information

Since Flash version 5, you can use internal functions (really member functions or methods of internal objects.) These functions are always available. These methods are called using the Call Function action with the name of the object and function separated by a period. A few of these internal functions are duplicates of some direct action script instructions. In general, it is preferred to use these internal functions rather than the direct action. However, direct actions are a good way to optimize your ActionScript code.

Similarly, you can access internal constants (really variable ...

Pop one integer, use it as a multi-byte string character code and push the newly created string on the stack.

The integer can be any number from 0 to 65535, although many codes are not valid characters.

For more information about valid characters, please, check out the Unicode Consortium.

struct swf_metadata {
	swf_tag			f_tag;		/* 77 */
	string			f_metadata;
};

The Metadata tag is used to describe the SWF movie in a robot readable form. It will be used by search engines to index your Flash movies.

The f_metadata string is an XML buffer defined using the RDF definition compliant with the XMP specification. You can find more information on the W3C and other websites:

RDF Primer
RDF Specification
Dublin Core

Note that this description can describe everything, from the entire movie to each single line of code in your action scripts.

The string must be UTF-8 encoded.

struct swf_definefontalignzones {
	swf_tag			f_tag;		/* 73 */
	unsigned short		f_font2_id_ref;
	unsigned		f_csm_table_hint : 2;
	unsigned		f_reserved : 6;
	swf_zone_array		f_zones[corresponding define font3.f_font2_glyphs_count];
};

Since SWF8, this tag was added to allow a clear definition of where a glyph starts. This is a hint to ensure that glyphs are properly drawn on pixel boundaries. Note that it is only partially useful for italic fonts since only vertical hints really make a difference.

The f_font2_id_ref needs to reference the font identifier of a DefineFont3. Each DefineFontAlignZones shall have a different f_font2_id_ref.

struct swf_definevideostream {
	swf_tag			f_tag;		/* 60 */
	unsigned short		f_video_id;
	unsigned short		f_frame_count;
	unsigned short		f_width;	/* WARNING: this is in pixels */
	unsigned short		f_height;
	unsigned char		f_reserved : 5;
	unsigned char		f_deblocking : 2;
	unsigned char		f_smoothing : 1;
	unsigned char		f_codec;
};

This tag defines a video stream. To playback the video stream, one needs to add a list of VideoFrame tags.

The f_width and f_height are defined in pixels. This is rather uncommon in SWF so it is to be noted multiple times.

struct swf_defineedittext {
	swf_tag			f_tag;		/* 37 */
	unsigned short		f_edit_id;
	swf_rect		f_rect;
	unsigned		f_edit_has_text : 1;
	unsigned		f_edit_word_wrap : 1;
	unsigned		f_edit_multiline : 1;
	unsigned		f_edit_password : 1;
	unsigned		f_edit_readonly : 1;
	unsigned		f_edit_has_color : 1;
	unsigned		f_edit_has_max_length : 1;
	unsigned		f_edit_has_font : 1;
	if(version >= 6) {
		unsigned		f_edit_reserved : 1;
		unsigned		f_edit_auto_size : 1;
	}
	else {
		unsigned		f_edit_reserved : 2;
	}
	unsigned		f_edit_has_layout : 1;
	unsigned		f_edit_no_select : 1;
	unsigned		f_edit_border : 1;
	unsigned		f_edit_reserved : 1;
	unsigned		f_edit_html : 1;
	unsigned		f_edit_use_outlines : 1;
	if(f_edit_has_font) {
		unsigned short		f_edit_font_id_ref;
		unsigned short		f_edit_font_height;
	}
	if(f_edit_has_color) {
		swf_rgba		f_edit_color;
	}
	if(f_edit_has_max_length) {
		unsigned short		f_edit_max_length;
	}
	if(f_edit_has_layout) {
		unsigned char		f_edit_align;
		unsigned short		f_edit_left_margin;
		unsigned short		f_edit_right_margin;
		signed short		f_edit_indent;
		signed short		f_edit_leading;
	}
	string			f_edit_variable_name;
	if(f_edit_has_text) {
		string			f_edit_initial_text;
	}
};

Additional interactivity has been added in V4.0 of the SWF format. This is given by the use of edit boxes offering the end users a way to enter text as if the SWF movie was in fact an interactive form.

The text is defined in a variable (accessible in action scripts). It can be dynamically assigned and retrieved. It is legal to have an empty string as the variable name (not dynamically accessible).

Since version 8, the text drawn by a DefineEditText tag can be tweaked by adding a CSMTextSettings tag.

The f_edit_word_wrap flag will be set to true (1) in order to have words going beyond the ...

struct swf_defineinfo {
	swf_tag			f_tag;		/* 31 */
	unsigned long		f_version;
	string			f_info;
};

Define some information about the tool which generated this SWF movie file.

The information seems to be formatted with names written between periods (.). The two I found are "com" (comment?) and "commands" (used when you edit the movie?).

struct swf_metadata {
	swf_tag			f_tag;		/* 41 */
	long			f_product_id;
	long			f_edition;
	unsigned char		f_major_version;
	unsigned char		f_minor_version;
	long long		f_build_number;
	long long		f_compilation_date;
};

The ProductInfo tag stores information about the tool used to generate the Flash animation. This is ignored by flash players (unless it knows of problems in the generators...)

The f_product_id is expected to be a unique identifier for all the products which can possibly generate an SWF output file.

Dec 2, 2009

Moved the monolithic documentation to a multi-page hierarchical document that includes everything we had before plus many links, many terms attached to all pages (tags, English words.) And revision of most of the text for better English and clarification in some places.

Strengthen the formatting with CCK fields so all declarations look alike.

Broken up the actions from one large table to a set of pages.

Dec 14, 2008

Started work on the Load() feature of the SSWF library. This helped fixing several small mistakes in the documentation.

May 18, 2008

Fixed the ...

It is possible in SWF to use gradient fills. The gradient definitions are pretty raw and require you to draw large objects (that you can scale down later if you wish). A radial fill will usually be used to draw a round corner or a big & smooth dot. A linear fill can be used to draw objects which go from one color to another. The linear fill goes from left to right by default. It can be rotation as required though. Yet, in either case what is drawn in the shape object needs to be at the right scale and in the right direction. This may not always prove easy to deal with!