Flash Tutorials - Herong's Tutorial Examples
∟SWF File Structure and Tags
∟What Is SWF?
This section describes what is a SWF (Shockwave File) - file format for Flash program files which can be executed by Adobe Flash Player to deliver multimedia information and interactivity in Web pages.
What Is SWF?
SWF (Shockwave File), pronounced as "swiff", is a file format for Flash program files which can
be executed by Adobe Flash Player to deliver multimedia information and interactivity
in Web pages.
The default file name extension for SWF files is .swf.
The MIME type for SWF files is application/x-shockwave-flash.
As mentioned in the specification, SWF version 10.0 is designed to meet following goals:
- On-screen display - The format is primarily intended for on-screen display and supports
anti-aliasing, fast rendering to a bitmap of any color format, animation, and interactive
buttons.
- Extensibility - The format is a tagged format, so it can be evolved with new features while
maintaining backward compatibility with earlier versions of Flash Player.
- Network delivery - The format can travel over a network with limited and unpredictable
bandwidth. The files are compressed to be small and support incremental rendering through
streaming. The SWF file format is a binary format and is not human readable like HTML.
The SWF file format uses techniques such as bit-packing and structures with optional fields
to minimize file size.
- Simplicity - The format is simple so that Flash Player is small and easily ported. Also, Flash
Player depends upon a limited set of operating system features only.
- File independence - The files display with minimal dependence on external resources such
as fonts.
- Scalability - The files work well on limited hardware, and can take advantage of better
hardware when it is available. This ability is important because computers have different
monitor resolutions and bit depths.
- Speed - The graphics described by SWF files render quickly.
- Scriptability - The format includes tags that provide sequences of byte codes to be
interpreted by a stack machine. The byte codes support the ActionScript language. Flash
Player provides a runtime ActionScript object model that allows interaction with drawing
primitives, servers, and features of Flash Player.
Table of Contents
About This Book
Introduction of Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash Player Plugin for Firefox
Adobe Flash Player Plugin for Chrome
Adobe Flash Player Plugin for Safari
Adobe Flash Player ActiveX for IE
Using "object" Elements for Flash Files
Using "embed" Elements for Flash Files
"mp3player" - MP3 Music Player
SWFObject - Hidding "object" behind JavaScript
Flash Player Projector
SWFTools - SWF File Manipulation Tools
SWFC Script to Generate Flash SWF Files
ActionScript Embedded in SWFC Script
AS3Compile - ActionScript 3 Compiler
Adobe Flex SDK 4
►SWF File Structure and Tags
►What Is SWF?
SWF File Structure
SWF File Example - rectangle.swf
SWF File Example - Dump Output
SWF File Definition and Control Tags
SWF File Processing Rules
SWF Files for Video and Audio Streams
Outdated Tutorials
References
Full Version in PDF/EPUB