You can also use www.ShowMyCode.com to decompile a flash online and free!

@#16:
First, a quick overview...
A long long time ago, website developers had issues where using "large" image files and animations ("large" for dial-up internet connections anyway) were too taxing on computers and website page download times. A company called Macromedia developed a way to use images (with much less to no resolution) and animations that was still effective as a form of creative display for websites by using vector-based images instead of bitmap images. This means that instead of the images including a value for each and every pixel, they used equations to draw lines and curves and to specify colors. This made these images very small in file size and fast to download albeit limited in detail.

Animating the vector images was also rather fast compared to animated image files with the .GIF extension because it again used formulas to adjust the position, color, shape and/or transparency of the vector images instead of a series of a series of large bitmap images.

Adobe bought out the Flash concept from Macromedia a long while ago and has further developed it with a scripting language (actionscript) to help do more than just animate Flash elements on a webpage. The details on what's possible with the scripting language is too technical to get into but allows for some amazing effects. This vine growing effect is one example.

Now to answer things more clearly...

What is (the meaning of):
- SWF (ShockWave Flash, OK, but what does it mean?)
This is not meant as an acronym but as a file extension for a compiled flash animation or movie that is contained on a webpage. The Adobe Flash plugin reads these files and plays them if installed in a web browser. You can usually easily download any files with the .swf extension from the webpage source.
- FLA
Again, not an acronym but files with the .fla extension are uncompiled flash animation movies that contain all the raw vector graphics, sounds, fonts, scripts, and animations for the compiled .swf file. Website developers use Adobe's Flash CS4 to create the animations and elements included in the animation and then produce (or compile) the .fla file to turn it into an .swf file that websites with the Adobe Flash Player plugin can read and execute.
- AS3
This is an acronym for "ActionScript3". The "3" is simply the latest version number of the scripting language.
- Flash 6/MX 2004/8/CS3/CS4 (Flash video formats I presume)
Pretty much. They refer to the various stages of flash movie development or to the version of the program being used to create the .swf files.
- FLEX (a FLEX project)
Sorry, I have no idea on this one.
- ActionScript
The scripting language to program animations, flash-based games, access databases, and many other things.

Hello again,

Looking at the tutorials that are available from developer’s site (http://www.sothink.com/tutorials/swf-decompiler-for-windows-tutorials.htm and related pages) some tutorials are videoclips THAT ARE NOT DOWNLOADABLE from the site.

I found 3 clips on Youtube which are downloadable. The first 2 listed below are identical to Sothink’s clips, the third one is an extra.
How to Capture Flash From Pop-up Window?
If you see a SWF movie in a pop up IE 6.0 window, there is neither right-click menu nor toolbar, how to get it? The visual tutorial below will help you to get it: not downloadable videoclip
DOWNLOAD CLIP FROM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFMehyPbddY
Sothink Decompiler's Interface Introduction
Please follow the below tutorial to take a quick tour of Decomplier's Interface: not downlaodable videoclip
DOWNLOAD CLIP FROM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxaoSxJRcJE
How to Convert SWF to FLA?
Extra Youtube video available on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EytnjP-CGBY

Hope this is in some way helpful.
Patrick.

[submitted 27-02 at 13:31 GMT+1]

To Comment #6: You are never forced to install "Software Informer", whether Name and/or Code data is provided or not. In fact, the easiest Giveaways to install are those that install without having to run 'Activate', nor enter any data, to activate the software.

Your Comment implies that you seem to think that those Giveaways - which do not provide activation code data after running the program (whether it be 'Setup' or 'Activate) which contacts the Giveaway of the Day site - are not activated unless you click on the 'Install Software Informer' button. Here are the facts:

1. If the 'Setup' file is the program that has the wrapper which contacts the Giveaway of the Day site after being run: Then after contact is made and confirms that it still is the program's Giveaway period, the Giveaway site OK's the continuation of the setup and the Setup window will appear. You then follow through by clicking on the appropriate buttons for the setup and install the program (or extract a file). After the installation or extraction is finished, the 'Successfully activated' window appears upon which the 'Install Software Informer' button is shown. This 'Successfully activated' window appears so as to inform you that the installation or extraction has finished, and nothing more needs to be done.

