Announcement

**Schwarzer Kater** · Mar 30, 2023, 12:28 PM

Changelog

Version 2.1.0, released 2024-04-17
- ADDED FEATURE to offer removing traditional Firefox from /opt if it has been
installed by this script before
- improved code (now the script exits and tells the user when the Firefox .tar
in the chosen language was e.g temporarily not available or was corrupt)
Version 2.0.2, released 2024-04-07
- improved code for Kubuntu 20.10 up to 21.10
Version 2.0.1, released 2024-04-05
- improved code
Version 2.0.0, released 2024-04-05
- REMOVED FEATURE: the Mozilla Team PPA is not supported any longer!
- improved code
- improved summary
- improved language
- improved comments
Version 1.2.3, released 2024-03-28
- CORRECTED BUG IN CODE (removed the link from /usr/local/bin/ for CLI usage of
Firefox from Mozilla.org as there is a conflict when the Firefox Snap is also
installed)
- improved language
Version 1.2.2, released 2023-10-26
- improved summary
Version 1.2.1, released 2023-06-21
- improved code
Version 1.2.0, released 2023-04-25
- ADDED FEATURE to offer removing the Firefox Snap and strongly recommend to do
so, if Firefox from the Mozilla Team PPA is to be installed
- cleaned up code
- improved summary
- improved language
- renamed the project
Version 1.1.2, released 2023-04-07
- CORRECTED BUG IN CODE (now the "invisible" placeholder files for a former
installation from the Mozilla Team PPA are removed, if the user installs Firefox
from Mozilla.org instead after running the "reinstall_Snap_for_release-upgrade"
script)
- improved code
- improved output
Version 1.1.1, released 2023-04-06
- CORRECTED BUG IN CODE (now the firefox.desktop file for Firefox from
Mozilla.org is created in /usr/local/share/applications instead of
/usr/share/applications - otherwise in some situations the .desktop file could
be removed when (re)installing the Firefox Snap or release-upgrading)
- improved summary
- improved comments
Version 1.1.0, released 2023-04-03
- ADDED FEATURE to save summary as a text file for future reference, if the
script had changed anything
- changed version number to semantic versioning
Version 290323, released 2023-03-29
- initial public release

Some questions have already been answered here: https://www.kubuntuforums.net/forum/...600#post669600

The script has been tested extensively, but I appreciate it if you report any errors you come across (concerning the coding or the English language).

Thank you very much!

Code:

#!/bin/bash

################################################################################
#                                                                              #
#                                                                              #
#         $$     $$                                                $$          #
#         $$     $$  $$$$$$$$$  $$         $$          $$$$$$$     $$          #
#         $$     $$  $$         $$         $$         $$     $$    $$          #
#         $$$$$$$$$  $$$$$$$$   $$         $$         $$     $$    $$          #
#         $$     $$  $$         $$         $$         $$     $$    $$          #
#         $$     $$  $$         $$         $$         $$     $$                #
#         $$     $$  $$$$$$$$$  $$$$$$$$$  $$$$$$$$$   $$$$$$$     $$          #
#                                                                              #
#                                                                              #
# This is a little helper script for Kubuntu™ (22.04 and later) users who want #
# to install the traditional Firefox from Mozilla.org (the way Debian          #
# suggests) and use it complementary to or instead of the Firefox Snap.        #
# It can also remove Firefox, if it has been installed by this script before,  #
# and has been tested many times with Kubuntu™ 22.04 LTS up to 23.10.          #
#                                                                              #
# -> IMPORTANT:                                                                #
#    It is advised to run this script after a full upgrade of the system       #
#    (either with Discover or in Konsole with "sudo apt update && sudo apt     #
#    full-upgrade") AND a reboot.                                              #
#                                                                              #
# -> Firefox from Mozilla.org can simply be used alternatively with or without #
#    the Firefox Snap and no further actions are to be taken.                  #
#    It will remain installed when release-upgrading (e.g. from 23.10 to       #
#    24.04 LTS) and causes no conflicts during the upgrade process.            #
#    This version of Firefox behaves roughly like the ones for macOS™ or       #
#    Windows™ do and updates itself independently from Discover or APT package #
#    management (and can ask you before updating - if you would prefer being   #
#    asked see the Firefox settings).                                          #
#                                                                              #
# You will be asked if you want [1] to download and install Firefox from       #
# Mozilla.org OR [2] to remove a previously installed Firefox, but if you      #
# choose [3] to cancel, no changes at all are made to your system.             #
# After you chose [1] to install Firefox from Mozilla.org, you will be asked   #
# to select your preferred language next.                                      #
#                                                                              #
# For some more information about what is done in detail see the comments      #
# within this script.                                                          #
#                                                                              #
# My scripts are in no way associated with Canonical™, Ubuntu™ or Kubuntu™.    #
# This script comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.                   #
# It may be used, shared, copied and modified freely.                          #
#                                                                              #
# You can download my scripts from here: https://gitlab.com/scripts94          #
#                                                                              #
# I hope you find the script useful! Yours respectfully, Schwarzer Kater       #
#                                                                              #
################################################################################

