Scheduled Maintenance: We are aware of an issue with Google, AOL, and Yahoo services as email providers which are blocking new registrations. We are trying to fix the issue and we have several internal and external support tickets in process to resolve the issue. Please see: viewtopic.php?t=158230

 

 

 

upgrading firefox (Solved, THX)

New to Debian (Or Linux in general)? Ask your questions here!
Message
Author
User avatar
None1975
df -h | participant
df -h | participant
Posts: 1389
Joined: 2015-11-29 18:23
Location: Russia, Kaliningrad
Has thanked: 45 times
Been thanked: 66 times

Re: upgrading firefox

#21 Post by None1975 »

jppattison wrote:I'm just trying to get this set up so that I don't have any troubles, and so that it will upgrade when I ask for it. Since I'm causing you too much confusion, I guess I'll just take my chances and try out pawRoot's suggestion, and then remove FF-esr completely. It's been several years since I have used Linux and the CLI, so that's why I ask so many questions - wiki's and manuals can only tell you so much - and - so little at the same time ..... people's experiences can tell you so much more. Thanks for your input, sorry if I have offended you.
Why so complicate? No need to uninstall Firefox-esr. Just go to The new Firefox web site, download it to your home directory, place.tar.bz2 archive anywhere (i place it under folder "Documents/Browser"), extract it, go to extracted folder, locate executable file, named "firefox", execute it. No need go to command line. If you want update this program, open Firefox menu, go to "help/About Firefox". The program itself will find updates and install them.
OS: Debian 12.4 Bookworm / DE: Enlightenment
Debian Wiki | DontBreakDebian, My config files on github

User avatar
pawRoot
Posts: 603
Joined: 2016-12-28 18:26
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: upgrading firefox

#22 Post by pawRoot »

But then everytime he want's to launch Firefox he has to navigate to Firefox folder which is kinda lame imo. :mrgreen:

jppattison
Posts: 42
Joined: 2015-02-23 18:13

Re: upgrading firefox

#23 Post by jppattison »

pawRoot wrote: This is what i would try

Code: Select all

mkdir -p ~/bin/
sudo rsync -a /opt/firefox ~/bin/
sudo rm -rf /opt/firefox
and then just follow Debian wiki to create shortcut if you need one.
Thanks pawRoot. I have used the above to move firefox to the new ~/bin/ directory. ( I had to install rsync to do that, but now I've got that tool as well.) Also, I located all of the firefox-esr files and was able to remove all but a couple. Now I'll see if I screwed up anything in the process. :roll: :wink:
Many thanks for your help and advice! :mrgreen:
jppattison

User avatar
pawRoot
Posts: 603
Joined: 2016-12-28 18:26
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: upgrading firefox

#24 Post by pawRoot »

^No problem, you can also create file /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop, with this inside

Code: Select all

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Firefox
Comment=Web Browser
GenericName=Web Browser
X-GNOME-FullName=Firefox
Exec=~/bin/firefox/firefox %u
Terminal=false
X-MultipleArgs=false
Type=Application
Icon=~/bin/firefox/browser/icons/mozicon128.png
Categories=Network;WebBrowser;
MimeType=text/html;text/xml;application/xhtml+xml;application/xml;application/vnd.mozilla.xul+xml;application/rss+xml;application/rdf+xml;image/gif;image/jpeg;image/png;x-scheme-handler/http;x-scheme-handler/https;
StartupWMClass=Firefox
StartupNotify=true

User avatar
Head_on_a_Stick
Posts: 14114
Joined: 2014-06-01 17:46
Location: London, England
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 132 times

Re: upgrading firefox

#25 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

pawRoot wrote: This is what i would try

Code: Select all

mkdir -p ~/bin/
sudo rsync -a /opt/firefox ~/bin/
sudo rm -rf /opt/firefox
That won't work unless the FF binary is copied to ~/bin and it also needs ~/bin to be in PATH (which is not the case for a stock Debian system).
deadbang

User avatar
pawRoot
Posts: 603
Joined: 2016-12-28 18:26
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: upgrading firefox

#26 Post by pawRoot »

^But the binary is inside firefox folder.

