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Format

Adobe Flash

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Summary

Name
Adobe Flash
Version
10
Identifiers
  • MIME: application/x-shockwave-flash
  • PUID: fmt/507
Description
The Adobe Flash format, SWF, previously known as Shockwave Flash or Macromedia Shockwave Flash, and alternatively known as the Small Web Format, is a file format primarily designed for creating interactive multimedia applications. The format iterates rapidly, often in line with new releases of Adobe Flash or Adobe Air. Prior to version 6 all SWF files were uncompressed, however version 6 introduced the option of using zlib compression. Version 13 introduced the option of using LZMA compression.
File extensions
swf
Submitted by
Digital Preservation Department / The National Archives
Developed by
Adobe Systems Incorporated
Supported by
Adobe Systems Incorporated

Internal signatures

SWF 10

Description
Header (FWS then version number) and end tag (..)
Provenance
http://wwwimages.adobe.com/www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/devnet/swf/pdf/swf-file-format-spec-v10.pdf

Byte sequences

Min Frag Length
Absolute from BOF
Offset
0
Max offset
0
Byte Sequence
4657530A
Endianness
None
Min Frag Length
Absolute from EOF
Offset
0
Max offset
0
Byte Sequence
0000
Endianness
None

SWF 10 - zlib compressed

Description
Header (CWS then version number)
Provenance
http://wwwimages.adobe.com/www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/devnet/swf/pdf/swf-file-format-spec-v10.pdf

Byte sequences

Min Frag Length
Absolute from BOF
Offset
0
Max offset
0
Byte Sequence
4357530A
Endianness
None

Changelog

  • V84

    Release date
    21 January 2016

    • Updated

      Adobe Flash 10: Corrected signature version byte from '10' to '0A'. Error identified by State Records New South Wales.

  • V83

    Release date
    17 December 2015

    • Updated

      Adobe Flash 10: Corrected signature through PRONOM Research and added description.

  • V67

    Release date
    26 February 2013

    • Added format

      Adobe Flash 10: Outline Entry Added.

    • Added signature

      Adobe Flash 10: Signature developed through PRONOM Research.