versionnr="2.1.0"

########
## During this session let's make sure no "exotic" or interfering aliases can be
## used in this script
########
shopt -u expand_aliases

########
## Display purpose of this script
########
clear
echo -e "########"
echo -e "## This is a little helper script for Kubuntu™ (22.04 and later) users who want"
echo -e "## to install the traditional Firefox from Mozilla.org (the way Debian"
echo -e "## suggests) and use it complementary to or instead of the Firefox Snap."
echo -e "## It can also remove Firefox, if it has been installed by this script before,"
echo -e "## and has been tested many times with Kubuntu™ 22.04 LTS up to 23.10."
echo -e "##"
echo -e "## -> IMPORTANT:"
echo -e "##    It is advised to run this script after a full upgrade of the system"
echo -e "##    (either with Discover or in Konsole with \"sudo apt update && sudo apt"
echo -e "##    full-upgrade\") AND a reboot."
echo -e "## -> Firefox from Mozilla.org can simply be used alternatively with or without"
echo -e "##    the Firefox Snap and no further actions are to be taken."
echo -e "##    It will remain installed when release-upgrading (e.g. from 23.10 to"
echo -e "##    24.04 LTS) and causes no conflicts during the upgrade process."
echo -e "##    This version of Firefox behaves roughly like the ones for macOS™ or"
echo -e "##    Windows™ do and updates itself independently from Discover or APT package"
echo -e "##    management (and can ask you before updating - if you would prefer being"
echo -e "##    asked see the Firefox settings)."
echo -e "##"
echo -e "## You will be asked if you want [1] to download and install Firefox from"
echo -e "## Mozilla.org OR [2] to remove a previously installed Firefox, but if you"
echo -e "## choose [3] to cancel, no changes at all are made to your system."
echo -e "## After you chose [1] to install Firefox from Mozilla.org, you will be asked"
echo -e "## to select your preferred language next."
echo -e "##"
echo -e "## For some more information about what is done in detail see the comments"
echo -e "## within the script itself."
echo -e "##"
echo -e "## This script comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND."
echo -e "## It may be used, shared, copied and modified freely."
echo -e "##"
echo -e "## I hope you find the script useful! Yours respectfully, Schwarzer Kater"
echo -e "########\n"
read -p "Press [Enter] to continue, press [Ctrl] [c] to exit. "

########
## Install or remove the traditional Firefox from Mozilla.org (the way Debian
## suggests - see: https://wiki.debian.org/Firefox#From_Mozilla_binaries) and
## remove the Mozilla Team PPA placeholder files (if they have been installed by
## a previous version of the scripts)
########
inff=0
fferror=0
rmff=0

# Test if the operating system is Kubuntu 22.04 or later / Ubuntu 22.04 or
# later-based with KDE Plasma
if ! cat /etc/os-release | grep -Ei "(^|\s)VERSION=(|\s|\"|\s\")(22.04|22.10|23.04|23.10|24.04)" &> /dev/null || ! echo "$XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP" | grep -i KDE &> /dev/null
then
    echo -e "\n######################################################################\n## This script is meant to be used with Kubuntu™ 22.04 LTS or later ##\n## -> PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!                                     ##\n######################################################################"
fi

echo -e "\n########\n## Do you want to:\n## [1] DOWNLOAD and INSTALL the latest stable Firefox from Mozilla.org?"
echo -e "##     or\n## [2] REMOVE Firefox from /opt if it has been installed by this script before?"
echo -e "##     (Your user data e.g. in \".mozilla\" within your $HOME"
echo -e '##     directory will NOT be touched!)'
echo -e "##     or\n## [3] CANCEL the download and installation or removal?\n########"

