I'm trying to figure out how the Flash Player auto-update works with a Flex app. Particularly, which settings in Flex (Properties > Flex Compiler settings) controls the minimum Flash Player version number. I want to ensure I've got the settings correct so that users with older browsers (older than I configure my app for somehow) are forced to auto-update their Flash Player (or else, I don't want them to use my app).
I've installed the latest nightly build, wherein using the Apache Flex installer, I choose Flash Player 11.9. This caused the /frameworks/flex-config.xml file to show <target-player>11.9</target-player> Note that my Flex Compiler settings show: Adobe Flash Player options: "Use minimum version required by the Flex SDK" and that I did not include a "-target-player" switch in the Flex compile arguments. I made my app live just now and tested using the latest browsers from Firefox, Safari, and Chrome. I (randomly chose) and installed Flash Player (non-debug) version 11.0 for this test. SAFARI: Upon opening Safari I was immediately a popup appeared that said: "Adobe Flash Player" is out of date. The version of "Adobe Flash Player" on your system does not include the latest security updates and has been blocked. To continue using "Adobe Flash Player", download an updated version from Adobe's website. It gave a Download Flash button and an OK button. I OK'ed out of this window (without upgrading Flash) and started my app. The only thing that appeared was "Blocked Plug-in" text in the center of the window. There was no other text to inform me what to do. I happened to click on the "Blocked Plug-in" to see what would happen, and then that same window popped up stating the player was out of date, etc. I don't think this ran the expressInstall.swf. Perhaps Safari came in earlier in the process to pre-empt it (?). FIREFOX I opened Firefox as usual and navigated to my webpage. When I clicked to open the Flex app, Firefox displayed two-tone alternating gray diagonal bars as a background on top of which was some text saying: "Activate Adobe Flash. This plugin is vulnerable and should be updated. Check for updates." with an icon to (1) activate and (2) check for updates. If I click the activate icon, Firefox states: "Firefox has prevented the outdated plug-in "Adobe Flash" from running on www.mydomain.com and gives a button to "Allow Now". If I click Allow Now, then it appears the expressInstall.swf runs because a popup window titled "Adobe Flash Player Update" opens stating "This content requires Adobe Flash Player 11.9. would you like to install it now?" If I select No, then a new page appears stating "To view this page ensure that Adobe Flash Player version 11.9.0 or greater is installed." CHROME I start Chrome and navigate to my app. Click on my app link and I get a new page stating "Adobe Flash Player was blocked because it is out of date." with 3 links: (1) Learn More, (2) Run This Time, and (3) Update Flash Player. If I click "Run This Time" it presents the same popup as Firefox that I'm assuming is expressInstall.swf. So, all browers seem to prevent users from running the app with older versions of Flash Player, although only Firefox and Chrome seem to run expressInstall.swf. One question remains... which setting in Flash Player (or which file) controls the minimum Flash Player version? How to update this minimum version? Currently, I know I can select a Flash Player version during Apache Installation of a Flex SDK (and that version shows up in flex-config.xml) and I'm assuming this version is the mimimum required version. But I don't think that's how it's supposed to work (is it)? How to set the minimum Flash Player version from Flash Builder 4.7? ----- Original Message ----- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 4:13:21 PM Subject: Re: compile error after installing SDK w/Flex Installer 2.7: unable to open /sdk/path/to/playerglobal.swc Thanks Maurice, I'm working to make my app live (but haven't got there yet). Just curious, which FP version does your SDK install directory /frameworks/flex-config.xml file show inside the <target-player> </target-player> tags? I'm thinking that an interesting test would be to use a browser with a version of Flash Player older than what is showing in the flex-config.xml file. Or, is that what you already tested? