libv8-3.16.14.3 Fails to install - Rails 4.1.8

Question

So I have this issue where libv8-3.16.14.3 fails to install, even though it deceptively tells you it did install.

So the first sign of issue was when it did:

An error occurred while installing libv8 (3.16.14.3), and Bundler cannot continue.
Make sure that `gem install libv8 -v '3.16.14.3'` succeeds before bundling.

During a bundle install. So I did some googling and came across this response which when run:

gem install libv8 -v '3.16.14.3' -- --with-system-v8
Building native extensions with: '--with-system-v8'
This could take a while...
Successfully installed libv8-3.16.14.3
Parsing documentation for libv8-3.16.14.3
Done installing documentation for libv8 after 1 seconds
1 gem installed

Leads you to thinking it worked. but run bundle install again and see the error in question which is:

An error occurred while installing libv8 (3.16.14.3), and Bundler cannot continue.
Make sure that `gem install libv8 -v '3.16.14.3'` succeeds before bundling.

The entire trace log can be seen below (caused by running bundle install):

Gem::Ext::BuildError: ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.

    /Users/Adam/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.1.5/bin/ruby extconf.rb 
creating Makefile
Compiling v8 for x64
Using python 2.7.6
Configured with: --prefix=/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr --with-gxx-include-dir=/usr/include/c++/4.2.1
Unable to find a compiler officially supported by v8.
It is recommended to use GCC v4.4 or higher
Using compiler: g++
Configured with: --prefix=/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr --with-gxx-include-dir=/usr/include/c++/4.2.1
Unable to find a compiler officially supported by v8.
It is recommended to use GCC v4.4 or higher
../src/cached-powers.cc:136:18: error: unused variable 'kCachedPowersLength' [-Werror,-Wunused-const-variable]
static const int kCachedPowersLength = ARRAY_SIZE(kCachedPowers);
                 ^
1 error generated.
make[1]: *** [/Users/Adam/Dropbox/AisisGit/AisisPlatform/.bundle/gems/gems/libv8-3.16.14.3/vendor/v8/out/x64.release/obj.target/preparser_lib/src/cached-powers.o] Error 1
make: *** [x64.release] Error 2
/Users/Adam/Dropbox/AisisGit/AisisPlatform/.bundle/gems/gems/libv8-3.16.14.3/ext/libv8/location.rb:36:in `block in verify_installation!': libv8 did not install properly, expected binary v8 archive '/Users/Adam/Dropbox/AisisGit/AisisPlatform/.bundle/gems/gems/libv8-3.16.14.3/vendor/v8/out/x64.release/obj.target/tools/gyp/libv8_base.a'to exist, but it was not found (Libv8::Location::Vendor::ArchiveNotFound)
    from /Users/Adam/Dropbox/AisisGit/AisisPlatform/.bundle/gems/gems/libv8-3.16.14.3/ext/libv8/location.rb:35:in `each'
    from /Users/Adam/Dropbox/AisisGit/AisisPlatform/.bundle/gems/gems/libv8-3.16.14.3/ext/libv8/location.rb:35:in `verify_installation!'
    from /Users/Adam/Dropbox/AisisGit/AisisPlatform/.bundle/gems/gems/libv8-3.16.14.3/ext/libv8/location.rb:26:in `install!'
    from extconf.rb:7:in `<main>'
GYP_GENERATORS=make \
    build/gyp/gyp --generator-output="out" build/all.gyp \
                  -Ibuild/standalone.gypi --depth=. \
                  -Dv8_target_arch=x64 \
                  -S.x64  -Dv8_enable_backtrace=1 -Dv8_can_use_vfp2_instructions=true -Darm_fpu=vfpv2 -Dv8_can_use_vfp3_instructions=true -Darm_fpu=vfpv3
  CXX(target) /Users/Adam/Dropbox/AisisGit/AisisPlatform/.bundle/gems/gems/libv8-3.16.14.3/vendor/v8/out/x64.release/obj.target/preparser_lib/src/allocation.o
  CXX(target) /Users/Adam/Dropbox/AisisGit/AisisPlatform/.bundle/gems/gems/libv8-3.16.14.3/vendor/v8/out/x64.release/obj.target/preparser_lib/src/atomicops_internals_x86_gcc.o
  CXX(target) /Users/Adam/Dropbox/AisisGit/AisisPlatform/.bundle/gems/gems/libv8-3.16.14.3/vendor/v8/out/x64.release/obj.target/preparser_lib/src/bignum.o
  CXX(target) /Users/Adam/Dropbox/AisisGit/AisisPlatform/.bundle/gems/gems/libv8-3.16.14.3/vendor/v8/out/x64.release/obj.target/preparser_lib/src/bignum-dtoa.o
  CXX(target) /Users/Adam/Dropbox/AisisGit/AisisPlatform/.bundle/gems/gems/libv8-3.16.14.3/vendor/v8/out/x64.release/obj.target/preparser_lib/src/cached-powers.o

extconf failed, exit code 1

Gem files will remain installed in /Users/Adam/Dropbox/AisisGit/AisisPlatform/.bundle/gems/gems/libv8-3.16.14.3 for inspection.
Results logged to /Users/Adam/Dropbox/AisisGit/AisisPlatform/.bundle/gems/extensions/x86_64-darwin-14/2.1.0/libv8-3.16.14.3/gem_make.out
An error occurred while installing libv8 (3.16.14.3), and Bundler cannot continue.
Make sure that `gem install libv8 -v '3.16.14.3'` succeeds before bundling.

What is going on.

Note: I am doing all this on a mac.

Answer 1

This error is common with projects with therubyracer and the other answers didn't solve it for me. They helped though. Order of install seem to be the clue.

$ gem uninstall libv8
Successfully uninstalled libv8-3.16.14.13
$ gem install therubyracer -v '0.12.2'
2 gems installed
$ bundle
CRASH
$ gem install libv8 -v '3.16.14.13' -- --with-system-v8
Successfully installed libv8-3.16.14.13
1 gem installed
$ bundle
SUKSESS

go figure, this is bad. But it solved it for me.

Answer 2

I got this to work by first using Homebrew to install V8:

$ brew install v8

Then running the command you mentioned you found on Google:

$ gem install libv8 -v '3.16.14.3' -- --with-system-v8

And finally re-running bundle install:

$ bundle install