User avatar
Head_on_a_Stick
Posts: 14114
Joined: 2014-06-01 17:46
Location: London, England
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 132 times

Re: upgrading firefox

#27 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

jppattison wrote:whether I should move it to either /usr/bin or /usr/lib, and whether I should remove ff-esr or not
Copy the Firefox binary (the executable file called firefox that is contained within the tarball supplied by Mozilla) to ~/bin

Check if ~/bin is scanned for executables by running

Code: Select all

echo $PATH
If ~/bin does not appear in the output of the above command then add this line to the end of the file at ~/.profile

Code: Select all

export PATH="${HOME}/bin:${PATH}"
deadbang

User avatar
Head_on_a_Stick
Posts: 14114
Joined: 2014-06-01 17:46
Location: London, England
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 132 times

Re: upgrading firefox

#28 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

pawRoot wrote:the binary is inside firefox folder.
Yes, exactly — ~/bin/firefox/ won't be in $PATH so the executable won't be found.
deadbang

User avatar
pawRoot
Posts: 603
Joined: 2016-12-28 18:26
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: upgrading firefox

#29 Post by pawRoot »

But if he creates firefox.desktop then it won't really matter right ? or it will ?
I have the executable in ~/bin/firefox/ and it works fine.

also

Code: Select all

❯  ~ echo $PATH
/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/local/games:/usr/games
is this how it should be ?

User avatar
Head_on_a_Stick
Posts: 14114
Joined: 2014-06-01 17:46
Location: London, England
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 132 times

Re: upgrading firefox

#30 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

pawRoot wrote:But if he creates firefox.desktop then it won't really matter right ? or it will ?
That would depend on how the OP launches programs in their desktop :)

If a full desktop environment is in use and the XDG menu system is available then yes, your posted .desktop file will launch the program.

However, if the OP wants to start the program from the command line or a simple launcher (such as gmrun or dmenu) then my method will be needed.

Note that the .desktop file will have to be modified accordingly if my suggestion is used.
deadbang

User avatar
pawRoot
Posts: 603
Joined: 2016-12-28 18:26
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: upgrading firefox

#31 Post by pawRoot »

I can use it fine with dmenu and rofi, although i have used the script i provided above.

User avatar
Head_on_a_Stick
Posts: 14114
Joined: 2014-06-01 17:46
Location: London, England
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 132 times

Re: upgrading firefox

#32 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

pawRoot wrote:I can use it fine with dmenu and rofi
Only because your script places the FF binary in /opt then sets the x-terminal-emulator alternative to that.

Setting x-terminal-emulator to ~/bin/firefox is not really sensible, even in a single-user system :?
deadbang

User avatar
pawRoot
Posts: 603
Joined: 2016-12-28 18:26
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: upgrading firefox

#33 Post by pawRoot »

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:
pawRoot wrote:I can use it fine with dmenu and rofi
Only because your script places the FF binary in /opt then sets the x-terminal-emulator alternative to that.

Setting x-terminal-emulator to ~/bin/firefox is not really sensible, even in a single-user system :?
No no i modified the script to copy it to ~/bin/ :D

jppattison
Posts: 42
Joined: 2015-02-23 18:13

Re: upgrading firefox

#34 Post by jppattison »

I have tried to use every piece of advice that I can understand .... I have downloaded Firefox 5 times, trying each way that a person has suggested, nothing! I guess I should have left well enough alone!I have also tried to remove Firefox ESR, and that's probably where I made my biggest mistake. Now I can no longer launch Firefox, Firefox-ESR from the menus OR from the Application Finder - I get a little red sign instead of the Internet. I was getting "Failed to execute default Web Browser, input/output error", but now that Konqueror has taken over, I don't even get that anymore. The only advice I didn't take (other than bash scripts) was th MX repos, since H-O-A-S linked to "breaking your debian" when I suggested putting 'testing' repos into my sources.list. I figured if it wasn't from a Debian repo, it wasn't a good idea!
I think I've completely screwed up my install, so I'll end up having to re-install. I'll just chalk it up to a learning experience :lol: . Like I said, I think that when I tried removing all traces of Firefox ESR, that started me on the fast trip to the bottom.

BTW, Konqueror is Dog-Slow, and I think it is still in the dark ages as far as browsers go, but at least I had a way to get on the net! When I re-install, I'll find a better back-up brewser, that's for sure! :wink:

THANKS TO ALL who have tried to help me on this, it was much appreciated. I'll be back when I re-install - either tonite or tomorrow, I think.

