HowTo Install a Flash Player

[EMD]

A member of these forums PM'd me to ask how to install Flash player, so I thought I'd make a HowTo out of my answer.

First, remember that there are Free/Open-Source alternatives to Adobe's Flash Player, such as Gnash and Swfdec. Personally, I use the latest version of Gnash 0.8.3. It plays YouTube videos and a lot of other SWF videos, but it's not a complete replacement for Adobe Flash in the way that OpenOffice is a complete replacement for MS Office.

The Swfdec and Gnash instructions below assume that you are running Debian Lenny. There are versions of Swfdec and Gnash for Debian Etch, but they are pretty poor substitutes for Adobe Flash. I encourage you to use Free/Open-Source Software, but if you're running Debian Etch, please do NOT jeopardize the stability of your system by installing the versions of Swfdec or Gnash for Debian Lenny/Sid.


Swfdec instructions
=============

To install Swfdec on Debian Lenny, you would run:

# apt-get remove --purge flashplugin-nonfree
# apt-get install swfdec-mozilla libswfdec-0.6-90 libsidplay1 gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-plugins-base gstreamer0.10-plugins-good gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly

Restart Iceweasel and enjoy.


Gnash instructions
============

To install the latest version of Gnash (0.8.3) in Debian Lenny, you'll have to choose whether you want to use AGG (Antigrain) or OpenGL as the rendering backend. If in doubt, choose AGG, but if you have hardware-acceleration you may want to use OpenGL.

I'll come back to that point in a minute, but first run:

# apt-get remove --purge flashplugin-nonfree
# apt-get install gstreamer0.10-alsa gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-fluendo-mp3 gstreamer0.10-gnomevfs gstreamer0.10-plugins-base gstreamer0.10-plugins-good


Now, if you want AGG to do the rendering, run:

# apt-get install gnash gnash-common gnash-common gnash-cygnal gnash-tools konqueror-plugin-gnash klash mozilla-plugin-gnash


Alternatively, if you want OpenGL to do the rendering, run:

# apt-get install gnash gnash-common-opengl gnash-common gnash-cygnal gnash-tools konqueror-plugin-gnash klash mozilla-plugin-gnash


In either case, finish by restarting Iceweasel. Enjoy.


Adobe Flash instructions
================

As I mentioned above, Gnash or Swfdec is not as compatible with Adobe's proprietary format as Adobe's own software. It has taken a lot of time, but I have learned not to care when a SWF video doesn't play. In fact, I even block most of them with the Mozilla NoScript plugin. Nonetheless, there are occasions when I want to watch Flash videos and I am tempted to go back to Adobe.

So far the bug hasn't gotten me, but if it gets you, you can install Adobe Flash either the Sid repository or the Etch-Backports repository. I recommend Etch-Backports.

To install from Etch-Backports, add the following line to your /etc/apt/sources.list file:

deb http://www.backports.org/debian etch-backports main contrib non-free

and run:

# wget -O - http://backports.org/debian/archive.key | apt-key add -
# apt-get update
# apt-get -t etch-backports install flashplugin-nonfree


Restart Iceweasel and enjoy.
.

[El1iP3S01D]

I create a folder named Flash on my /home/el1ip3s01d/Flash Once created i cd on the folder and then you type su afterwards type your password.

Then type this line into your /etc/apt/sources/list

echo deb http://www.dipconsultants.com/debian etch main >> /etc/apt/sources.list
type apt-get update once update has updated you type apt-get install ia32-libs-gtk nspluginwrapper Once that's installed you as root you type

wget http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/fl ... nux.tar.gz
Then you type
tar -xvzf install_flash_player_9_linux.tar.gz once that command is completed you should see 3 files.

Afterwards, you cd into install_flash_player_9_linux . Now you copy two files into /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/ Like this: remember this is the command you are using.
cp flashplayer-installer libflashplayer.so /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/

Finally the final step is this you cd.. back to /home/el1ip3s01d/Flash and you type
nspluginwrapper -i /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/libflashplayer.so Hit enter and your done...

