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The installation of pepperflashplugin-nonfree for instance using the command

apt-get install --reinstall pepperflashplugin-nonfree

fails with the error message:

mv: cannot evaluate 'unpackchrome/opt/google/chrome/PepperFlash/libpepflashplayer.so': No file or folder of this type
muru
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Stéphane Tréboux
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1 Answers1

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The package pepperflashplugin-nonfree downloads the Chrome for Linux Debian package (.deb) from Google and extracts the Flash PPAPI plugin (libpepflashplayer.so) to make it available to other browsers system-wide.

The package pepperflashplugin-nonfree is broken since Google changed the method of distribution of the Flash plugin with Chrome 54 for Linux; libpepflashplayer.so is not directly bundled in the Debian package anymore.

A bug report is available on Launchpad.

Since the Flash plugin is often affected by critical vulnerabilities and pepperflashplugin-nonfree currenlty fails to update the plugin, pepperflashplugin-nonfree should not be used anymore and either adobe-flashplugin from Canonical Partner or no Flash plugin at all should be used.

If you use Flash you can check the version of your Flash plugin on this support page on the Adobe website.

Stéphane Tréboux
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    Hmm.. People should be advised to install adobe-flashplugin from Canonical Partner instead. If adobe-flashplugin hadn't been in Canonical Partner (not enabled by default), the pepperflashplugin-nonfree package could have been converted to a transitional dummy package. – Gunnar Hjalmarsson Oct 12 '16 at 22:29
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    I added some background information and a hint about adobe-flashplugin. – Stéphane Tréboux Oct 12 '16 at 23:55
  • I'm a little confused. Ubuntu just updated my Chrome but I haven't rebooted yet. Chrome settings says I'm on Version 53.0.2785.143 (64-bit). Are you saying when I reboot and reload Chrome it will be 54 and my flash player would be broken, so I should downgrade the package? (October 12, 6pm MST). – WinEunuuchs2Unix Oct 13 '16 at 00:13
  • From what I saw the Chrome 54 Debian package removes the Flash plugin from your system libraries and Chrome 54 will download the current version of the plugin to your home folder the first time you will load some Flash content. The details are on Launchpad. – Stéphane Tréboux Oct 13 '16 at 00:20
  • @StéphaneTréboux So it didn't actually happen to you, you're posting the bug report? I know chromium had problems before but I'm using Chrome. Is that what you are referring to? – WinEunuuchs2Unix Oct 13 '16 at 00:20
  • @WinEunuuchs2Unix Chrome users don't need pepperflashplugin-nonfree and are not affected; Google still distributes the Flash PPAPI plugin for Chrome; the plugin is silently downloaded by Chrome. pepperflashplugin-nonfree is meant to install the Flash PPAPI plugin to be available system wide for other browsers like Chromium and Firefox (via freshplayerplugin) and is now broken. Just try to run sudo apt-get install --reinstall pepperflashplugin-nonfree and see for yourself. – Stéphane Tréboux Oct 13 '16 at 00:31
  • @StéphaneTréboux But I'm using Chrome, why would I install broken software for something I'm not using? – WinEunuuchs2Unix Oct 13 '16 at 00:34
  • You can install broken software to see for yourself that it's broken and understand why I filed a bug report :-) I use Firefox with Flash PPAPI and I am affected. – Stéphane Tréboux Oct 13 '16 at 00:45
  • @Gunnar Hjalmarsson thanks for your hint, I was not aware of that and I corrected my answer accordingly. Still this raises more problems in my case (Firefox with freshplayerplugin) because I am not able to choose the version of the plugin I want to use and I am stuck with the old NPAPI plugin. I read recently that Adobe is working again on the NPAPI plugin for Linux so it may be moot anyway. I will continue investigation tomorrow, it is time to sleep for me :-) – Stéphane Tréboux Oct 13 '16 at 01:03
  • @StéphaneTréboux: As regards Firefox I make the Flash Player 23 Beta available in a PPA. – Gunnar Hjalmarsson Oct 13 '16 at 01:14