For the player's history, see. Adobe Flash Adobe Flash CS4 Professional under. Developer(s) Adobe Systems (formerly by Macromedia) Written in Operating system Microsoft Windows, X Type Multimedia License Proprietary EULA Website Adobe Flash (previously known as Macromedia Flash) is a multimedia platform originally acquired by Macromedia and currently developed and distributed by Adobe Systems.
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Since its introduction in 1996, Flash has become a popular method for adding and interactivity to web pages. Flash is commonly used to create animation, advertisements, and various web page Flash components, to integrate video into web pages, and more recently, to develop Rich Internet Applications (RIA). Flash can manipulate and, and supports bidirectional streaming of audio and video. It contains a called ActionScript. Several software products, systems, and devices are able to create or display Flash content, including Adobe Flash Player, which is available free for most common Web browsers, some mobile phones and for other electronic devices (using Flash Lite). The Adobe Flash Professional multimedia authoring program is used to create content for the Adobe Engagement Platform, such as web applications, games and movies, and content for mobile phones and other embedded devices. Files in the format, traditionally called 'ShockWave Flash' movies, 'Flash movies' or 'Flash games', usually have a.swf file extension and may be an object of a web page, strictly 'played' in a standalone Flash Player, or incorporated into a Projector, a self-executing Flash movie (with the.exe extension in Microsoft Windows or.hqx for Macintosh).
Flash Video files have a.flv file extension and are either used from within. Files or played through a flv-aware player, such as VLC, or QuickTime and Windows Media Player with external codecs added. Contents. History The Flash application was the brainchild of Jonathan Gay, who developed the idea while in college and extended it while working for Silicon Beach Software and its successors. In January 1993, Jonathan Gay, Charlie Jackson, and Michelle Welsh, Anthony Francis started a small software company called FutureWave Software and created their first product, SmartSketch. A drawing application for pen computers running the PenPoint OS, SmartSketch was designed to make creating computer graphics as simple as drawing on paper. When PenPoint failed in the marketplace, SmartSketch was ported to Microsoft Windows and Mac OS.
As the Internet began to thrive, FutureWave began to realize the potential for a -based web animation tool that might easily challenge Macromedia's Shockwave technology. In 1995, FutureWave modified SmartSketch by adding frame-by-frame animation features and re-released it as FutureSplash Animator on Macintosh and PC. By that time, the company had added programmer Robert Tatsumi, artist Adam Grofcsik, and PR specialist Ralph Mittman.
Tatsumi focused on writing the authoring tool's user interface, while Gay wrote the graphics renderer, curve and shape math code, and the browser plug-in. The product was offered to Adobe and used by Microsoft in its early work with the Internet (MSN). In December 1996, Macromedia acquired the vector-based animation software and later released it as Flash, contracting 'Future' and 'Splash' of the FutureWave name. Main article: Initially focused on animation, early versions of Flash content offered few interactivity features and thus had very limited scripting capability.
More recent versions include ActionScript, an implementation of the ECMAScript standard which therefore has the same syntax as JavaScript, but in a different programming framework with a different associated set of class libraries. ActionScript is used to create almost all of the interactivity (buttons, text entry fields, drop down menus) seen in many Flash applications. Flash MX 2004 introduced ActionScript 2.0, a more suited to the development of Flash applications.
It is often possible to save time by scripting something rather than animating it, which usually also enables a higher level of flexibility when editing. Since the arrival of the Flash Player 9 alpha a newer version of ActionScript has been released, ActionScript 3.0. ActionScript 3.0 is an object oriented programming language allowing for more control and code reusability when building complex Flash applications. ActionScript 3.0 has also allowed for formal software engineering methods to be implemented when working with Flash, because of the object oriented programming approach.
Of late, the Flash libraries are being used with the XML capabilities of the browser to render rich content in the browser. This technology is known as Asynchronous Flash and XML, much like AJAX. This technology of Asynchronous Flash and XML has pushed for a more formal approach of this technology called, which uses the Flash runtime to build. This technology can be used in players like those on MySpace and, to provide protection for the content that the Flash calls, like MP3s and videos. The content called is streamed - or passes - through the Flash files, making downloading for storage a difficult task for most people. Programs such as Real Player Downloader and browser extensions like Firebug can trace the XML files. Browser extensions like Video DownloadHelper can intercept the requests and download the streamed video.