Now start Iceweasel and go into youtube.com and type TDU Drift and Flash player should playi my favorite videos from TDU...

[dinesh]

Installed it and works great. thanks for the tut.

[Arthur Archnix]

You know what you might want to do, for those moments when gnash fails you, is download the tar.gz of adobe's flash plugin. Extract it and you get a .so file. Delete everything else. Now, anytime you come across a video or something that you absolutely need flash on, just move the .so file (it's the flash extension) to your iceweasel plugin folder. Restart iceweasel.

Would this work? I don't know. I've not tested this myself with gnash installed. It could be that they fight, or that you may need to move gnash's plugin out of there first. This is how I run flash though, to keep adobe's dirty little fingers out of my apt.

[Eck]

Not mentioned was that debian-multimedia.org still has the latest Adobe Flash in their flashplayer-mozilla package. Easier to just install that if one has that repo active anyway.

[diver858]

Removed - no longer relevant.

[diver858]

Adobe Flash instructions
================

As I mentioned above, Gnash or Swfdec is not as compatible with Adobe's proprietary format as Adobe's own software. It has taken a lot of time, but I have learned not to care when a SWF video doesn't play. In fact, I even block most of them with the Mozilla NoScript plugin. Nonetheless, there are occasions when I want to watch Flash videos and I am tempted to go back to Adobe.

So far the bug hasn't gotten me, but if it gets you, you can install Adobe Flash either the Sid repository or the Etch-Backports repository. I recommend Etch-Backports.

To install from Etch-Backports, add the following line to your /etc/apt/sources.list file:

deb http://www.backports.org/debian etch-backports main contrib non-free

and run:

# wget -O - http://backports.org/debian/archive.key | apt-key add -
# apt-get update
# apt-get -t etch-backports install flashplugin-nonfree


Restart Iceweasel and enjoy.
.

Just upgraded from Etch to Lenny, attempted the above, and received the following:

Code: Select all

familyroom1:/home/ginger# apt-get -t etch-backports install flashplugin-nonfree
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Package flashplugin-nonfree is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package flashplugin-nonfree has no installation candidate

.
Please comment.

[EMD]

Please comment.

You didn't follow my directions.

To install from Etch-Backports, add the following line to your /etc/apt/sources.list file:

deb http://www.backports.org/debian etch-backports main contrib non-free

and run:

# wget -O - http://backports.org/debian/archive.key | apt-key add -
# apt-get update
# apt-get -t etch-backports install flashplugin-nonfree

.

[diver858]

Apologies in advance for being such a noob - guess I don't understand what is meant by the vertical line

Code: Select all

familyroom1:/home/ginger# nano /etc/apt/sources.list
familyroom1:/home/ginger# wget -O - http://backports.org/debian/archive.key
--2008-07-13 19:50:20--  http://backports.org/debian/archive.key
Resolving backports.org... 194.8.57.6
Connecting to backports.org|194.8.57.6|:80... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 1933 (1.9K) [application/pgp-keys]
Saving to: `STDOUT'

 0% [                                       ] 0           --.-K/s              -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.3 (GNU/Linux)

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-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
100%[======================================>] 1,933       --.-K/s   in 0.002s 

2008-07-13 19:50:20 (867 KB/s) - `-' saved [1933/1933]

familyroom1:/home/ginger# sudo apt-key add -

Got this far, and simply have a flashing cursor - no # symbol.

Some further guidance, please?

[EMD]

Apologies in advance for being such a noob - guess I don't understand what is meant by the vertical line

Just above the "Enter" button on your keyboard, there's a button with a vertical line (called a "pipe"). Find it.
.

[diver858]

Apologies in advance for being such a noob - guess I don't understand what is meant by the vertical line

Just above the "Enter" button on your keyboard, there's a button with a vertical line (called a "pipe"). Find it.
.

Thanks, EMD.

Flash seems to run, but only video. I am able to perform system sounds, and play mp3 files from another computer on the network.

Any suggestions.

