Since version 10.3 of Flash Player for the Mac, there has been an automatic update feature for the plugin, as part of a System Preferences pane. Unfortunately, I have not had much luck with it actually doing updates automatically!
I have, then, found it necessary to either check for updates manually, or devise a custom script to do an automatic check for updates.
Based on this MacOSXHints post, here is the script I am using to keep Flash Player on Mac OS X up-to-date. Combined with an OS X LaunchAgent to check every two hours, this is an automatic update solution that actually is automatic!
Installation
- Copy the ‘Flash Checker’ folder into /Library/Application Support.
- Make sure the execute permissions are set on /Library/Application Support/Flash Checker/flash_checker.
(From Terminal, run:sudo chmod +x /Library/Application\ Support/Flash Checker/flash_checker.) - Copy the ‘uk.org.upfold.FlashChecker.plist’ file into ~/Library/LaunchAgents.
- Optionally, edit the
RunAtLoaddirective in the plist totrueto check for updates each time you log on, or edit theStartIntervalto check more or less frequently than the default of two hours.
Disable without Uninstalling
- Set the
Disableddirective totruein the ~/Library/LaunchAgents/uk.org.upfold.FlashChecker.plist.
Uninstallation
- Remove the ‘uk.org.upfold.FlashChecker.plist’ file from ~/Library/LaunchAgents.
- Delete the folder /Library/Application Support/Flash Checker.
When I try and run this the osascript to prompt me seems to fail. The log I get is:
—
Thu Apr 19 13:52:42 EDT 2012: Current Flash version: 11.2.202.228
Thu Apr 19 13:52:42 EDT 2012: Available Flash version: 11.2.202.233
Thu Apr 19 13:52:42 EDT 2012: We are out of date. Will alert the user.
User response to dialogue was: execution
—
This is in OSX 10.7.3
I tracked down the issue, your script in the osascript line references an icon file that does not exist in the zip file provided:
with icon POSIX FILE “/Library/Application Support/Flash Checker/FlashPlayerInstaller.icns”
Removing that part of the command allows it to run. Probably does not look as fancy but it works. I may play around with this to add launching the updater as well just to automate one more step. This is pretty cool so thanks for sharing!!
Hi peter ,
I installed the script on El Capitan ,
I just don’t know if it runs or not .
is there any way to check it?
Regards