ActionScript Code Protection Often, Flash developers will decide that while they desire the advantages that Flash affords them in the areas of animation and interactivity, they do not wish to expose their code to the world. However, as with all intermediate language compiled code, once an.swf file is saved locally, it can be decompiled into its source code and assets.
Some decompilers are capable of nearly full reconstruction of the original source file, down to the actual code that was used during creation (although results vary on a case-by-case basis). In opposition to the decompilers, ActionScript obfuscators have been introduced to solve this problem. Higher-quality obfuscators implement lexical transformations — such as identifier renaming, control flow transformation, and data abstraction transformation — that make it virtually impossible for decompilation to generate anything useful. Lower-quality obfuscators insert traps for decompilers. Competition Format and plug-in Compared to other plug-ins such as Java, Acrobat Reader, QuickTime, or Windows Media Player, the Flash Player has a small install size, quick download time, and fast initialization time.
However, care must be taken to detect and embed the Flash Player in (X)HTML in a C-compliant way. A simple, widely-used workaround is provided below. More information on how to detect and embed Flash Objects in a W3C compliant way is provided in the description. The use of vector graphics combined with program code allows Flash files to be smaller — and thus for streams to use less — than the corresponding bitmaps or video clips. For content in a single format (such as just text, video, or audio), other alternatives may provide better performance and consume less CPU power than the corresponding Flash movie, for example when using transparency or making large screen updates such as photographic or text fades. In addition to a vector-rendering engine, the Flash Player includes a virtual machine called the ActionScript Virtual Machine (AVM) for scripting interactivity at run-time, support for video, MP3-based audio, and bitmap graphics.
As of Flash Player 8, it offers two video codecs: On2 Technologies VP6 and Sorenson Spark, and run-time support for, Progressive JPEG,. In the next version, Flash is slated to use a just-in-time compiler for the ActionScript engine.
Installed user base Flash as a format has become very widespread on the desktop market and created a market dominance. General web statistics company estimates availability at 95%, while Adobe claims that 98 percent of US Web users and 99.3 percent of all Internet desktop users have the Flash Player installed, with 82%-87% (depending on region) having the latest version. Numbers vary depending on the detection scheme and research demographics. The Adobe Flash Player exists for a variety of systems and devices: Windows, Mac OS 9/X, Linux, Solaris, HP-UX, Pocket PC, OS/2, QNX, Symbian, Palm OS, BeOS, and IRIX). Officially, Adobe Flash only supports 32-bit platforms, although experimental 64-bit support has been available for Linux since November 2008. For compatibility with devices (embedded systems), see Macromedia Flash Lite. Open standard alternatives The C's and SMIL standards are seen as the closest competitors of Flash.
Adobe used to develop and distribute the 'Adobe SVG Viewer' client plug-in for MS Internet Explorer, but has recently announced its discontinuation. It has been noted by industry commentators that this was probably no coincidence at a time when Adobe moved from competing with Macromedia's Flash to owning the technology itself. Meanwhile, Opera has supported SVG since version 8 and Safari has since version 3, and Firefox's built-in support for SVG continues to grow.
UIRA was a free software project that intended to become a complete replacement for Adobe Flash. The project collapsed in mid 2007, though people are now discussing reviving or continuing it, and a few other projects like still exist.
Third-party implementation Specifications In October 1998, Macromedia disclosed the Flash Version 3 Specification to the world on its website. It did this in response to many new and often semi-open formats competing with SWF, such as Xara's Flare and Sharp's Extended Vector Animation formats. Several developers quickly created a C library for producing SWF. In February 1999, the company introduced MorphInk 99, the first third-party program to create SWF files. Macromedia also hired Middlesoft to create a freely available developers' kit for the SWF file format versions 3 to 5. Macromedia made the Flash Files specifications for versions 6 and later available only under a non-disclosure agreement, but they are widely available from various sites.
In April 2006, the Flash SWF file format specification was released with details on the then newest version format (Flash 8). Although still lacking specific information on the incorporated video compression formats (On2, Sorenson Spark, etc.), this new documentation covered all the new features offered in Flash v8 including new ActionScript commands, expressive filter controls, and so on. The file format specification document is offered only to developers who agree to a license agreement that permits them to use the specifications only to develop programs that can export to the Flash file format. The license forbids the use of the specifications to create programs that can be used for playback of Flash files. The Flash 9 specification was made available under similar restrictions. In May 2008, Adobe launched the Open Screen Project , which made the SWF specification available without restrictions.