Of course, the window also gives you the option to install 'Software Informer' but that need not be done to install or activate...you can just close out the window. If the program requires Name and/or Key code data to be fully functional, then most of the time the 'Successfully activated' window will show that data, as well as the same data being given within the 'readme' document that comes within the Giveaway package. However, if no such data is shown, that does not mean that you need to Install 'Software Informer'...as if that activates or finishes installing the program. Actually, the Giveaway program by then has already been installed, and installing 'Software Informer' does nothing more than install 'Software Informer'...and is separate and has nothing to do with Giveaway of the Day software.

If no activation data is given within the 'Successfully activated' window, nor within the 'readme' document, then you already have the fully functional program upon installing the software...and, again, you can just close out the 'Successfully activated' window when it appears.


2. If the 'Activate' file is the program that has the wrapper which contacts the Giveaway of the Day site after being run: Then after contact is made and confirms that it still is the program's Giveaway period, the Giveaway site OK's the automatic entry of the Giveaway program's activation data. After the program's activation data is entered, the 'Successfully activated' window appears upon which the 'Install Software Informer' button is shown. This 'Successfully activated' window appears so as to inform you that the software has been activated (whether or not the software has been installed yet) and nothing more needs to be done.

Of course, the window also gives you the option to install 'Software Informer' but that need not be done to install or activate. In this case, the program has already been activated and you can just close out the window; moreover, installing the program is done by the 'Setup' program.

I hope that the above information has been of help in enlightening those who may have been confused on any process.

OK...I got it now. The readme.txt file to use is the one from the setup zip and not the one that appears after the installation is complete in the installed directory.

Neither the Readme.txt or license.txt says anything about what to enter for the "Name" or the "License". I did manage to copy the license key from a pop-up that appeared after the install but I don't have any info on what "name" to enter.

@42 (Dan) -- I was not asked for a password during installation, and don't think that that is a function of this program's installer. You might try giving a "fake" password just to see if it will accept that. I did notice that it installed an Internet Explorer addon of their SWF Catcher software without asking, even though I use Firefox! Maybe the pw request came from Internet Explorer because of the Catcher installation. Just my thoughts.

To those like #40 who don't understand the software, it has a pretty good help file which explains how to use it.

#39 If you read the README.TXT file it gives you both the name and serial number to enter for registration. Copy it EXACTLY as it appears in the readme.txt to the 'enter registration' field and it will immediately respond with "Thank you for your registration".

#46 -- I guess that makes me a geek then .... hmmmmm ;)

A couple of years ago I took a flash website template and customized it, learning a lot in the process. It was really fun.

The trouble with templates for flash design is that very few of them really look good. That's where the Sothink Decompiler comes in handy. You can see how others have designed their flash content and learn/adapt from it.

IMHO learning flash is a steep curve but well worth the effort. But you are telling me that you don't have a website, nor do you anticipate making one. Well, I enjoyed putting together a flash animation and then incorporating it into intros to DVD projects. Now my movies start out with my own "A HomeMade Production" type of animated introduction. Lots of fun !!

Just because you don't understand the value of this excellent software right now doesn't mean you should let it pass by. If you have an ounce of creativity and a few more ounces of tenacity, you too can be a flash designer and you will thanks your lucky stars that you have this great software in your toolbox.

Go for it!

Thanks again SoThink for great software!

@#32 & #37: Thanks for your replies! (BTW, it's Scottish GEEK, not Greek!)

I have since tried this on a self-contained SWF EXE file and I can confirm that EVERYTHING works 100%! Music, images, every frame of the final animation, ALL the scripting: it's ALL there and ALL browsable.

Another excellent offering from Sothink which like their Menu Builder for web pages (a previous GOTD which I use a LOT), works and works well.

If you think you might EVER at any time in the future want to grab ANY internal resource from an SWF (or SWF-EXE) animation or game, don't think twice: GET THIS GOTD WHILE YOU CAN! If it helps, think of it as a Resource Hacker type of program for SWF and SWF-based EXE files.