# Give option to cancel the installation
while true
do
    read -p "[1], [2] or [3] " choice
    if [[ "${choice}" = "1" ]]
    then
        # Test if traditional Firefox is still installed in 20.04 up to 21.10
        if cat /etc/os-release | grep -Ei "(^|\s)VERSION=(|\s|\"|\s\")(20.04|20.10|21.04|21.10)" &> /dev/null && [[ -d "/usr/lib/firefox" ]] && command -v firefox &> /dev/null
        then
            echo -e "\n########\n## Traditional Firefox seems to already be installed -> not changing anything …\n########"
            break
        # Test if traditional Firefox is installed conventionally/from a PPA or
        # to /opt
        elif [[ -d "/usr/lib/firefox" && $(command -v firefox) ]] || test -x "/opt/firefox/firefox"
        then
            echo -e "\n########\n## Traditional Firefox seems to already be installed -> not changing anything …\n########"
            break
        else
            # Choose from a list of languages and download latest stable Firefox
            # in the chosen language to $HOME - see:
            # https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/latest/README.txt
            echo
            PS3="$(printf '\nChoose your preferred language for Firefox: ')"
            select languagesel in "Acholi lang=ach" "Afrikaans lang=af" "Albanian lang=sq" "Arabic lang=ar" "Aragonese lang=an" "Armenian lang=hy-AM" "Assamese lang=as" "Asturian lang=ast" "Azerbaijani lang=az" "Basque lang=eu" "Belarusian lang=be" "Bengali (Bangladesh) lang=bn-BD" "Bengali (India) lang=bn-IN" "Bosnian lang=bs" "Breton lang=br" "Bulgarian lang=bg" "Catalan lang=ca" "Chinese (Simplified) lang=zh-CN" "Chinese (Traditional) lang=zh-TW" "Croatian lang=hr" "Czech lang=cs" "Danish lang=da" "Dutch lang=nl" "English (British) lang=en-GB" "English (South African) lang=en-ZA" "English (US) lang=en-US" "Esperanto lang=eo" "Estonian lang=et" "Finnish lang=fi" "French lang=fr" "Frisian lang=fy-NL" "Fulah lang=ff" "Gaelic (Scotland) lang=gd" "Galician lang=gl" "German lang=de" "Greek lang=el" "Gujarati (India) lang=gu-IN" "Hebrew lang=he" "Hindi (India) lang=hi-IN" "Hungarian lang=hu" "Icelandic lang=is" "Indonesian lang=id" "Irish lang=ga-IE" "Italian lang=it" "Kannada lang=kn" "Kazakh lang=kk" "Khmer lang=km" "Korean lang=ko" "Latvian lang=lv" "Ligurian lang=lij" "Lithuanian lang=lt" "Lower Sorbian lang=dsb" "Macedonian lang=mk" "Maithili lang=mai" "Malay lang=ms" "Malayalam lang=ml" "Marathi lang=mr" "Norwegian (BokmÃ¥l) lang=nb-NO" "Norwegian (Nynorsk) lang=nn-NO" "Oriya lang=or" "Persian lang=fa" "Polish lang=pl" "Portuguese (Brazilian) lang=pt-BR" "Portuguese (Portugal) lang=pt-PT" "Punjabi (India) lang=pa-IN" "Romanian lang=ro" "Romansh lang=rm" "Russian lang=ru" "Serbian lang=sr" "Sinhala lang=si" "Slovak lang=sk" "Slovenian lang=sl" "Songhai lang=son" "Spanish (Argentina) lang=es-AR" "Spanish (Chile) lang=es-CL" "Spanish (Mexico) lang=es-MX" "Spanish (Spain) lang=es-ES" "Swedish lang=sv-SE" "Tamil lang=ta" "Telugu lang=te" "Thai lang=th" "Turkish lang=tr" "Ukrainian lang=uk" "Upper Sorbian lang=hsb" "Uzbek lang=uz" "Vietnamese lang=vi" "Welsh lang=cy" "Xhosa lang=xh"
            do
                if [[ $REPLY -ge 1 && $REPLY -le 88 ]]
                then
                    languagename="$(echo "${languagesel}" | sed 's/ lang.*$//')"
                    languagecode="$(echo "${languagesel}" | sed 's/^.* //')"
                    echo -e "\n########\n## -> Downloading ${languagename} version of Firefox from Mozilla.org …\n########\n" && wget -O "$HOME/firefox-latest-stable.tar.bz2" "https://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-latest&os=linux64&${languagecode}"
                    # Test if archive was e.g. not available at all
                    if [[ $? -ne 0 ]]
                    then
                        echo -e '\n#############################################################################\n## -> AN ERROR OCCURED! <-                                                 ##'
                        echo -e "## Firefox seems not to be available in your chosen language at the moment ##\n## -> not changing anything …                                              ##\n#############################################################################"
                        fferror=1
                        break 2
                    fi
                    break
                else
                    echo -e "\n-> Please enter a valid number [1-88]!"
                fi
            done
            