Previously, developers couldn't use the specification for making SWF-compatible players, but only for making SWF-exporting authoring software. The specification remains incomplete, however, as it does not include any details regarding or Sorenson Spark, both of which are widely used to distribute video through Flash. Playback Since Flash files do not depend on an open standard such as SVG, this reduces the incentive for non-commercial software to support the format, although there are several third party tools which use and generate the SWF file format. Flash Player cannot ship as part of a pure open source, or completely free operating system, as its distribution is bound to the and subject to approval. There is, as of late 2008, no complete free software replacement which offers all the functionality of the latest version of Adobe Flash Player. Gnash is an active project that aims to create a free player and browser plugin for the Adobe Flash file format and so provide a free alternative to the Adobe Flash Player under the GNU General Public License. Despite potential patent worries because of the proprietary nature of the files involved, Gnash supports most SWF v7 features and some SWF v8 and v9.
Gnash runs on Windows, Linux and other operating systems on 32-bit, 64-bit and other architectures. Swfdec is another open-source flash player available for Linux, FreeBSD and OpenBSD. See also SWFOpener. GFx is a commercial alternative Flash player that features full hardware acceleration using the GPU and has high conformance up to Flash 8 and AS2. Scaleform GFx is licensed as a game middleware solution and used by many PC and console 3D games for user interfaces, HUDs, mini games, and video playback. Authoring Open Source projects like and the (now defunct) UIRA aim to create a flash development environment, complete with a graphical user environment.
Alternatively, programs such as swfmill, SWFTools, and MTASC provide tools to create SWF files, but do so by compiling text, actionscript or XML files into Flash animations. It is also possible to create SWF files programmatically using the Ming library, which has interfaces for C, PHP, Python, and Ruby.
HaXe is an open source, high-level object-oriented programming language geared towards web-content creation that can compile Flash files. Many shareware developers produced Flash creation tools and sold them for under US$50 between 2000 and 2002. In 2003 competition and the emergence of free Flash creation tools had driven many third-party Flash-creation tool-makers out of the market, allowing the remaining developers to raise their prices, although many of the products still cost less than US$100 and support ActionScript. As for open source tools, KToon can edit vectors and generate SWF, but its interface is very different from Macromedia's. Another, more recent example of a Flash creation tool is SWiSH Max made by an ex-employee of Macromedia. Toon Boom Technologies also sells a traditional animation tool, based on Flash.
In addition, several programs create.swf-compliant files as output from their programs. Among the most famous of these are Screencast tools, which leverage the ability to do lossless compression and playback of captured screen content in order to produce demos, tutorials, or software simulations of programs. These programs are typically designed for use by non-programmers, and create Flash content quickly and easily, but cannot actually edit the underlying Flash code (i.e.
The tweening and transforms, etc.) Screencam is perhaps the oldest screencasting authoring tool to adopt Flash as the preferred output format, having been developed since the mid-90s. That screencasting programs have adopted Flash as the preferred output is testament to Flash's presence as a ubiquitous cross-platform animation file format.
Other tools are focused on creating specific types of Flash content. Anime Studio is a 2D animation software specialized for character animation which creates SWF files. Is focus on creating customized web-based flash video player. Express Animator is similarly aimed specifically at animators.
Question Writer publishes its quizzes to Flash file format. Users that are not programmers or web designers will also find on-line tools that allow them to build full Flash-based web sites.
One of the oldest services available (1998) is. Such companies provide a wide variety of pre-built models (templates) associated to a Content Management System that empowers users to easily build, edit and publish their web sites. Other sites, that allows for greater customization and design flexibility are Wix.com and CirclePad.
Adobe wrote a software package called Adobe LiveMotion, designed to create interactive animation content and export it to a variety of formats, including SWF. LiveMotion went through two major releases, but failed to gain any notable user base. In February 2003, Macromedia purchased Presedia, which had developed a Flash authoring tool that automatically converted PowerPoint files into Flash. Macromedia subsequently released the new product as Breeze, which included many new enhancements. In addition, (as of version 2) Apple's Keynote presentation software also allows users to create interactive presentations and export to SWF. Related file formats and extensions Extension Explanation.swf files are completed, compiled and published files that cannot be edited with Adobe Flash.
