Permissions for Socket Policy plugin

[jwmelvin]

I'm trying to get the slimfx skin working on my 7.1 install running on Ubuntu 8.04. Everything else about SC seems to be working great.

The slimfx skin needs the SocketPolicy plugin, which opens a listening port. But I guess it needs some different permission. The errors in the SC log are:

[08-07-20 17:55:29.6937] Plugins::SocketPolicy::Plugin::socket_policy_socke t_open (115) Can't setup the listening port 843: Permission denied

[08-07-20 17:55:29.6944] Slim::Utils::PluginManager::enablePlugins (525) Warning: Couldn't call Plugins::SocketPolicy::Plugin->initPlugin: Can't setup the listening port 843: Permission denied at /usr/share/squeezecenter/Plugins/SocketPolicy/Plugin.pm line 115

Can anyone advise me on how to overcome this?


--------------
SqueezeCenter Version: 7.1 - 21814 @ Thu Jul 17 01:07:39 PDT 2008 - Debian - EN - utf8
Server IP address: 192.168.0.100
Perl Version: 5.8.8 x86_64-linux-gnu-thread-multi
MySQL Version: 5.0.51a-3ubuntu5.1

Platform Architecture: x86_64-linux

[MikV]

I don't get the socket policy plugin thing at all, but here's an easy way to get around this problem.
Download the flash uninstaller and an older flash installer from adobe.
Just search the adobe site for the flash player archives.
Run the uninstaller from a command prompt

c:\downloads\flash\uninstall_flash_player.exe /clean

From your downloaded archives install any version lower than 9r124 (I chose 9r115)
In addition to flashplayer9r115_win.exe you will need flashplayer9r115_winax.exe (this is the active x control for your browser)

SlimFX works like a charm now! Just don't upgrade your flash player until someone figures out this socket policy...

[w42]

I don't get the socket policy plugin thing at all, but here's an easy way to get around this problem.

Probably because you are running Windows and not Ubuntu?

Run the uninstaller from a command prompt

c:\downloads\flash\uninstall_flash_player.exe /clean

How does that work on Ubuntu 8.04?


@jwmelvin:
This might be helpful: http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flashpla...icy_files.html

[MikV]

I didn't mean I don't have this problem with windows, I meant that I don't understand how the socket policy works. Adobe's webpage on this issue is gibberish to me.
I only have limited experience with linux, and that was basically following the recipe to build my Clarkconnect server.
As far as downgrading flash goes, I had to run the uninstaller with the "/clean" command to wipe out the active x control in windows, otherwise installing the older version of flash would fail. I believe you don't have to worry about this with ubuntu (or any linux flavor for that matter). Just replace flash with an older version from the archives, which include players for linux and mac.
This is just a temporary measure for me. If someone were to figure out how to implement the socket policy plugin and provide instructions for linux noobs, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!!!

[gsamsa]

I didn't mean I don't have this problem with windows, I meant that I don't understand how the socket policy works. Adobe's webpage on this issue is gibberish to me.
I only have limited experience with linux, and that was basically following the recipe to build my Clarkconnect server.
As far as downgrading flash goes, I had to run the uninstaller with the "/clean" command to wipe out the active x control in windows, otherwise installing the older version of flash would fail. I believe you don't have to worry about this with ubuntu (or any linux flavor for that matter). Just replace flash with an older version from the archives, which include players for linux and mac.
This is just a temporary measure for me. If someone were to figure out how to implement the socket policy plugin and provide instructions for linux noobs, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!!!

The socket policy plugin works on Windows...it's some permissions thing on Linux, seemingly. I imagine it shouldn't be *too* hard to solve...but I just don't know anything about Linux and what you need to do to make it work.

The change in Flash was a security related change...Adobe didn't want SWFs opening random network connections to servers without explicit permission. The socket policy plugin I wrote was all about granting that permission (by serving up an XML file on a specific port).

While downgrading Flash Player might be a good temporary solution, I'm pretty sure Flash Player 10 is around the corner...and it's supposed to be a fairly significant upgrade -- some 3D features, much better text support, etc.

Sorry I can't be more help.

[w42]

Problem probably is that on linux opening priviliged ports (< 1024) for listening can only be done by root.
Must admit that I've read the Adobe stuff 2-3 times now, and I am also somewhat confused ;-)

Can't be of much help either, since I do not use slimfx skin (worth trying ?).

[gsamsa]

Problem probably is that on linux opening priviliged ports (< 1024) for listening can only be done by root.
Must admit that I've read the Adobe stuff 2-3 times now, and I am also somewhat confused ;-)

Can't be of much help either, since I do not use slimfx skin (worth trying ?).

Ah.

It may be that I can tell slimfx to look for the socket policy on a different port, and make the socket policy plugin work on that port. I'm really busy these days, but I'll try to look into it.

Alternately, is there any way to get linux to allow user processes to open up specific ports for listening?

[w42]

Alternately, is there any way to get linux to allow user processes to open up specific ports for listening?

authbind. Never used it though, will check.

[gsamsa]

You know, it does sound like it might be easier on linux to use something else. Adobe has a couple sample scripts at this page: http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flashpla...icy_files.html

Basically, all my plugin is doing is serving up a static XML file in response to any request on port 843, then closing the connection. Seems like the sample scripts (Perl, Pyton) will do the same thing on linux easily enough.