rb_loader: metacall gem not available in distributable - Ruby cannot call other languages via metacall()

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Assessment

Research direction

Description

When a Ruby finction uses require 'metacall' to call other language via metacall(), it fails with:

      LoadError: cannot load such file -- metacall

This happens on both the Windows installer and the Linux Docker distributable. The metacall Ruby gem is not bundled with rb_loader.

Ruby as a callee (being called from Python/Node) works fine.
Ruby as a caller (calling out to another language) is broken.

Files: https://github.com/avik22835/polyglot-intel/tree/main/simulation/issue_rb_gem

• works.rb - plain Ruby function, no require metacall
• fails.rb - Ruby function with require 'metacall', calls Python via metacall()
• target.py - Python function being called
• repro.py - driver, runs both cases

Run with :
metacall simulation/issue_rb_gem/repro.py

Output on Windows:

Output on Linux:

Expected:

The metacall gem should be bundled with rb_loader so Ruby finctions can call other languages via metacall() in cross-language call chains.

Getting set up

First steps

1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

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