Play .swf File

**zackarycw** · March 5th, 2018

I'm relatively new to Ubuntu and have tried everything to try and play some .swf files that I have. I installed the flash plugin by downloading the .tar.gz file from adobe's flash site and putting it in firefox's plugin folder.

Code:

sudo nautilus

is how I was able to write to it. I went to /usr/share/mime/packages and modified the freedesktop.org.xml such that "vnd.adobe.flash.movie" is now "x-shockwave-flash". I cannot seem to find GNU Gnash (or just gnash) in the Ubuntu Software Store.
I changed the .xml file by doing the following:

Code:

sudo su
cd /usr/share/mime/packages
cp freedesktop.org.xml freedesktop.org.xml.old

I modified this one by using VSCode.

Code:

update-mime-database /usr/share/mime/

After this I still can't seem to find a way to play my .swf files. I've been searching for a solution for about a week now and would appreciate any help.
~~Thanks!

**tinylagarto** · March 5th, 2018

You probably should be able to open it from your browser. Of course you need the Flash plugin for Firefox. There is no need to install it from Adobe.

You can install it with this command from the terminal:

Code:

 sudo apt install flashplugin-installer

Then restart your browser.

If you have Chrome installed you already have working Flash as it comes with its own Pepper Flash plugin.

**zackarycw** · March 6th, 2018

I've already done this command in the terminal as well. It prompts to use sudo apt-get remove to remove it. I did uninstall and reinstall but nothing seems to have changed. Is there anything else that might make flash files not play?

**zackarycw** · March 6th, 2018

Firefox DOES play flash files when it is ON THE WEB like from comdotgame.com etc. It just can't seem to play the .swf files downloaded on my computer.

**1fallen** · March 6th, 2018

Or you can install "swfdec-gnome" should work for most .swf files.
I haven't used this for a couple years now but give it whirl.

This package is a transitional package for upgrading to Gnash
It can be safely removed when Gnash is installed

**monkeybrain20122** · March 6th, 2018

You can play .swf files in Firefox by doing the following(flash plugin has to be installed first of course)

In your home directory create a new document called .mime.types (note the "." in front, this is a hidden file). In it put only one line

Code:

application/x-shockwave-flash       swf swfl

(Edited: This is a lot cleaner than messing with freedesktop.org.xml )

Then logout and log back in (may not be necessary)

Next, you need to edit FF's config for it to play local .swf files. Open firefox, type about:config in the url, when the warning comes up click you accept the risks. Then in the search type plugins
locate the string

plugins.http_https_only

click on value and change it to false.

Restart Firefox for it to take effect.

Now right click on your .swf file in Properties > Open with choose Firefox as the default. Now click on it an it would play in Firefox.

Edited: Now setting plugins.http_https_only to be false means disabling a FF security feature, so do it at your own risk. You can mitigate it a bit by going to Tools > plugins and set flash's setting to "ask to activate" so you have to give it explicit permission to play a file.

**zackarycw** · March 6th, 2018

OMG THIS WORKED. All I needed was the plugins.http_https_only thing toggled, other step didn't seem to do much. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!! This is my first time on this forum, is there a way I can set this issue to solved? THANK YOU!!

**zackarycw** · March 6th, 2018

Use method described earlier in thread or configure freedesktop.org.xml accordingly then go to FF about:config and toggle plugins.http_https_only . Thank you monkeybrain20122 and others for solution. (re-logging was not necessary here)