How to open a SWF file. SWF format: features of use

SWF is a format for flash animations, video, audio, vector graphics. The scope of use of this format is the creation of games, websites, banners, presentations, cartoons, full-fledged applications with using PHP and XML.

You can often open SWF files using Adobe Flash Player or a browser that supports Flash technology. However, there are a number of other applications that support this format.

Opening SWF using browsers

A SWF file can be opened using any browser. You can download the appropriate program from the link. The main condition is the presence current version Flash Player. Some browsers have it pre-installed. However, it is not available in Opera or Mozilla. If the player is not updated, problems may arise with playing the SWF file. Therefore, we go to the Adobe Flash Player website and check for updates. Next we perform the following steps:

• Select the file.
• Drag it into the browser window.
• The file is open.

However, it is worth warning that editing and playback control this file limited in browser.

Opening a SWF file using a media player

A popular player is KMPlayer, which supports many multimedia formats, including SWF. To open a file of this format, just right-click on the element and select “Open with...” and select “KMPlayer”.

In the same way, you can open a SWF file through a standard Windows player.

Gnash is both a program and a plugin at the same time. Works in a unix environment. You can open it in the following way:

• Let's launch the program. Click “File”, “Open” and point to the file.
• The file is open.

Also among other programs with which you can open a SWF file it is worth highlighting:

The SWF format stands for ShockWave Flash and is pronounced "Swiff". It is used for most animations and videos on websites. Intended for publication on the Internet, this format, despite its small file size, can contain animation of varying degrees of interactivity and functionality. SWF video can also be used for programs, usually games, using Actionscript. Websites use it to deliver data quickly. After all, anyone can save videos on their hard drive using the SWF format for more easy access and saving space.

SWF, otherwise known as Small Web Format, was developed by Macromedia. It then came under the control of Adobe, which, on May 1, 2008, waived licensing restrictions on its specifications, and on July 1, 2008, released code that allowed search engines Google systems and Yahoo crawl and index SWF files. Adobe claims files are more than 98% accessible personal computers and more than 800 million mobile or portable devices.

The SWF format was designed to serve a variety of purposes. It is primarily designed to display an OSD menu. SWF supports anti-aliasing, fast rendering in any color, animation and interactive buttons. The tags contained in the format help develop new capabilities while maintaining consistency with older programs. Another purpose of SWF is file transfer. Any content in this format can be delivered over a limited network throughput and unpredictable connection. SWF files are compressed and support sequential image generation when streamed. Macromedia uses various methods, which help minimize file size (such as bit-packing).

The SWF format is so simple that the player that plays it is small and easily portable. In addition, its operation depends on a very limited set of operating system functionality. Additionally, files can be rendered independently of external resources such as fonts.

The creators of the format also took into account the fact that monitors have different resolutions and bit depths. SWF files display well even on limited, not to mention more expensive, hardware.

Videos in this format can be played using Adobe Flash Player, which works either as a browser plugin or independent program. In addition, the SWF format can be played on the player

Macromedia Flash. Adobe makes plugins available for SWF playback in many web browsers operating systems, including Microsoft Windows, Apple MacOSX and Linux.

However, some portable media devices do not support Flash, so you may need to convert the SWF to a video file format. This can be done using any video file converter.

SWF Alternative

Due to the fact that files of this type are considered within the framework Adobe programs, users must download or purchase the appropriate software and stick to it license agreement, which prohibits programmers from changing software and conducting other experiments. To get around this limitation, many users have switched to other formats. However, there are two SWF programs that are supported by most web browsers: SMIL and SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics).

Quite often, users encounter animations presented not in the usual GIF or video format, for example, AVI or MP4, but in a special SWF extension. Actually, the latter was created specifically for animation. Files in this format are not always easy to open; special programs are required for this.

For starters, SWF (formerly Shockwave Flash, now Small Web Format) is a format for flash animation, various vector images, vector graphics, video and audio on the Internet. Now the format is used a little less frequently than before, but the question of what programs it opens still remains for many.

