I have never been able to install software in Ubuntu from an extracted tar.gz file. no matter what I try. is this a sick joke or is there a solution?

bradly

11/23/23, 4:18 PM

So far none of the answers from other threads work. Ive been an experienced Linux user for many years, except for this one major issue, which is why it feels like a bad joke on me. I have probably downloaded hundreds of tar.gz files, and none have ever included a config or install file and I always get the "no such file or directory" response. I'm starting to think you guys are all messing with me. Is there any real solution?

1 + 2

package-management

Archisman Panigrahi

11/23/23, 4:19 PM

Which software did you try to install? If you don't give more details, we really cannot help you.

user535733

11/23/23, 6:16 PM

Software distributed using .tar.gz files is indeed a pain to install and maintain. That's why most developers migrated to better and easier methods (starting with deb packages) over 20 years ago. As an experienced Linux user, you know that already.

Score:1

Ubuntu

vanadium

11/23/23, 4:56 PM

It is not a sick joke, certainly not. A tar.gz is an archive file. Same as a .zip file. Contains compressed data. Can contain anything, from pictures over documents and source code to executables.

Briefly, you cannot just "install" a .tar.gz file. Nevertheless, some applications are available as source code packed in such a file, others contain a directly executable program. How one needs to handle such a file should be documented by the program developper. If you get a no such file or directoryresponse, then you did something (which you did not indicate) where you did not specify an existing directory.

Your solution is to be careful in what you attempt to download and install, and proceed only provided there is some reason to trust it, and it is all documented, either on a website or by a README file in the archive. Still, prefer to obtain software from trusted sources through the software center. Otherwise, make sure you know what you are doing.

+ 2

bradly

11/24/23, 3:43 AM

Yes but do you know a way to compile the extracted files? Everything Ive ever read tells me there should be a config file, a make file and / or an install file, and this is never the case regardless of how I extract the zipped folder, which is why I get the "no such file or directory" response. Do you have a solution to this?

vanadium

11/24/23, 9:35 AM

Ask a better and more specific question, and likely you will have concise help. You should point to a specific file you attempt to install.

Elon Musk

I sit in a Tesla and translated this thread with Ai:

EN: I have never been able to install software in Ubuntu from an extracted tar.gz file. no matter what I try. is this a sick joke or is there a solution?

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