Sincere thanks to GOTD and especially to Sothink for another excellent giveaway from their portfolio of genuinely useful utilities.

Can anyone PLEASE enlighten me as to the issue I posted above at #20? There is only a few hours left for this one and I would like some feedback if possible before this offer expires.

Thanks in advance.

Dan

anyone checked this one with windows 7..its getting hanged sometimes...

To everyone in the dark about this software....welcome to the club. To all who completely understand what this is and does...congrats...you're a geek.
Despite opinions to the contrary, the developers explanation did not elicit a "Eureka!" from me either. Nor did Googling. But I truged on..read more, sweat broke out on my brow...I thought I was grokking.. my nose began dripping as I poised on the brink of comprehension after reading #31 and #32. I foolishly proceeded to #33 thinking it might be the Golden Key...and it all slipped away.......

What do I enter for the "Name" field during registration? I have the "Key" but it also asks for a "Registration Name".

P.S... I think most of your questions would be answered if you go to the developer's "Homepage" link at the top of this page... it describes in text and with pictures what the program does... including extracting MP3's and JPG's.

(and including extraction of SWF from EXE's, decompile 'standard' EXE to FLA)
There's a trial version and tutorials

http://www.sothink.com/product/flashdecompiler/index.htm

#19 Scottish Geek: I just used the EXE to SWF Convertor and it worked perfectly! Now I just need to figure out how to have an interactive SWF stream in an HTML page... off to Google.

This is a timely giveaway and a solution I needed to finish a client's site. Thank you, thank you!

Have you ever watched an SWF and wanted to save a picture or the music or...?

This program is useful if you make/work on SWF files, OR...
...if you want to 'unpack' an SWF file into its pieces, so that you can save a part of it... like an image, or the audio/music, or an animation, etc.

So, use it to work on SWF's or use it to grab a piece out of an SWF.

I wonder how well this version is compared to SWF Decompiler Trillix. I felt the last version of this given away here was inferior to Trillix. Although, they both do the same thing.

My 2 cents is that if you don't know what the software does then you likely don't need it. If you do know what this does, then I would recommend it as it does a great job of restoring your projects from the SWF if you happened to have lost your project itself.

A FLA is the Flash project extension, sort of like PPT is a PowerPoint extension (my apologies for those that use OpenOffice instead, like I do at home where I have no need for Impress so I'm not familiar with the extension). When you open the PPT file, PowerPoint opens. For comparison purposes only, let's call PowerPoint the "Project creator/editor". Adobe Flash is the FLA "creator/editor".

Flash has various versions (Flash 6/MX 2004/8/CS3/CS4 being discussed here). Think of those as Office 2000/2003/2007 (or OOo2 versus OOo3). Either way, it ultimately will prodcude a SWF file which is a "compiled" version of the project (perhaps equate it to the .jar or .jad files a JAVA program produces? I'm not a Java developer so hopefully this is close to accurate). A SWF, in the most basic sense, can either be an animation or an actual application. ActionScript (AS) is the coding that makes it work and the current version is AS3.

Flex is yet another development environment used to produce SWF files.

When "decompiling" the SWF, it can produce the FLA (the project) and all resources used in the development, such as the ActionScript, images and videos.

FLV is a video (like MOV, AVI, MP4) and as such is not "decompilable" as far as I know.

For Scottish Greek: Installed the software on a Vista 64 system and it put an entry for "EXE to SWF Extractor" in the Start Button>>All Programs>>SourceTec>>SoThinkSWFDecompiler folder. This function is also available by launching the decompiler program and looking in the "Tools" menu. I didn't have an .exe to test it on, but the extraction tool seems to be there.

If it helps, in *short* a Flash Shockwave animation or game or video player etc, is made up of separate objects... for an animation you move those objects around, cause them to appear/disappear & so on. A scripting [programming] language ties it all together & provides interactivity, e.g. click the play button & it plays. When/if packaged to include video in the Flash [flv] format, Shockwave provides the player -- several apps will let you strip out the video, but today's GOTD gives you player components too. Flex [http://www.adobe.com/products/flex/?promoid=BPDEQ] might be thought of as taking Flash to the next level for biz applications etc rather than the more usual eye candy.

