-autoconf

It runs through and after applying the patch spits out:

rvm requires autoreconf to install the selected ruby interpreter however autoreconf was not found in the PATH.

Unfortunately, googling around for how to install autoreconf on OSX Lion (or much info about it at all) seems to be a dead end.

Answer 1

I had a similar problem, but because homebrew moved away from the Cellar directory, but for some reasons binaries of this package were still there. I reinstalled autoconf with the following command and autoreconf is in the right PATH now: brew reinstall autoconf

Answer 2

I solved my autoreconf problem adding the path to my shell:

sudo pico /etc/paths

then I added the line

/sw/bin

where I found the autoreconf and autoconf files and saved everything.

Since then I can use autoreconf without any problems.

Answer 3

If you want to do this using macports instead of homebrew, you can do:

sudo port install automake autoconf libtool

I had the same problem and this solved it for me.

Answer 4

Little old post but still want to answer so that it'll help others.
By downloading the .pkg file from MacPort and installing it done the trick for me.

Answer 5

I was trying to install autoconf by:

sudo port install automake autoconf libtool. 

I could not install that.

Finally this worked for me.

Answer 6

If you are using homebrew, try

brew install automake

Which should also install autoconf and allow rvm to finish installing.