Detecting plugins (Flash)

Anon

I've looked at get_browser() in the PHP manual, but I'm not clear on whether it can do this.

Is it possible to detect plugins, like Flash, in the user's browser?

I also did a search for this question, and found only questions, no answers. Hopefully I will be lucky. 🙂

Thanks,
Linus

vsego

I'm not sure, but I think not. To send this kind of information over the Net for each page - it would be a huge overhead. This info, when I collected it with JavaScript couple of years ago, was few MB of text. Even if encoded somehow, would be too big.

If you want it automated, you can write a redirection page, where JavaScript will detect Flash and do proper redirections.

I'm absolutely positive that Netscape provides such info (I think in window object, but may be in document). Not sure about IE, though.

And, of course, always provide links for those without JavaScript.

Anon

I've looked at JavaScript detection too, so I could use document.write() to put in the appropriate content, but it seems fairly complex with IE, as opposed to Netscape where you can simply use the navigator.plugins array.

Thanks for your help anyway. 🙂

vsego

Try making a simple Flash applet (are they called applets?) that will only redirect user to Flash site. Then call it as usuall:

In "no flash" area put redirection (or link) to non-Flash site.