Sothink SWF Decompiler takes *unlocked* Shockwave/Flex apart, so for example you can see "How did they do that?" the same way you might de-construct a web page &/or site to study for the same reason. Those not interested or involved in that sort of thing might just want the graphics out of a Shockwave file for something like wallpaper for their cell.

#19: "But I do have one question of my own: will today’s offering ‘decompile’ self-executing SWFs (i.e. EXE files)? Thanks in advance!"

Not sure -- give it a shot, as you've got nothing to lose. FWIW Adobe has various tools, including Flash/Shockwave SDKs to make testing etc easier. One of those is a stand-a-lone player that lets you save Shockwave files you've opened as an .exe, stand-a-lone executable file. The Shockwave itself is not altered AFAIK, but just repackaged with a copy of the player.

As far as why you would want a decompiler, its only really useful fro people who build in Flash to begin with. Let's say you find a flash file that you think is really great, and want to understand how they did it. By decompiling, you not only have the ability to see how the layers and objects were constructed, but you have the ability to substitute sound or graphic elements of your own and utilize existing scripts to create new flash files.

I think its best use is to help builders understand how to achieve certain effects by reviewing the work of others.

Thanks for the info #10, Patrick!

This program seems to be great! I'm going to download it now! :D

This would be great for highschool projects... especially when your taking computer coarses!

~Joji~

DON'T EVER, EVER UPDATE! I made the mistake of updating it and all of a sudden I was back to the 30 day trial. I didn't have the original activation key so I didn't try that, but If I did would it have worked?

To #7 "dummy", hi there, I didn't see anyone else answered your question so I thought I would! This should automatically overwrite your previous version so long as you install it to the exact same directory and partition on your hard drive. For example, if you have a C: and a D: partition and your old version is on C: and you install this one onto D: then doing so will give you 2 copies of the software in different sections of your computer. So long as you install the program to the exact same place (for example C:\program files\sothink-swf-decompiler\etc or equivalent) then it should prompt you to ask if you really want to overwrite the former version and then do so (or not) depending on your answer.

hello,
question: I have the older version of this software from the last time it was given away. I used it maybe once or twice, and tbh I really like it. Seeing as how I don't use it quite that often though, is it worth it to uninstall the old one and install this one?

@ Scottish Geek #19
> This took about 5 minutes to confirm, using Wikipedia. Not exactly difficult IMHO?

Indeed not difficult at all and thanks for your reply.

I was somewhat taken aback because of the avalanche of acronyms in the first place, so I searched for “FLEX project” first, thinking it might be a good starting point (going "top down" in stead of "bottom up" in my search). In the meantime I'm not any wiser on that subject. I will have to make some time to get into FLEX.

Besides, I'm not the only one puzzled by the developer's description, and, as I mentionned, the 'How to' or 'Tutorial' pages there don't give any insight. The Decompiler 'tutorial' is identical to the Recorder 'tutorial'. One would expect them to be appreciably different.

And the need for an acronym lexicon/dictionary remains. I'll have to take out some time to search for a good one as well.

I will install Sothink SWF Decompiler 5.4 anyway and see to what extent it may boost my (nearly nonexisting) "competences" in the field of video and audio applications ;-)

Thanks and greetz to all!
Patrick



[this comment #21 at time of submission - 26/02 - 18:18 GMT+1]

Today's giveaway is more suited for someone that already knows how to develop in flash and shockwave. If you really want to learn how to use this application then read a book or take a class in flash development. Understanding how this program works isn't about being a "computer geek" it's about knowing how flash works and having a need to decompose (#10 is right, flash isn't assembled into executable binary, it's interpreted by flash player on the fly) flash or shockwave or any other format of file supported by today's giveaway.

@ #16 Read # 14's comment carefully.
Flash 6/MX 2004/8/CS3/CS4 and FLEX are applications that compose flash
Everything else in that list is the extension of the format the former applications create.

