Play Flash Animations (SWF Files) on Your Computer

Shockwave Flash animations, or SWF files, are used by many sites (especially movie sites) to lend an element of interactivity. They are harder to save than plain HTML files, but once you do, how do you play them?

The hard way to get a Flash animation to play after you save it to your computer is to create a new HTML file, embed your SWF file in it, and open it in your web browser.

A much easier way is to use Flash Movie Player, which is created specifically to make life easier when dealing with SWF files. The interface is eerily similar to the classic Windows Media Player so you shouldn't have any trouble using it.

But you can do more than just play animations with Flash Movie Player. You can also use it take snapshots, search through your web browser (IE, Firefox, Opera) cache for previously viewed animations, and set up SWF files as your screensaver.

Labels: Technology