Why does flashplugin-installer display a multi-line terminal progress when downloading?

Question

I have this issue from MANY Ubuntu releases.

why when I wget a file it takes just one row and give me all information (like time, total space, bit downloaded, percent)

When downloading flashplugin via flashplugin installer, the installer in a terminal displayed many rows - why?

Answer 1

That's by design of the installer. These commands are executed by the flashplugin installer post-installation script:

# setting wget options
:> wgetrc
echo "noclobber = off" >> wgetrc
echo "dir_prefix = ." >> wgetrc
echo "dirstruct = off" >> wgetrc
echo "verbose = on" >> wgetrc
echo "progress = dot:default" >> wgetrc

# downloading the plugin
echo "Downloading..."
rm -f $FILENAME
echo "Getting ${ADOBE_URL}"
WGETRC=wgetrc wget ${ADOBE_URL} \
|| fp_exit_with_error "download failed"
rm -f wgetrc
echo "Download done."

The relevant setting is progress = dot:default which cannot be overriden. Perhaps you can file a wishlist bug for that on https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/flashplugin-nonfree/+bugs