            # Decompress the downloaded Firefox archive
            echo -e "########\n## -> Decompressing the Firefox archive …\n########\n" && tar xjf "$HOME/firefox-latest-stable.tar.bz2" -C "$HOME"
            # Test if archive was e.g. corrupt
            if [[ $? -ne 0 ]]
            then
                echo -e '\n##############################################\n## -> AN ERROR OCCURED! <-                  ##'
                echo -e "## This Firefox archive seems to be corrupt ##\n## -> not changing anything …               ##\n##############################################"
                fferror=1
                break
            fi

            # Install Firefox to /opt
            echo -e "########\n## -> Installing Firefox from Mozilla.org to /opt …\n########\n" && sudo mv "$HOME/firefox" /opt

            # Clean up: remove the dowloaded Firefox archive from $HOME
            if test -e "$HOME/firefox-latest-stable.tar.bz2" ; then echo -e "\n########\n## -> Cleaning up …\n########\n" && rm -f "$HOME/firefox-latest-stable.tar.bz2" ; fi

            # Create firefox.desktop in /usr/local/share/applications to give
            # all users access to the new Firefox via application menu (don't
            # use /usr/share/applications - otherwise the .desktop file could be
            # removed when (re)installing the Firefox Snap or release-upgrading)
            echo -e "########\n## -> Writing firefox.desktop file to /usr/local/share/applications/ :\n########\n"
            # Create /usr/local/share/applications before, if it doesn't exit
            if ! test -d "/usr/local/share/applications" ; then sudo mkdir /usr/local/share/applications ; fi
            echo -e "[Desktop Entry]\nName=Firefox from Mozilla.org\nComment=Browse the World Wide Web\nGenericName=Web Browser\nKeywords=Internet;WWW;Browser;Web;Explorer\nExec=/opt/firefox/firefox %u\nTerminal=false\nType=Application\nIcon=/opt/firefox/browser/chrome/icons/default/default128.png\nCategories=Network;WebBrowser;\nMimeType=text/html;text/xml;application/xhtml+xml;application/xml;application/vnd.mozilla.xul+xml;application/rss+xml;application/rdf+xml;image/gif;image/jpeg;image/png;x-scheme-handler/http;x-scheme-handler/https;\nStartupNotify=true\nActions=Private;\n\n[Desktop Action Private]\nExec=/opt/firefox/firefox --private-window %u\nName=Open in private mode\n" | sudo tee /usr/local/share/applications/firefox.desktop

            # Rebuild the KDE Plasma application menu index as sometimes this
            # helps when the new Firefox does not show properly (especially if
            # the Firefox Snap is additionally installed)
            if command -v kbuildsycoca5 &> /dev/null ; then kbuildsycoca5 &> /dev/null ; fi

            # Make the new Firefox the main application for www-browser
            sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/x-www-browser x-www-browser /opt/firefox/firefox 200 && sudo update-alternatives --set x-www-browser /opt/firefox/firefox