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Maurice Amsellem" <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 3:48:12 PM Subject: RE: compile error after installing SDK w/Flex Installer 2.7: unable to open /sdk/path/to/playerglobal.swc I tried it and it didn't seem to work. that is I compiled a project with FP 11.9, html wrapper an "check FP version" on, and started it on a browser that uses FP 11.4. But nothing happened. No swf, no prompt... Can you also try on your side, you may be luckier :-). Maurice -----Message d'origine----- De : [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Envoyé : lundi 28 octobre 2013 20:10 À : [email protected] Objet : Re: compile error after installing SDK w/Flex Installer 2.7: unable to open /sdk/path/to/playerglobal.swc Thank you Maurice! ----- Original Message ----- From: "Maurice Amsellem" <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 11:22:02 AM Subject: RE: compile error after installing SDK w/Flex Installer 2.7: unable to open /sdk/path/to/playerglobal.swc I just checked the HTML wrapper options: there is a "check FP version" option. Maurice -----Message d'origine----- De : Maurice Amsellem [mailto:[email protected]] Envoyé : lundi 28 octobre 2013 19:17 À : [email protected] Objet : RE: compile error after installing SDK w/Flex Installer 2.7: unable to open /sdk/path/to/playerglobal.swc Good question. I thought there was a test in the html wrapper javascript but can't be sure anymore. Can you do the test, please, maybe setting FP to 11.9, and checking with an older browser. Maurice -----Message d'origine----- De : [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Envoyé : lundi 28 octobre 2013 18:35 À : [email protected] Objet : Re: compile error after installing SDK w/Flex Installer 2.7: unable to open /sdk/path/to/playerglobal.swc Problem resolved -- closing Flash Builder 4.7 then re-opening it and compiling eliminated this error. One remaining question though... Is there any way to force users to use a minimum Flash Player version? I *think* the purpose of using the compiler switch of -target-player=11.1 is to prevent compiling in Flash Player features from newer versions of Flash Player. As the provider of a Flex app, is it my responsibility to inform users that they must use version 11.1 or newer? Or, is there some way to auto-inform users when they try to run the Flex app using versions older than 11.1 that the app won't run until they update Flash Player to 11.1 or newer (and, hopefully, provide something to click on to launch an installer for latest version)? ----- Original Message ----- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 10:20:11 AM Subject: Re: compile error after installing SDK w/Flex Installer 2.7: unable to open /sdk/path/to/playerglobal.swc I think it must be my error (not an Apache bug). I see the error references the path: /Applications/Adobe Flash Builder 4.7/sdks/Nightly/20131028/frameworks/libs/player/11.1/playerglobal.swc But the only path in my directory is for 11.9, that is: /Applications/Adobe Flash Builder 4.7/sdks/Nightly/20131028/frameworks/libs/player/11.9/playerglobal.swc When I installed the nightly build, the 11.9 Flash Player was selected. I checked my Project Properties > Flex Compiler settings, which shows: Adobe Flash Player options: "Use minimum version required by the Flex SDK" Additional compiler arguments includes the switch: -target-player=11.1 I tried changing the -target-player=11.9, but it didn't help. ----- Original Message ----- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 10:08:04 AM Subject: Re: compile error after installing SDK w/Flex Installer 2.7: unable to open /sdk/path/to/playerglobal.swc Oops, you're right Alex, I got confused. Is this a bug? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alex Harui" <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 9:59:30 AM Subject: Re: compile error after installing SDK w/Flex Installer 2.7: unable to open /sdk/path/to/playerglobal.swc On 10/28/13 9:54 AM, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote: >Hi, I just upgraded the Apache Flex installer (from 2.6 to 2.7) then >downloaded the Nightly build and tried to compile a project with it. >I'm getting a compile error for: > >unable to open '/Applications/Adobe Flash Builder >4.7/sdks/Nightly/20131028/frameworks/libs/player.11.1/playerglobal.swc' Probably need to be a slash instead of a ".' in player/11.1/ Check the air-config or flex-config.xml. Search for playerglobal.swc > > >I believe I saw somewhere that playerglobal.swc has been changed to >expressInstall.swf due to licensing reasons. Is there a fix for this? >Thanks in advance for any comments. No, playerglobal.swc exists. It is playerproductinstall.swf that was replaced by expressInstall.swf