Method 1: PotPlayer

It is logical that a SWF video file can be opened in a video player, but not all of them are suitable for this. Perhaps the PotPlayer program can be called ideal for many file extensions, in particular for SWF.

The player has many advantages, including support large quantity the most different formats, a large selection of settings and parameters, user-friendly interface, stylish design, free access to all functions.

The only downside that can be noted is that not all menu items are translated into Russian, although this is not so critical, since you can translate them yourself or conduct an experiment using the “trial and error” method.

Opening a SWF file via PotPlayer takes just a few simple steps.

This is how PotPlayer opens required file in just a few seconds.

Method 2: Media Player Classic

Another player that can easily open a SWF document is Media Player Classic. If you compare it with PotPlayer, then in many ways it will be inferior, for example, not many formats can be opened by this program, it does not have such a stylish design and not a very user-friendly interface.

But Media Player also has its advantages: the program can open files not only from a computer, but also from the Internet; It is possible to select dubbing for an already selected file.

Opening a SWF file with this program is quick and easy.

Method 3: Swiff Player

The Swiff Player program is quite specific and not everyone knows that it very quickly opens SWF documents of any size and version. Its interface is a little similar to Media Player Classic, but the file launch is a little faster.

One of the advantages of the program is that it opens many documents that more than half of other players are unable to open; The program can not only open some SWF files, but also allows you to work with them through Flash scripts, like in Flash games.

The first three methods are a little similar, but each user chooses the most suitable option, as there are different preferences between players and their features.

Method 4: Google Chrome

Enough standard way opening a document in SWF format is any browser, for example, with the latest version preinstalled. At the same time, the user can work with a video file in almost the same way as with a game, if this is included in the file script.

One of the advantages of this method is that the browser is almost always already installed on the computer, and additionally installing Flash Player, if necessary, is not difficult. The file is opened through a browser in the simplest way.

Although the browser is inferior in many ways to other programs that can open a SWF document, if you need to do something with this file quickly, and suitable program no, then this is the best option.

That's all, write in the comments what players you use to open animation in SWF format.

On a computer, each file has its own format/extension. To view or edit them, you need programs.

I predict that you have a file in swf format and don’t know how to open it. It is opened by a flash player, for example the free Adobe Flash Player.

It integrates into all browsers. In Windows 8 the player comes by default, in Windows 7 you will need to install it yourself.

How to find out if you have it. If online games(they are in swf format) or you can watch videos on YouTube - that means the player is installed.

Since the flash player is integrated into browsers, it means opening/running a file in swf format on your computer, you can use any one you have.

Also, the swf extension on a computer can be opened using any flash player, without browsers, but editing will not work.

How to open a file in swf format on a computer

As written above, the browser is a program that opens the swf extension. Only the first time, unless you specify it yourself, the computer does not understand what you want from it.

If you click open on the swf format, a window will appear as in the picture below.

Then put a checkmark in another place (opposite the line “select programs from the list of installed ...”) and click “OK”. Another window will open for you (see figure below).

In it, find and select any browser (in which the flash player is installed) and click “OK” at the bottom. Your entire file will open.

The computer will always select the program that you specify when the checkbox is checked. Subsequently, the association of files (by which program) can be changed if desired - it’s not difficult. Good luck.

Videos can be created in various formats for different purposes. SWF video format is very common. Video in this format is comparatively “easier” and for this reason it is very often used for recording various lessons and posting on the Internet for downloading.

Video from SWF extension can be opened from using Adobe Flash Player or using almost any web browser that supports Flash. In order for your browser to play swf files, it must have the plugin installed. Adobe module Flash. In some browsers it is included in installation package. If not, you can install it separately.

But lately Adobe time Flash Player simply “does not see” video files in swf format and the video does not play on the screen in the browser at all, or a black screen appears with non-functional player controls. How to avoid this? Needed in Adobe settings Flash Player set the path to the video and everything works fine.

Solution for Mozilla browser FireFox:

Solution for Google browser Chrome:
After which the video in swf format is viewed correctly.

P.S. In general, a strange situation... A week ago everything was losing brilliantly... Will you have to slowly forget about the swf format? What do you think? Have you encountered it yet?