            # Test if the "Mozilla Team PPA" placeholder file from a previous
            # version of the scripts is in $HOME and remove it
            if test -f "$HOME/.mtppa-placeholder" ; then rm -f "$HOME/.mtppa-placeholder" ; fi

            # Test if the "prefer Firefox from the Mozilla Team PPA APT pinning"
            # placeholder file from a previous version of the scripts is in
            # $HOME and remove it
            if test -f "$HOME/.mtppa-ffpin-placeholder" ; then  rm -f "$HOME/.mtppa-ffpin-placeholder" ; fi

            # Test if the "Firefox from the Mozilla Team PPA" placeholder file
            # from a previous version of the scripts is in $HOME and remove it
            if test -f "$HOME/.mtff-placeholder" ; then rm -f "$HOME/.mtff-placeholder" ; fi

            inff=1
            break
        fi
    elif [[ "${choice}" = "2" ]]
    then
        # Test if traditional Firefox has been installed to /opt by this script
        if ! [[ -x "/opt/firefox/firefox" && -r "/usr/local/share/applications/firefox.desktop" ]]
        then
            echo -e "\n########\n## Traditional Firefox does not seem to have been installed from Mozilla.org\n## to /opt by this script before -> not changing anything …\n########"
            break
        else
            # Give option to cancel
            echo -e "\n########\n## Are you sure you want to UNINSTALL traditional Firefox from /opt ?\n########"
            while true
            do
                read -p "[y/n] " removeff
                if [[ "${removeff}" = [Yy] ]]
                then
                    # Remove Firefox from /opt and the .desktop file from
                    # /usr/local/share/applications
                    echo -e "\n########\n## -> Removing traditional Firefox from /opt …\n########\n"
                    sudo rm -rf /opt/firefox && sudo rm -f /usr/local/share/applications/firefox.desktop

                    # Rebuild the KDE Plasma application menu index
                    if command -v kbuildsycoca5 &> /dev/null ; then kbuildsycoca5 &> /dev/null ; fi

                    rmff=1
                    break 2
                elif [[ "${removeff}" = [Nn] ]]
                then
                    echo -e "\n########\n## You have canceled the removal of traditional Firefox from /opt\n## -> not changing anything …\n########"
                    break 2
                fi
            done
        fi
    elif [[ "${choice}" = "3" ]]
    then
        echo -e "\n########\n## You have canceled the download & installation or removal of the traditional\n## Firefox -> not changing anything …\n########"
        break
    fi
done

########
## Report what has been done
########
summary_first="\n########\n## -> SUMMARY:"
summary_what="## Firefox has been successfully installed from Mozilla.org to /opt ."
summary_where="## You can find it in your application menu under \"Internet\"."
summary_snap="## -> Be aware that the Firefox Snap is still additionally installed!"
summary_snapremove="##    You can remove and block Snaps entirely with the \"get_rid_of_Snap\" script."
summary_nochange="## The script has made no changes at all to your system!"
summary_last="## Have a nice day and enjoy Kubuntu™.\n########\n"
summary_lastff="## Have a nice day and enjoy your new Firefox and Kubuntu™.\n########\n"
savesummary=0

if [[ ${inff} = 1 ]]
then
    # Tell that Firefox has been installed from Mozilla.org
    echo -e "${summary_first}"
    echo -e "${summary_what}"
    echo -e "${summary_where}"
    if snap list firefox &> /dev/null ; then echo -e "${summary_snap}" ; fi
    if snap list firefox &> /dev/null ; then echo -e "${summary_snapremove}" ; fi
    echo -e "${summary_lastff}"
    savesummary=1
elif [[ ${rmff} = 1 ]]
then
    # Tell that Firefox has been removed from /opt
    echo -e "${summary_first}"
    echo -e "## Firefox has been successfully removed from /opt ."
    echo -e "${summary_last}"
elif [[ ${inff} = 0 ]] && [[ ${fferror} = 1 ]]
then
    # Tell that an error has occured and nothing has been changed
    echo -e "${summary_first}"
    echo -e '## Firefox could NOT be installed from Mozilla.org to /opt !'
    echo -e "## It was either not available in your chosen language at the moment or this\n## archive was corrupt…"
    echo -e "## -> Please run the script again and choose a more \"common\" (but nonetheless\n##    fitting) language version instead."
    echo -e "##    After the installation you can change to your preferred language in\n##    Firefox when it starts for the first time or later on in the Firefox\n##    settings."
    echo -e "${summary_nochange}"
    echo -e "${summary_last}"
else
    # Tell that nothing has been changed
    echo -e "${summary_first}"
    echo -e "${summary_nochange}"
    echo -e "${summary_last}"
fi