[diver858]

Apologies in advance for being such a noob - guess I don't understand what is meant by the vertical line

Just above the "Enter" button on your keyboard, there's a button with a vertical line (called a "pipe"). Find it.
.

Thanks, EMD.

Flash seems to run, but only video. I am able to perform system sounds, and play mp3 files from another computer on the network.

Any suggestions.

SOLUTION found http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?t=28893

[adam933]

Just wanted to say thanks to EMD.

I followed the instructions and iceweasel and epiphany show flash videos like a charm.

I have Lenny (testing).

Really appreciate the help.

[vinoman]

A member of these forums PM'd me to ask how to install Flash player, so I thought I'd make a HowTo out of my answer.

First, remember that there are Free/Open-Source alternatives to Adobe's Flash Player, such as Gnash and Swfdec. Personally, I use the latest version of Gnash 0.8.3. It plays YouTube videos and a lot of other SWF videos, but it's not a complete replacement for Adobe Flash in the way that OpenOffice is a complete replacement for MS Office.

The Swfdec and Gnash instructions below assume that you are running Debian Lenny. There are versions of Swfdec and Gnash for Debian Etch, but they are pretty poor substitutes for Adobe Flash. I encourage you to use Free/Open-Source Software, but if you're running Debian Etch, please do NOT jeopardize the stability of your system by installing the versions of Swfdec or Gnash for Debian Lenny/Sid.


Swfdec instructions
=============

To install Swfdec on Debian Lenny, you would run:

# apt-get remove --purge flashplugin-nonfree
# apt-get install swfdec-mozilla libswfdec-0.6-90 libsidplay1 gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-plugins-base gstreamer0.10-plugins-good gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly

Restart Iceweasel and enjoy.


Gnash instructions
============

To install the latest version of Gnash (0.8.3) in Debian Lenny, you'll have to choose whether you want to use AGG (Antigrain) or OpenGL as the rendering backend. If in doubt, choose AGG, but if you have hardware-acceleration you may want to use OpenGL.

I'll come back to that point in a minute, but first run:

# apt-get remove --purge flashplugin-nonfree
# apt-get install gstreamer0.10-alsa gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-fluendo-mp3 gstreamer0.10-gnomevfs gstreamer0.10-plugins-base gstreamer0.10-plugins-good


Now, if you want AGG to do the rendering, run:

# apt-get install gnash gnash-common gnash-common gnash-cygnal gnash-tools konqueror-plugin-gnash klash mozilla-plugin-gnash


Alternatively, if you want OpenGL to do the rendering, run:

# apt-get install gnash gnash-common-opengl gnash-common gnash-cygnal gnash-tools konqueror-plugin-gnash klash mozilla-plugin-gnash


In either case, finish by restarting Iceweasel. Enjoy.


Adobe Flash instructions
================

As I mentioned above, Gnash or Swfdec is not as compatible with Adobe's proprietary format as Adobe's own software. It has taken a lot of time, but I have learned not to care when a SWF video doesn't play. In fact, I even block most of them with the Mozilla NoScript plugin. Nonetheless, there are occasions when I want to watch Flash videos and I am tempted to go back to Adobe.

So far the bug hasn't gotten me, but if it gets you, you can install Adobe Flash either the Sid repository or the Etch-Backports repository. I recommend Etch-Backports.

To install from Etch-Backports, add the following line to your /etc/apt/sources.list file:

deb http://www.backports.org/debian etch-backports main contrib non-free

and run:

# wget -O - http://backports.org/debian/archive.key | apt-key add -
# apt-get update
# apt-get -t etch-backports install flashplugin-nonfree


Restart Iceweasel and enjoy.
.

when running the first command I get this error:

debian:/home/davek# apt-get remove --purge flashplugin-nonfree
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Package flashplugin-nonfree is not installed, so not removed
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
debian:/home/davek#

what am I doing wrong?

[mase]

That is no error. It is supposed to look like that if you
didn't have flashplugin-nonfree installed previously.

Go ahead with the instructions.