June 29th, 2005

Save Shockwave Flash Animation on Web Sites

Did you find a wonderful shockwave flash animation on the web and wanted to save it. But how to save Flash? Do not buy expensive flash capturing software.. Here is the tip.

Why is saving flash content difficult?

When you right click on a flash animation, you usually get two options - Settings & About Macromedia Flash player.

So there is no way to just right click and save a flash animation. Though such a right click and save option is in the works.

Then you may try View>Source and try to locate the flash file and get the source code if you are lucky. But that will also not help, because even if you run it in the web browser again, how will you save it.

There are professional tools and plugins which will help you view and save flash in one go, but for a price. There are several free flash viewers which will only enable you to see flash files located on your computer, but not allow saving flash.

How to Save Flash

Here is the quick fix for Internet explorer in Windows XP I have been using for some time.

Finding the flash file
Open the Internet explorer
Go to Tools > Internet Options
Look for “Temporary internet Files” - click on Settings
Then in the Pop Window, look for “Temporary Internet Files Folder”

Click “View Files”
This will open the “Temporary Internet Files Folder”
You can sort files by Type by clicking on it. Or by date to see the latest files of you have a large cache. Under the type, you will see several files labelled as “Shockwave Flash Object”. You can right click on file you want, then “Copy”

Unable to locate the file?
If you have a large number of files and are unable to locate the flash file you want, sort by date such that the latest date is on top. If there are still huge number of files, empty the temporary internet folder (Internet Explorer> Tools> Internet Options> Temporary Internet Files Folder> Delete Files>Delete all Offline content).

Now that your folder is clean, revisit the site and the flash file will be recached into this folder. If your file is lost amongst multiple flash files, then you can click these flash files, but that is best avoided. If you do click, an alert box will pop up. Click on Yes and the flash file will open in your default web browser.

Unable to locate the temporary internet folder?
In Win98-ME - “c:\windows”Win2000-XP
In Win XP-2000 - “c:\documents and settings\user_name\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files”
You can also search for *.swf files from same or higher levels depending on your computer.

See the source…
You can also find the source url of the flash movie easily. Right click the flash file in the temporary internet folder, select properties and it will reveal the full url. Similarly, once you click the file and ok the alert box above, the flash file url will appear in the location box.

Saving the flash file.
Now that you have the .swf shockwave file copied, you need a place to save it. Lets save it on the desktop, the easiest location to find on the computer. Right click on the desktop, and select “Paste”. The .swf flash file will be saved on the computer.

How to see if this file works?
Right click on the file and click > Open with > Internet explorer
and your flash file runs.

NOTE: Please note this is a quick way of saving flash files. Many of these flash files may be copyrighted and its usage may not be allowed by the site owners from which you got the file. So do not go about publishing or embedding these files on your websites.

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Comments

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1. Anil | 29/06/05 #

I have been doing the same process for long time. Good post. Detailed explanation. Because of which I like your blog. Keep it up.
2. Anonymous | 29/06/05 #

Good tip - which is useful to know. Thanks!
3. pogenwurst | 29/06/05 #

In Mozilla Firefox, just right click anywhere on the page and click “View Page Info” (or find it in the “Tools” menu) and click on the media tab. Then select the desired .swf file from the list and click “Save as…”
4. firq krumpl | 29/06/05 #

as pogenwurst just illustrated, everything is so much simpler with firefox.
5. Qis | 30/06/05 #

Or you could just add a button to your IE favorites/toolbar with this url:
javascript:var url=prompt(”URL to link to:”,”http://”);document.write(’‘+link+’‘);

- Then use the view-source option to get (copy) the filename of the file.
- Click the just created button
- Enter (paste) the URL
- Right-click the link
- Save As…
6. Paul | 30/06/05 #

If you have the URL of the file you can also feed it to GNU’s wget. There is also a GUI available.

Wget is also extremely useful for almost any other HTTP or FTP retrieval (feed it a file containing a list of links to download, mirror a website, etc).
7. Anarion | 30/06/05 #

Would this work for Macromedia Breeze files too? Thanks!
8. PJH's blog | 30/06/05 #

Hi, an easy way to save flash from a webpage is saving the page, which results in a html-file and a folder containing the images etc. …and the swf-file
9. dexim | 30/06/05 #

All you have to do is;
1) view source to get the address of the .swf file
2) go to the address
3) click on File -> Save As…
10. Meatgrinder | 30/06/05 #

In Firefox use adblock to get URL, then use Flashget (Jetcar) click new download, saves right to your desktop in about 10 secs.
11. matt | 1/07/05 #

or just do what pogenwurst said, it’s a lot faster…
12. Praetorian_TMOTC | 1/07/05 #

I’ve also been using the firefox method to save flash files for a long time now, however there is another method if you insist on using a browser that does not have such features such as *cough* IE.

