derek, thanks for the reply
AFAICT, the problem actually is with your flags. The .pdrc should probably look like this:
that's not how i read this instruction on the gem install page: "The Gem.pd_darwin file can be put anywhere in the filesystem if you put the following in the .pdrc file: -lib /path/to/Gem (like /Users/me/Library/Gem/Gem or /usr/local/lib/Gem and so on)."
but that might be just me...
I am still not sure how the OSX shell handles these things, but one of these combinations will surely give you victory.
the way os x handles them is quite simple: paths with a space in them have to be put in quotation marks - both single and double will work. try it in the terminal; cd '/Library/Application Support/' is the same as cd "/Library/Application Support/"
meanwhile, i've tried all of your suggestions unfortunately, all variants give a "Gem: can't load library" error
also, following these instructions (again from the gem install page): "Alternately, the Gem.pd_darwin file can be put in the extra folder inside the Pd app bundle. Right click (or crtl+click) on the pd app and select 'Show Package Contents', which opens a new Finder window. Navigate to Contents/Resources/extra and copy Gem.pd_darwin there. Add -lib Gem to the .pdrc file to load Gem."
opening package content of pd-0.38-3, in the Resources folder, there is no folder named extra. in fact, there are only 2 icns files there, nothing else. creating a folder named 'extra' and copying gem.pd_darwin there + having a single line in the .pdrc that says: -lib Gem also generates the "Gem: can't load library" error as does copying the library straight into Contents/Resources/
so, in short; following either of the installation instructions of gem step by step does not lead to a working installation my question is; is there anyone who's running os 10.3.x with pd 0.38-3 application bundle and who's managed to get gem to work? where did you install the library and what does your .pdrc look like?
thanks again rene