Flash

Here are three ways to use Adobe Flash.

How to install the latest version of Flash

The Linux library file from Adobe can be downloaded and emulated to play directly into non-emulated FreeBSD browsers. Download the Flash tar.gz file for Linux at https://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/otherversions/.

Unzip and untar the file:

# tar -xzf install_flash_player_*_linux-i386.tar.gz

create the directory /compat/linux:

# mkdir -p /compat/linux

Move the unzipped files under /compat/linux/, and brand it as a linux file:

# mv libflashplayer.so /compat/linux/lib/
# brandelf -t Linux my-linux-elf-binary
# mv -r usr/ /compat/linux/usr/

The above generally works to enable flash. These steps may have to be repeated for additional unzipped files from the usr/ directory. It seems as if the /compat/linux/ folder is already linked.

This setup works with Firefox and it should work with other nonemulated browsers. This generally provides video playback on most websites requiring flash player. Since these instructions don't work on all websites, as some don't recognize that the latest flash is installed, these instructions may be incomplete. Please see the unzipped text file, and FreeBSD handbook (Linux® Binary Compatibility) for more insight.

Wine emulation

Full Adobe Flash 9 support can be present by using a Win32 browser and Adobe Flash 9 for Windows in WINE. This was tested with WINE 0.9.59, FreeBSD 7-Release and Firefox 2.0.0.13.

Through ports or packages

First install linuxpluginwrapper

# pkg_add -r linuxpluginwrapper

Or with options:

# cd /usr/ports/*/linuxpluginwrapper;make install clean

Next install flashplugin7

# cd /usr/ports/*/linux-flashplugin7;make install clean

If it cannot fetch the file download it from here: http://freshmeat.net/projects/flashplugin/

libmap.conf

Add the following to /etc/libmap.conf

# Flash7 for Firefox
[/usr/local/lib/npapi/linux-flashplugin/libflashplayer.so]
libpthread.so.0                 pluginwrapper/flash7.so
libdl.so.2                      pluginwrapper/flash7.so
libz.so.1                       libz.so.3
libstdc  -libc6.2-2.so.3        libstdc  .so.4
libm.so.6                       libm.so.4
libc.so.6                       pluginwrapper/flash7.so


# Flash6 for Konqueror
[/usr/X11R6/lib/linux-flashplugin6/libflashplayer.so]
libpthread.so.0                 pluginwrapper/flash6.so
libdl.so.2                      pluginwrapper/flash6.so
libz.so.1                       libz.so.3
libstdc  -libc6.2-2.so.3        libstdc  .so.5
libm.so.6                       libm.so.4
libc.so.6                       pluginwrapper/flash6.so

Konqueror

Go to Settings -> Configure Konqueror -> plugins

Create the directory and link files

# mkdir /usr/X11R6/lib/linux-flashplugin6
# cd /usr/X11R6/lib/linux-flashplugin6
# ln -s /usr/local/lib/npapi/linux-flashplugin/flashplayer.xpt
# ln -s /usr/local/lib/npapi/linux-flashplugin/libflashplayer.so

Now hit 'Scan for new plugins'

Now go and test it out.

Native Firefox

You will need to patch a file and compile it's all explained on this site:

http://www.jail.se/freebsd.html

Linux Opera

I've noticed that some things work better under linux-opera than any other browser on FreeBSD. For instance the Asterisk Flash Operator Panel will only work properlly under this port and YouTube works with sound and video under opera!

All you should have to do is install it. Opera will automatically use the libmap.conf file to find the flash libraries and load them.

# cd /usr/ports/www/linux-opera && make install clean

External Links

http://freebsd.kde.org/howtos/konqueror-flash.php

Some more extensive step-by-step instructions:

http://freebsd.langhans.com.pl

See also

The PC-BSD project have released version 1.4 of their FreeBSD based distribution which includes native Flash Player in Konqueror, Firefox and Opera.