########
## Give option to save the summary, if the script has changed anything
########
appendix="$(date +"%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M")"

if [[ ${savesummary} = 1 ]]
then
    echo -e "########\n## -> Do you want to save this summary for future reference?\n########"
    while true
    do
        read -p "[y/n] " wantsave
        if [[ "${wantsave}" = [Yy] ]] && [[ ${inff} = 1 ]]
        then
            # Save to text file that Firefox has been installed from Mozilla.org
            echo -e "${summary_first}" > "$HOME/install_traditional_Firefox-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt"
            echo -e "${summary_what}" >> "$HOME/install_traditional_Firefox-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt"
            echo -e "${summary_where}" >> "$HOME/install_traditional_Firefox-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt"
            if snap list firefox &> /dev/null ; then echo -e "${summary_snap}" >> "$HOME/install_traditional_Firefox-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt" ; fi
            if snap list firefox &> /dev/null ; then echo -e "${summary_snapremove}" >> "$HOME/install_traditional_Firefox-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt" ; fi
            echo -e "${summary_lastff}" >> "$HOME/install_traditional_Firefox-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt"
            echo -e "Script version used: ${versionnr}" >> "$HOME/install_traditional_Firefox-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt"
            echo -e "\n########\n## -> The summary of what has been done by this script was saved to:\n##    $HOME/install_traditional_Firefox-SUMMARY_${appendix}\n########\n"
            break
        elif [[ "${wantsave}" = [Nn] ]]
        then
            echo
            break
        fi
    done
fi

**oshunluvr** · Mar 30, 2023, 01:04 PM

I recommend De-Snapping your install prior to running this: https://www.kubuntuforums.net/forum/...et-rid-of-snap

**Schwarzer Kater** · Mar 30, 2023, 01:40 PM

-> Firefox from Mozilla.org can be used with or without Snap easily, regardless the Kubuntu version or if you want to release-upgrade or not.

-> For Firefox from the Mozilla Team PPA I indeed strongly recommend to remove Snap - either do it by the given option in this script or use the "get_rid_of_Snap" and "reinstall_Snap_for_release-upgrade" scripts (they will automatically take care of everything "Firefox from the Mozilla Team PPA"-related for you).

But one could also use Firefox from the Mozilla Team PPA additionally to the Firefox Snap version or Snap in general.
One of the problems then are the conflicting entries/.desktop files for the (KDE) application menu…
Also it gets a bit more complicated when you do a release-upgrade (due to the necessary manual removal of APT pinning for Firefox before and re-enabling of the Mozilla Team PPA and reapplying of the Firefox APT pinning and reinstallation after the release-upgrade).

If one wants to keep using Snap and manually removes the APT pinning for Firefox from the Mozilla Team PPA and deinstalls Firefox from the Mozilla Team PPA before the release-upgrade, the three necessary steps after the release-upgrade can be done with this "install_traditional_Firefox" script again.

**Schwarzer Kater** · Oct 17, 2023, 04:02 PM

During the past days I have tested the script with Kubuntu 23.10 and with upgrades from Kubuntu 22.04 -> 23.04 -> 23.10 both on "bare metal" and in virtual machines.
Works.

**Schwarzer Kater** · Apr 04, 2024, 04:56 PM

I updated the script - it now does not support the Mozilla Team PPA any longer!

This version has been prepared and pretested for Kubuntu 24.04 LTS - I will keep testing it until the official release of 24.04, of course.

**Schwarzer Kater** · Apr 17, 2024, 11:54 AM

Now the script can (finally

) remove the traditional Firefox from /opt, if it has been installed by this script before.
Plain error handling for e.g. a bad connection or a missing particular language version has also been added…

Announcement

Script to install traditional Firefox

Script to install traditional Firefox

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