Installing Adobe Flash Player on Linux

If you try to install the Adobe Flash Player on Linux using the ".tar.gz for Linux" option, there is an error in the installation script that will affect anyone who uses the Mozilla Firefox browser.

As root (su, superuser), you unpacked the tarball:

   tar zxvf install_flash_player_10_linux.tar.gz

Then you went into the resulting directory:

   cd install_flash_player_10_linux

And you ran the installation script:

   ./flashplayer-installer

Everything was going fine until it asked you this:

   Please enter the installation path of the Mozilla, Netscape,
   or Opera browser (i.e., /usr/lib/mozilla):

and you entered:

   /usr/lib/mozilla

(or wherever your installation of Firefox is). Instead of working like it should, you saw:

   WARNING: Please enter a valid installation path.

   Please enter the installation path of the Mozilla, Netscape,
   or Opera browser (i.e., /usr/lib/mozilla):

Then you thought or said something like "What the heck?"

Well, friend, I'm here to help you.

There is a BUG in the installation script, but it is very simple to fix. Open flashplayer-installer in your favorite editor and look for this section:

        # is Opera or Netscape Communicator?
        OPERABIN=`find $CHECKDIR -type f -name "opera" -print`
        if [ -f "$OPERABIN" ]; then
          echo "valid-opera"
          return
        elif [ -f "$CHECKDIR/netscape-communicator" ]; then
          echo "valid-communicator"
          return
        fi

The problem is the script does NOT do anything in this section if you are NOT trying to install the Flash Player plugin for Opera or Netscape Communicator. To fix it, simply add the red highlighted lines as shown:

        # is Opera or Netscape Communicator?
        OPERABIN=`find $CHECKDIR -type f -name "opera" -print`
        if [ -f "$OPERABIN" ]; then
          echo "valid-opera"
          return
        elif [ -f "$CHECKDIR/netscape-communicator" ]; then
          echo "valid-communicator"
          return
        else
        # it's Mozilla Firefox!
          echo "valid"
          return
        fi

If you are really lazy, you can download my fixed version: flashplayer-installer.gz

Just gunzip it, replacing the existing flashplayer-installer (or rename the old one first), and then run it.

awc 2009-07-08 16:34:03