Most users of computer systems, one way or another, faced with Flash-animation. In this format, a lot of cartoons, banners on websites or even simple internet games are made. But what are SWF files and how are they created or edited if you need to make any changes to the finished project? This and much more will be discussed later.
What are SWF files?
Few people think about what a SWF format animation file really is, considering it to be a regular video.
In fact, the files themselves are compiled derivatives of the original FLA format, which, in turn, is a project in which you can see and change the original structure. Naturally, for this you need some kind of SWF file editor. But which one? Today, there are so many programs created to create and edit Flash animations that it’s easy enough to get confused.
How to open SWF file?
We will return to the editors a bit later. In the meantime, consider how to open a SWF file in the simplest situation. There are at least two options: either use some kind of software player that supports this format (KMPlayer), or start playback in a web browser.
In the second case, for correct playback, a prerequisite is the presence of the installed Flash Player plug-in from Adobe or its analogue in the form of the Macromedia Flash extension, which, in general, is the same.
The principle of editing the finished Flash movie
Now a few words about how in general terms the editing of the finished project is carried out. The editor of SWF projects of the most primitive type cannot open a file just like that, since the finished SWF file, as already mentioned, is compiled and contains a minimum of information about the initial structure.
Thus, before using the simplest SWF file editor, you must first translate the finished file, so to speak, into a readable form. In other words, it needs to be decompiled into the original FLA form. For this, special utilities are used, which will be discussed separately.
The best editors to create animations from scratch
Nevertheless, to create a video clip (and not edit it) at the initial stage, the simplest applications and entire professional-level software packages can be used.
It will not be possible to describe all of them, but among the programs intended for this, there are several most popular:
- Alligator Flash Designer.
- SWiSH Max.
- Adobe Flash Professional.
- Corel rave
- Sony Vegas Pro.
Alligator Flash Designer
This SWF-editor in Russian from all the following is the simplest and is intended mainly for quickly creating animated banners that will be used on sites on the Internet.
There are not so many tools at the disposal of a novice web designer, however, there are about a hundred and thirty different effects, the ability to create animated text, drawings or insert sound. The interface to the limit is simple and clear, so this application is very well suited for learning the basics of creating this type of animation.
SWiSH Max
This animation file editor is very similar to the previous utility, although it looks somewhat more complicated for a beginner.
With it, you can create more professional work of good quality. Any user can deal with it due to the fact that the application itself provides for video lessons that explain the basics of creating animated videos.
Adobe Flash Professional
Adobe Flash SWF File Editor is a professional-level software package that not everyone can master the first time.
There are so many tools in his arsenal that, as many professional web designers and animators believe, with their help you can realize any fantasy. By the way, if you look at the world ratings of software in this area, it is Adobe Flash CS and CC series applications that are the undisputed leaders.
Corel rave
Before us is another professional SWF editor, with features comparable to the previous package from Adobe.
Of the most interesting, it is possible to draw two-dimensional objects, determine their movement along a predetermined path, snap to the specified path, create a double animated object to change only size, color or location, after which the program automatically performs the necessary transformations and animates the image. Naturally, this is not all that this application is capable of. You can study it and admire more and more new opportunities for a very long time.
Sony Vegas Pro
This video package probably needs no introduction. Even those who have never worked with multimedia of this type have ever been aware of it. Of course, this is not the SWF editor as such, but there are tools for creating animation in it, and very worthy of attention.
The program allows you to create and edit animated videos (in this case, the emphasis is on them) using more than 200 effects, editing can be done based on the 8-bit mode, and at the finalization stage to switch to 32-bit to improve the quality. Here you can apply color filters to eliminate differences in different fragments, set the storyboard frequency at 30 fps and higher, and also set the most different aspect ratios of the image, including even transformations and transitions between them (4: 3, 16: 9, 16: 10), etc. In general, there are enough tools.
Additional utilities for working with Flash
Speaking about creating and editing animated videos, one cannot ignore some additional utilities that may come in handy in work. In particular, this concerns the conversion of the final SWF file to the original format of the FLA project by decompilation (code formatting), as well as some additional tools used to improve image quality and reduce the size of the final file without loss of quality.
Among the most necessary programs are the following:
- Flash Decompiler Trillix.
- Sothink SWF Decompiler.
- Flash Optimizer
- Sparkle SWF Optimizer.
Flash Decompiler Trillix
This program will be needed by a novice user to convert the SWF file to the FLA format so that the project can be opened even in the simplest editor and make the necessary changes to it.
In fact, this is an advanced converter with the capabilities of an editor in which changes can be made on the fly. Also with its help you can perform batch conversion. And all this is done without the mandatory installation of Adobe and Macromedia plugins.
Sothink SWF Decompiler
This program is also a decompiler-editor, however, paid. Its capabilities are very interesting. It focuses on the quick creation or editing of banners, videos and even Flash games.
For beginners, the application provides for the presence of a special “Wizard” based on the choice of the type and structure of a future project from the available templates. In addition, you can work with the source code, apply all kinds of filters, effects, or create vector images in a special WYSIWYG environment.
Flash Optimizer and Sparkle SWF Optimizer
These two small utilities, as the name implies, are some optimizers that allow you to reduce the size of the finished SWF file to save space without losing quality. They are especially useful to all those who post their work on the Internet or are engaged in the creation of banners and online games of the Flash format.
According to the official websites of the developers, these utilities allow you to compress and reduce the size of the source object by as much as 70%. They have several types of optimization using automatic conversion after setting the necessary parameters.
What to use?
Finally, the most important question is: “What to choose from all this?” We think beginner animators and web designers should start with the simplest utilities. Those who are even a little versed in creating and editing SWF clips will no doubt use professional utilities. Here the choice is up to the user. However, if you want and study the background information that is available in most of the applications presented, it is very easy to master working with them. But which editor is better? By right, the palm belongs to the development of Adobe, although other editors and decompilers should not be discounted.