HOW TO: Achieve executable from GNU ddrescue.tar.lz

[Webtest]

Esteemed Forum Participants & Lurkers:
(I'm putting this in "Newbie Questions" because building executables must be perplexing to nearly all newcomers to Linux)

I am trying to recover some files from a CD with error detection and correction. I found information regarding GNU ddrescue and decided to try it. Using the information on the page, I downloaded the "tar.lz" file. I had to "apt-get" the "lzip" app, and was then able to extract "ddrescue-1.25".

Now I am at a loss and can not figure out how to continue. I found an article "GCC and Make Compiling, Linking and Building C/C++ Applications", but that didn't get me any closer to an executable application.

The article implies that there should be a "makefile" with no extension, where the package has "makefile.in". It says to then run "make"

mint@mint ~/Desktop/ddrescue-1.25 $ make
make: *** No targets specified and no makefile found. Stop.

So, I am at a dead end. I have never been able to successfully get an executable application from a tarball. Older Gentlemen prefer ".debs"!

Any and all comments, suggestions, and assistance is sincerely appreciated.
Blessings in abundance, all the best, & Stay Well!
Art in Carlisle, PA USA

[O-rion]

Why not use the package manager?
And do

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install gddrescue

That's ready made and need not be compiled by you.

[spamegg]

Yep, what is said above. sudo apt install gddrescue then ddrescue --help

[Webtest]

Blessings O-rion and spamegg !
Thank you for your gracious comments on loading ddrescue.

I found it in the GNU apps listing which only had instructions for compiling the tar ball. I didn't think about the Mint package manager because there is nearly always a different name for the package which you have to know EXACTLY before you can load it with apt. It is always confusing dealing with the THREE different identifiers in Linux Mint ... the PACKAGE name, the APP (command) name, and the MENU name.

Also, I have come across quite a few apps over the years that require compiling a tar ball and I have NEVER been successful at accomplishing that, so I was looking toward both (1) running ddrescue AND (2) learning how to compile an app in Mint. So now the first objective is completed, thank you, but still not the second.

Again, thank you for your gracious assistance.
Blessings in abundance, all the best,
Art in Carlisle, PA USA

[O-rion]

I haven't been successful in compiling everything either.
Sometimes though it works.
First you have to enable source packages in synaptic (this is where you set where to get the packages from).
Then find a README or that describes how to compile. Best is when they tell you what dependencies to download.
Mostly some dev-packages ( that's why you must enable them in synaptic).
Best is when they give you an apt or apt-get line to just install the needed packages.
If they only give you a list of other packages to compile first --- forget it. That's an endless story and not for us non-programmers.

Once you've downloaded all the dependencies find what to do next and follow that.
With a bit of luck you have your programme ready after that.
Hope that helps ...