If you have the address of the flash file, eg. http://www.site.com/flash.swf, copy-paste it into google, right click on the link google provides, and choose save link as (or whatever it is). Man I
13. Marc | 1/07/05 #

What about flash files that won’t play unless they are on the site? Such as “The Adventures of Chad” from gprime.net. I copied them but could not view them again in IE or FFox.
14. M@DM@N | 4/07/05 #

i have been using the firefox method, because no self-respecting computer user would use IE anyways. however, if you still use IE, you can download FlashGet. It is a free download manager. You copy the source, open flashget , click on new download, & ur done!
15. Anonymous | 6/07/05 #

Just look for “Flash Movie Extract Pilot”. It’s free, and it’s a heck of alot easier to use than doing all that other stuff…
16. Rajeev | 7/07/05 #

I’ve been doing this for a while now, since I know HTML and can pick out this stuff easily. I make it much quicker though- I assemble the full URL (from the http:// on) and grab the file with wget so I don’t have to search through all my cache to find the flash file. (wget is only for linux as far as I know, and it’s commmand-line only, but I think I remember doing something a similar a few years back with the Add URL feature of Download Accelerator, back when I was on Windows and dial-up.) Nice writeup though.
17. Nick | 21/08/05 #

Don’t suppose anyone knows how to save pictures displayed through a flash interface? Coz I want to get the pages of a webcomic, but view source doesn’t give me any links to the pictures, and as has already been noted, there’s no ’save as’ feature available on the menu. Even saving the webpage whole doesn’t get the pics.
18. R.Kesavan. | 19/09/05 #

Man,
I have been making ‘no stone unturned’approach so far to learn how to copy a flash file but of no avail until I visited your page, which not only explained how it should be done but also made me float on cloud nine !!
Thanks,
R.Kesavan.
19. durga prasad | 19/12/05 #

how to add shockwave file in email text message box to forwarding newsletter mail
20. Jesuspower | 31/12/05 #

Or you could get the address of the flash file in Opera, and paste it into the Quick Download box in the transfer window.
21. Rianna | 19/02/06 #

OK guys if any of the ways you mention work, for what I need I’ll be impressed. Copying the flash off my desktop does not work for what I need it for.

I have been making a few of my own swf files to put on my own website but my website supports html code but now swf html code. So I need a way to save the swf. file as an IMAGE file not the code. So then I can insert the image flash directly into my website. Does anyone know of any software that can do this? Respond on this page and I’ll check back. Hope one of you know the answer. In the meantime I’ll check on all the software that you mention. Rianna
22. Rianna | 19/02/06 #

I just went to firefox and there is no way to ask them the question I told you about. So that one is a dead end. If anyone knows the answer to this it would be very helpful to me and many others. Rianna
23. Afridi | 15/06/06 #

Great Tip,. I always Used this tip to Save Flash or Internet Radio …..
In Mozilla anyone can Save Flash Easily….
how..?
1: Go To TOOLS Menu and Than Page Info,..
2: Than Click On Media Tab..
3: All Flash and Images ‘ll bee shown,..
4: now click anyflash and Click Save As to Save Enjoy..

Afridi …….. From http://www.itdunya.com
24. Wrecks | 17/06/06 #

1. Copy the URL of the page that contains the Flash animation to the clipboard.

2. Go to: http://javimoya.com/blog/youtube_en.php# and follow the instructions on that page.
25. andrew | 28/06/06 #

I just use this with IE, simple to use.

http://www.browsertools.net/Flash-Saving-Plugin/
26. gadlaw | 17/07/06 #

None of these options work with shockwave files. Opening up page source in Firefox and you get a dcr file in the media folder and it’s locked up tighter than, well tighter than most anything.
27. Armil Velos | 17/08/06 #

How about saving dcr files?
I’ve got trouble in it….
28. TiFFANY | 13/11/06 #

THANKS S000 MUCH-! i HAVE BEEN TRYiNG T0 FiGURE 0UT H0W T0 D0 THAT F0REVER. VERRRRY HElPFUl-!
29. NEHAL | 20/01/07 #

If you are using Firefox browser, there is one FFextension which allows you to save flash object embedded in the webpage. The link is at https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1993/ However for unknown reasons to me some of saved files are playing blank when played offline. Any ideas what can be reason and solution for the same.
Thanks
30. Rudi | 7/02/07 #

Thanks NEHAL, for the addon info at firefox, it help me alot
31. jason | 2/03/07 #

This looks awesome, ill download it for saving some stuff i did a few years ago and dont have acsess to the files no more. Instread of creating them again this will save time.

