Skip to main content
Service phase: Beta

This service is still in development. Give us your feedback or view this page on the current PRONOM service.

Format

Adobe Flash

Summary

Name
Adobe Flash
Version
24
Identifiers
  • MIME: application/x-shockwave-flash
  • PUID: fmt/770
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
Source
Digital Preservation Department / The National Archives
Developed by
Adobe Systems Incorporated
Supported by
Adobe Systems Incorporated

Relationships

Is previous version of
Is subsequent version of

Internal signatures

SWF 24

Note
Header (FWS then version number) and end tag (..)

Byte sequences

Min Frag Length
Absolute from BOF
Offset
0
Max offset
0
Byte Sequence
46575318
Endianness
None
Min Frag Length
Absolute from EOF
Offset
0
Max offset
0
Byte Sequence
0000
Endianness
None

SWF 24 - zlib compressed

Note
Header (CWS then version number)

Byte sequences

Min Frag Length
Absolute from BOF
Offset
0
Max offset
0
Byte Sequence
43575318
Endianness
None

SWF 24 - LZMA compressed

Note
Header (ZWS then version number)

Byte sequences

Min Frag Length
Absolute from BOF
Offset
0
Max offset
0
Byte Sequence
5A575318
Endianness
None

Changelog

  • Updated in V84

    Release date
    21 January 2016

    Adobe Flash 24: Corrected erroneous signature pointer. Error identified by State Records New South Wales.

  • Added in V83

    Release date
    17 December 2015

    Adobe Flash 24: Signature developed through PRONOM Research.

    Adobe Flash 24: Full entry added.