About a year ago when this was last offered, the browser component wasn't compatible with the latest browser update. The SoThink people said that they'd provide an update and to monitor their blog. I did so on & off for 6-8 months and never saw mention made of it ever again, even though they had a variety of other updates (including much ado about a Mac version 3-4 months later).

Just mentioning this to recommend caution with promises from this developer. The package installs well and works great. Notably, the browser component is available for Firefox only, but it's very useful.

Regarding definition of modern tech acronyms, you have to be a LITTLE bit creative when doing searches. Have you tried a search term of tech acronyms? Works fine for me. The first 4 results are lexicons, and I stopped there. C'mon, people, do a little homework before you want everything just handed to you.

Sothink, has great software, I use most all of their software.

@16 (Patrick) - You can use AcronymFinder.com. It's quite extensive.

"@ Anyone Not Sure What This Is" - This is an application used by web developers, especially Flash/Flex developers. Flash/Flex is used to make animations, video players, and other advanced applications for the web. Flash/Flex programmers use ActionScript 3 (AS3) to write the code that make the programs work. Typically these programs are compiled into SWF files which are what your web-browser loads when visiting a website with Flash on it.

"@ Any developers or potential developers" - Grab this software. It is by far the best in its class.

I just tried to install this on my XP bassed laptop and was asked for my Windows Admin account password, even though I am logged on as Admin. When I didn't enter it the install cancelled.

I am not implying there is anything wrong with program..it's just in all my years I have never come across this before and would like to get some feedback from anyone here before I retry installing it again.

Dan

@#16: An SWF (ShockWave Flash) file is not necessarily a movie: it's a format often used for so-called 'Flash games' or other interactive files which use animation. ActionScript is the 'programming language' for those.

The 'Flash' file format was devised to produce entertaining animations easily (such as many animated ads. on the Web) by Macromedia, who were bought by Adobe. CS3 and CS4 suites of Adobe programs which include a Flash editor/compiler.

This took about 5 minutes to confirm, using Wikipedia. Not exactly difficult IMHO?

@#18: Flash is kind of a niche product, but if you're a Web developer, you'll certainly know what it means. If you don't have a need to use or create fancy and/or interactive animated graphics files, chances are that you won't know too much about it: if you don't have that need, then it's unlikely that today's GOTD will be of any use to you.

But I do have one question of my own: will today's offering 'decompile' self-executing SWFs (i.e. EXE files)? Thanks in advance!

I sense that this is a great programme but like a lot of these programmes I have no idea what it does. They write the description up in such a way that if you are a computer geek you might understand it. If you are like the other 90% of us it leaves you scratching your head. They need to describe these programmes in a better way, then they would read more people and sell more product. It might be that this would be perfect for my use in some way but I don't know so I avoid it.

Haven't had a complaint yet with SoThink software, so I'll definitely be downloading this one. Thanks, GAoTD!

More questions:
> It can easily decompile SWF to FLA and FLEX projects. Not only supports AS3, this Flash decompiler also supports Flash 6/MX 2004/8/CS3/CS4 and FLEX. (...) ActionScript. (from developer's desciption above)

HELP!!
I'm getting lost in this world of acronyms, I'm drowning in an ocean of letterwords. Not just in this citation but everywhere I look.
The number of filename extensions e.g. is maddening. It looks as if "standard" and "standardization" has become meaningless, however many organizations, committees or expert studygroups there are. But this is not really "our" problem here, is it.

Still: does there exist, in today's (electronic, internet-) universe, a (regularly updated) lexicon/dictionary of acronyms? Alphabetically ordered or by subject/field of expertise, whatever, ideally multilingual (this is really asking too much!) and preferably free of charge?

To the point...
What is (the meaning of):
- SWF (ShockWave Flash, OK, but what does it mean?)
- FLA
- AS3
- Flash 6/MX 2004/8/CS3/CS4 (Flash video formats I presume)
- FLEX (a FLEX project)
- ActionScript

Where does Adobe and other flash video (-formats) fit in the picture here?

