# conflict between : firefox-esr and with firefox



## Nicola Mingotti (Feb 22, 2018)

Hi,

I am currently using Firefox in FreeBSD-11.1, installed from package.
I would like to install also package "firefox-esr" but I get the following error:

```
pkg: firefox-58.0.2,1 conflicts with firefox-esr-52.6.0_2,1 (installs files into the same place).  Problematic file: /usr/local/bin/firefox
```

It seems like the two packages want to place the same binary there: "firefox" .

Do you know any way I can solve this ?

Bye
Nicola


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## Snurg (Feb 22, 2018)

Hi Nicola!
Even if you rename the files you will probably run into troubles because of library conflicts.
Seems like that you can use only one firefox version.

But there is a way if you are willing to take the effort to put FF into a jail: https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/...using-iocage-and-ssh-jailme.53362/post-299937


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## xchris (Feb 22, 2018)

d/l and unpack the firefox-58.0.2,1.txz  to a different folder like eg. $HOME/bin/firefox


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## Nicola Mingotti (Feb 22, 2018)

Snurg said:


> Hi Nicola!
> Even if you rename the files you will probably run into troubles because of library conflicts.
> Seems like that you can use only one firefox version.
> 
> But there is a way if you are willing to take the effort to put FF into a jail: https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/...using-iocage-and-ssh-jailme.53362/post-299937



Hi Snurg ! 

I am not ready to attack the "jail" right now. 
After studying the "jail", i will try what you suggest for sure.

I would like to use the "esr" because I am developing a web application for finance, it
must run in corporate environment so I guess it would be great If i could write
into the contract something like "the application will always run in Firefox ESR" .
... Just to protect myself from sudden changes in regular Firefox and Chrome
and one day receive angry calls shouting "the application is not working any more !"


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## Nicola Mingotti (Feb 22, 2018)

xchris said:


> d/l and unpack the firefox-58.0.2,1.txz  to a different folder like eg. $HOME/bin/firefox



umm, do you meann to get Firefox raw source and compile it ? 
Without ports or anything ?


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## phoenix (Feb 22, 2018)

You could file a bug report asking for the ability to install firefox and firefox-esr simultaneously.  It would require modifications to the port(s) to separate the installed files into separate directories (/usr/local/lib/firefox and /usr/local/lib/firefox-esr for example).  It wouldn't be impossible, but it wouldn't be easy/fun.

And getting it to play nicely with profiles gets even hairier (you do *not* want to share a single profile between the two as upgrading the non-ESR version can create incompatibilities in the profile).  You'd have to change the default command-line for both browsers to include `--ProfileManager` so you can create/select the profiles.  Once separate profiles are created, you can just modify the command-line for each browser with `--profile <name>` to start each browser with the appropriate profile.

IOW, it's a lot of work for little benefit.


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## Maxnix (Feb 22, 2018)

Nicola Mingotti said:


> umm, do you meann to get Firefox raw source and compile it ?
> Without ports or anything ?


No, he's suggesting to download the package (`pkg fetch firefox-esr`) and untar it in your ${HOME}. Like "manually installing it in another directory".


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## Deleted member 48958 (Feb 22, 2018)

Anyway, firefox-58 and firefox-esr uses the same profile dir — $HOME/.mozilla/firefox/,
so when firefox-58 will be launched, it should block all firefox-esr compatible addons.


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## Nicola Mingotti (Feb 22, 2018)

Guys, thank you all for your precious information support !

I see it will not be an easy task to have it working. I foresee a couple of day of fight
to get the two firefoxes woking together.

I have near deadline and I absolutely need "firefox-58" up and running so, for
the immediate need, I will use the firefox-ESR in OSX (the host of my FreeBSD vm).

I filled a bug report as phoenix  suggested  (I hope I did it right). 
I think it can be useful to have the two browsers working independently.
https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=226132

Bye


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## Deleted member 9563 (Feb 23, 2018)

This is another situation where simply installing it on a second computer would be an easy fix. But it seems that I'm the only one who does that, or thinks multiple computers is a good idea. But seriously, it can solve lots of problems in the blink of an eye.


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## paulw (Nov 17, 2021)

Maxnix said:


> No, he's suggesting to download the package (`pkg fetch firefox-esr`) and untar it in your ${HOME}. Like "manually installing it in another directory".



Just to spell out how to do it...


```
mkdir -p $HOME/bin/firefox-esr
cd $HOME/bin/firefox-esr
doas pkg fetch firefox-esr
tar xvf /var/cache/pkg/firefox-esr-91.3.0\,1~169074afa4.pkg
```

Amend the relevant link to point to the local unpacked firefox-esr executable instead of to the firefox release version:


```
cd $HOME/bin/firefox-esr/usr/local/bin
ln -sf ../lib/firefox/firefox firefox
```

Invoke the profile manager and create a new profile under $HOME/.mozilla/firefox:


```
$HOME/bin/firefox-esr/usr/local/bin/firefox -P &>/dev/null &
```

Then to use the newly created profile (in my case called "firefox-esr"):


```
$HOME/bin/firefox-esr/usr/local/bin/firefox -P firefox-esr &>/dev/null &
```

where I'm just using the profile name instead of the full path.

It's just a question of repeating the fetch etc when a new version becomes available (and of course making sure you don't accidentally run it with the firefox release profile).


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## grahamperrin@ (Nov 21, 2021)

Thanks, you can skip the `-P` profile management dialogue.

Instead, accept the automated invitation to create a new profile:




The default profile is automatically named _default-esr_.





paulw said:


> … making sure you don't accidentally run it with the firefox release profile).



There's automated protection against accidents of this type.


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