Thanks
32. vincent | 20/03/07 #

great, many thanks
33. flashgameplayer | 22/03/07 #

Hi ive been playing alot of flash games and ive used some of the methods used on this form but i have a problem how do i save and play the new DCR 3D flash files? I managed to save the .dcr file but how do i play it back on my pc, offline? the game is a zipzaps racing game that is pretty addicting and i want to save it and play it offline, is there a stand alone flash player for playing DCR flash files offline
34. Bob | 28/03/07 #

but how do you get it to play offline what do you need to download. it says its Shockwave Flash Object.
35. sat | 1/05/07 #

Hi this trick is really cool….thanx…great work……
36. Mickeyj4j | 12/07/07 #

Yea I cant play Shockwave Flash Object files on my computre at all on the net it is fine but off the net I cant play them at all what do i need on my computre to do this can I download the player onto my jcomputre I have IE as we all do but use FF as its better faster and just more user friendly any can you help. Send me a Mail and I will be Happy as I bont have net and usually only can check my Email thanks all.
37. Nooruddeen | 13/08/07 #

I know the best way to save swf (shock wava flash) animation file. Open the website on which your desired animation is present. In internet temporary folders all the files will store there temporary just go to C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files on your computer and you will the swf animations file there then copy it on your hard disk location and paste there

thanks & regards
38. RivieraMayaGuy | 4/09/07 #

Thanks for that great tip! I too have been puzzled over how to accomplish that. The first 2 times I tried, it worked great but it seems like it doesn’t work every time everywhere.
Not all of the files are swf, some are flv and other extensions. Does it work for any and all flash documents? Some of the ones I’ve tried to get will let you copy the url but it won’t paste or, you can copy and paste but it still won’t play. Am I missing something here.

Thanks everyone for all of the useful tips here.
39. reshadat | 4/09/07 #

The method given here is good….but unfortunately this method cannot save all the files.Use some third party tools to capture flash files.The best one(and free) is to use firefox with “Download Embedded” addon.That would save the users from lots of troubles!
40. saed | 27/10/07 #

there is a trick to save such files, if you can not find them under Media Files menu of FireFox, Just try from menu View Source and try to find out the URL of the flash object, then Copy Paste that URL in Address now and now try from menu Tools, Page Info, Media. and then on Falsh object select “Save as..” and here you go.. bingo..
41. wyvernone | 21/11/07 #

All these methods work if the .swf file is self-contained, ie. has all of the data it uses embedded within the file.

If the .swf was written to access the net to stream other parameters and resources such as a database, video files, etc. it will not work.

Also some .swf files are written to check that it is run from the original domain and will not work otherwise…
42. Nicholas | 17/12/07 #

Great tutorial, I have never really thought about saving the flash like that. I have always done it by viewing source and then the javascript.
43. sara | 4/01/08 #

does any1 knw how to save flash frm BlueMountain??
id b greatful if any1 cud help me =(
44. kurye | 26/02/08 #

this subject is very important for us . thank for subject. please write back soon
45. phased | 2/05/08 #

UNH solutions has the flash saving plugin and the flash player… http://www.unhsolutions.net/

I have used both for a few years..pretty good overall.
46. Edmond | 9/05/08 #

Wow thanks! I will try this. I love videobooks such as video biographies of inspiring & successful people which I watch whenever I have time to motivate me. But when I tried to save video bio from Biography.com I used Realplayer but I cannot watch it offline. Realplayer said it cannot detect the format- shockwave flash
47. majid | 13/05/08 #

Hi,I run some flash player 9 but when i check my temporary folder i couldnt find any flash fill maybe it hide how can i find it if not available in temporary folder.
with best regard
48. Edmond | 13/05/08 #

Before I only visit You Tube for a few minutes. I’m really glad about Realplayer 11 Webvideo downloader, now I got to watch & enjoy You Tube & Google learning videos more than ever, without the annoying buffering stops. You Tube, you should give Realplayer a portion of you profits. I can even view them offline CONTINUOUSLY! Thanks Realplayer geniuses I hope you include shockwave files next time. Try it it’s free and set preferences to High Definition videos. So clear
49. Aries | 28/05/08 #

thanx, very very good post