However, many '.swf decompilers' do exist. Attempting to import.swf files using Flash allows it to retrieve some assets from the.swf, but not all. FXG FXG is an unified xml file format being developed by Adobe for, Flash, and other applications.fla.fla files contain source material for the Flash application. Flash authoring software can edit FLA files and compile them into.swf files. The Flash source file format is currently a binary file format based on the Microsoft compound file format.xfl.xfl files are XML-based project files that are equivalent to the binary.fla format. Flash authoring software will use XFL as an exchange format in Flash CS4. It will import XFL files that are exported from InDesign and AfterEffects.as.as files contain ActionScript in simple source files.
FLA files can also contain Actionscript code directly, but separate external.as files often emerge for structural reasons, or to expose the code to versioning applications. They sometimes use the extension.actionscript.mxml.mxml files are used in conjunction with ActionScript files (and.css files), and offer a markup-language-style syntax (like HTML) for designing the GUI in Flex. Each MXML file creates a new class that extends the class of the root tag, and adds the nested tags as children (if they are descendants of UIComponent) or members of the class.swd.swd files are temporary debugging files used during Flash development. Once finished developing a Flash project these files are not needed and can be removed.asc.asc files contain Server-Side ActionScript, which is used to develop efficient and flexible client-server Macromedia Flash Communication Server MX applications.abc.abc files contain actionscript bytecode used by the Actionscript Virtual Machine AVM (Flash 8 and prior), and AVM2 (Flash 9 or later).flv.flv files are Flash video files, as created by Adobe Flash, ffmpeg, Sorenson Squeeze, or On2 Flix.
The audio and video data within FLV files are encoded in the same way as they are within SWF files.f4v.f4v files are similar to MP4 files and can be played back by Flash Player 9 Update 3 and above. F4V file format is second container format for Flash video and it differs from FLV file format. Main article: Like the HTTP cookie, a flash cookie (also known as Local Shared Object) can be used to save application data or track users. Flash cookies are not shared across. An August 2009 study by the Social Science Research Network found that 50% of websites using Flash were also employing flash cookies, yet privacy policies rarely disclosed them, and user controls for privacy preferences were lacking. Even if users do not see any Flash, flash cookies can hypothetically be accessed by a transparent 1x1 pixel flash file hidden somewhere out of the way.
Strangely, it took 9 years for this tactic to be discussed by the public, considering that flash cookies existed previous to the Local Shared Object and has been a staple in subverting cookies. Use of computer resources. It is argued that the performance of Adobe Flash Player on different platforms may not be optimal. Any flash player has to be able to animate on top of the video rendering, which makes hardware accelerated video rendering at least not as straightforward as with a purpose built multimedia player. It is not uncommon for other multimedia players to play fine where Flash Player drops frames and skips audio. Many popular web browsers now have extensions that prevent immediate Flash playback, but lets the user play it by clicking it first.
Firefox has NoScript and Flashblock while a separate extension for Opera called Flashblock is available. One similar extension for Internet Explorer is Foxie, and contains a number of features, one of which is also named Flashblock. K-Meleon has a built-in Flash blocker. WebKit-based browsers under Mac OS X have ClickToFlash. See also Adobe Flash. file format, the files generated by the Flash application and played by Flash Player.
Adobe Flash Player, the runtime that executes and plays back Flash movies. Adobe Flash Lite, a lightweight version of Flash Player for devices that lack the resources to run regular Flash movies such as mobile phones, some laptop computers and other portable devices. Flash Video. Saffron Type System, the anti-aliased text-rendering engine used in version 8 onwards. Local Shared Object. SWFObject, a JavaScript library used to embed Flash content into webpages. Flash CMS, Content Management for Flash content.
Other. Comparison of video on demand services. Microsoft Silverlight. JavaFX. OpenLaszlo. Synfig Footnotes.
Waldron, Rick (2006-08-27). Retrieved 2001-06-18. Gay, Jonathan.
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99.3%: Millward Brown survey, conducted June 2009. Adobe Systems. Retrieved 2009-06-04. Adobe Systems. Retrieved 2009-06-04. Huang, Emmy (2008-11-17).
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Hudson, Paul (July 2008). 'Quick as a Gnash'. Linux Format (107): 48–49. 'What happened is this little thing called 'software patents'. When you use MP3 or FLV, they're proprietary.
And although we use FFMPEG and Gstreamer - we actually support all these codecs - we can't distribute Gnash that way.of course the OLPC project cannot legally redistribute the codecs.Gnash fully supports patent-free codecs such as and Theora and and stuff — Rob Savoye.' Free Software Foundation, Inc.
Flash Video Mx Serial
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