User avatar
pawRoot
Posts: 603
Joined: 2016-12-28 18:26
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: upgrading firefox

#35 Post by pawRoot »

since you are doing clean install just try the last script i posted, i used it on 3 machines already and have 0 problems, why overcomplicate things :D

jppattison
Posts: 42
Joined: 2015-02-23 18:13

Re: upgrading firefox

#36 Post by jppattison »

I still don't understand scripts! do I just copy and paste what you have there to a user prompt? OR to a root prompt? I've never used a script, but I'm willing if it's that easy ...... do I need to download something when I get the new install going?
You just reminded me, I need to put that wifi stuff on a USB for the install! THX

User avatar
pawRoot
Posts: 603
Joined: 2016-12-28 18:26
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: upgrading firefox

#37 Post by pawRoot »

Code: Select all

#!/usr/bin/env sh

### Latest Firefox 64bit en-US !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

# For other operating systems replace 'os=win' with:
#   Windows 64bit              os=win64
#   OS X                       os=osx
#   Linux x86_64               os=linux64
#   Linux i686                 os=linux

mkdir -p ~/bin/

wget -O firefox.tar.bz2 https://download.mozilla.org/\?product\=firefox-latest\&os\=linux64\&lang\=en-US

tar xvf firefox.tar.bz2

rsync -a firefox ~/bin/
sudo ln -s ~/bin/firefox/firefox /usr/local/bin/
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/x-www-browser x-www-browser ~/bin/firefox/firefox 200
sudo update-alternatives --set x-www-browser ~/bin/firefox/firefox

rm firefox.tar.bz2
rm -rf firefox

sudo rm -f /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop
sudo touch /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop

sudo sh -c "cat >> /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop" << 'EoT'
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Firefox
Comment=Web Browser
GenericName=Web Browser
X-GNOME-FullName=Firefox
Exec=~/bin/firefox/firefox %u
Terminal=false
X-MultipleArgs=false
Type=Application
Icon=~/bin/firefox/browser/icons/mozicon128.png
Categories=Network;WebBrowser;
MimeType=text/html;text/xml;application/xhtml+xml;application/xml;application/vnd.mozilla.xul+xml;application/rss+xml;application/rdf+xml;image/gif;image/jpeg;image/png;x-scheme-handler/http;x-scheme-handler/https;
StartupWMClass=Firefox
StartupNotify=true
EoT
To run it, save it in file.sh, then

Code: Select all

chmod +x file.sh
./file.sh

jppattison
Posts: 42
Joined: 2015-02-23 18:13

Re: upgrading firefox

#38 Post by jppattison »

THX I had to wait t0o see if you were still there ... With Konqueror, I'm not seeing new tabs or windows so I can find my other thread. See ya!

User avatar
pawRoot
Posts: 603
Joined: 2016-12-28 18:26
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: upgrading firefox

#39 Post by pawRoot »

Ok, let me know how it went for you :D

User avatar
stevepusser
Posts: 12930
Joined: 2009-10-06 05:53
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 71 times

Re: upgrading firefox

#40 Post by stevepusser »

jppattison wrote:I have tried to use every piece of advice that I can understand .... I have downloaded Firefox 5 times, trying each way that a person has suggested, nothing! I guess I should have left well enough alone!I have also tried to remove Firefox ESR, and that's probably where I made my biggest mistake. Now I can no longer launch Firefox, Firefox-ESR from the menus OR from the Application Finder - I get a little red sign instead of the Internet. I was getting "Failed to execute default Web Browser, input/output error", but now that Konqueror has taken over, I don't even get that anymore. The only advice I didn't take (other than bash scripts) was th MX repos, since H-O-A-S linked to "breaking your debian" when I suggested putting 'testing' repos into my sources.list. I figured if it wasn't from a Debian repo, it wasn't a good idea!
I think I've completely screwed up my install, so I'll end up having to re-install. I'll just chalk it up to a learning experience :lol: . Like I said, I think that when I tried removing all traces of Firefox ESR, that started me on the fast trip to the bottom.

BTW, Konqueror is Dog-Slow, and I think it is still in the dark ages as far as browsers go, but at least I had a way to get on the net! When I re-install, I'll find a better back-up brewser, that's for sure! :wink:

THANKS TO ALL who have tried to help me on this, it was much appreciated. I'll be back when I re-install - either tonite or tomorrow, I think.
I set up the packaging for those MX Firefox packages, so believe me when I say it's one of the safest debs you can install. It won't break anything on a Stretch, Jessie, Buster, Sid, or even Wheezy platform. Install gdebi and get in the habit of using it if you find other standalone debs out there, since it won't let you install incompatible packages. There are many deb packages out there that are still not in Debian, and may never be.

I also build Debian and Ubuntu packages for the lighter weight and quite popular Pale Moon browser from source in a repository that the PM developers have approved for distribution. Since they are compiled from source* into machine language binary files, those have more of a chance of only working on their target releases.

* Debian testing and Ubuntu 17.10 have a buggy libc6 2.26 that causes Pale Moon source builds to fail, so I have to bundle binaries for those releases like the Firefox packages.
MX Linux packager and developer

Post Reply