Now, I've been googling "FLEX project" and haven't gotten any wiser from it.

Would some kind soul show me the way/put me on the right track to some of all this "stuff"? Please?

What's the use of great software if I don't understand what it is all about? The developers tutorial pages have given me some idea, but no "insight" :(

Thanks for any helpful info or "pointers" to it!
Patrick


[this comment #11 at time of submission - 26/02 - 15:02 GMT+1]

Adobe released the Flex compiler as open source 2 years ago. I.e., the compiler is free. Flex Builder--the GUI/IDE--is not free.

@Patrick #10, Joji #4 and john connor #8:
Right - and SWF file is the compiled flash movie and an FLA is the uncompiled elements that are used to make the movie. A lot like pulling the source code from an executable.

Why would anyone want this? Well it can provide many elements from the original Flash movie that Flash developers or website designers can use. This includes the actual vector images, regular JPG or BMP images, sounds, fonts used, and (for the more technically inclined) the raw action script code which can then be modified or used in your own flash movies. If you've ever had a SWF banner or website element that plays a slideshow and wanted one of the images from it, this would let you grab that raw image rather than having to use a screen capture of the compressed/resized image for instance.

Everything by SoThink is worth it! Good solid software! Two thumbs way up.

So a quick question; would this give code for the .fla files?

I am disappointed that it won't decompile a simple FLV flash.

@Joji #4

> 4.So what exactly does this do? I don’t get it…

Good question, Joji! The use of the term "decompiler" may be a bit confusing, especially for someone who mostly uses it in a programming context ("compiler" as opposed to "interpreter", e.g. C++ vs. Basic).
Perhaps "decomposer" would be less confusing.

As far as I understand it this program decomposes a flash movie into it's various elements, i.e. pictureframes, soundtrack(s), text etc... all of which, when compiled/composed/put together, give the resulting movie.

I have to admit though that this explanation is pure guesswork on my part, so I hope someone will correct me if I'm wrong or incomplete ;-)

Shinerunner #4's "now if I could just find a free compiler I would be happy" seems to indirectly support my explanation. Having both a decompiler and a compiler would make it possible to compose really fun stuff from a collection of elements "ripped" from different movies. For creative people that may be the equivalent of "heavan on earth" ;-)
So, Shinerunner, submit your request to GOTD in the section dealing with this.

Greetz.
Pat

[this comment #7 at time of submission - 26/02 - 13:29 GMT+1]

@Mark, you don't have to install software informer. The final activation screen gives you an option with "Install Software Informer" on the bottom left, and "Close" on the bottom right. Just click close. I've never installed software informer and I've installed gads of GOTD software.

Always read the menus when installing free software. Many often "offer" to change your homepage, or install superfluous software.

FTR, this giveaway still gives you an activation screen where you have to opt out of Software Informer. The txt file serial doesn't bypass that "feature".

yeah joji I was wondering the same thing.
swf is a flash video think but not sure why one would want to decompile one.

friends! please don't click on NO button, please help. I've the previous version of the software, how can i install this one? Do i need to uninstall the older one and then install this or?

Thank you for helping.

Excellent program! Definitely one to use... THANKS GAOTD... BTW, I REALLY REALLY love when you you guys provide the 'readme.txt' with registration name and activation key... So that I am not forced to install that EXTREMELY annoying 'Software Informer'...Anybody can offer a tip to avoid that?

Great application, comparable to Flash Decompiler trillix if not even better. Good to have a play around with what is inside all those SWF files even if you are not a developer. I was using the past version offered here before and it's a great piece of software.

You can start by extracting videos, audio files and images embedded inside flash files as well as vector images and action script. Converting SWF to FLA is also attainable, not always successful but can usually be used even as training material.

There is a learning curve to this application but it's very rewarding and a fantastic product for free and even good at the the regular pricing.

The previous version crashed when exporting text from files so I'm rather glad this update came along.

So what exactly does this do? I don't get it...

~Joji~

It worked great for an old swf file I had that I needed decompiled, now if I could just find a free compiler I would be happy.