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DoABCDefine

Tag Info
Tag Number: 
72
Tag Type: 
Action
Tag Flash Version: 
9
Brief Description: 

New container tag for ActionScripts under SWF 9. Includes only actions. This tag is not defined in the official Flash documentation.

Tag Structure: 
struct swf_doabc {
	swf_tag			f_tag;		/* 72 or 82 */
	if(f_tag == DoABC) {
		unsigned long	f_action_flags;
		string		f_action_name;
	}
	swf_action3		f_action_record[variable];
};
See Also: 
DoABC
DoAction
DoInitAction
FileAttributes

*the version specified here is the version in which the tags appeared—however, actions of higher versions can be used with older version tags and thus this version doesn't indicate the version of all the actions used in this tag

The DoABC and DoABCDefine are available since version 9. These are similar to the old DoAction and DoInitAction, yet the actions use a way different declaration scheme and they include flags and a name. This new scheme helps greatly in simplifying the definitions of ECMAScript classes and accelerate the access to the code tremendously.

Note that the ...

Export

Tag Info
Tag Number: 
56
Tag Type: 
Define
Tag Flash Version: 
5
Brief Description: 

Exports a list of definitions declared external so they can be used in other movies. You can in this way create one or more movies to hold a collection of objects to be reused by other movies without having to duplicate these in each movie. A single export is enough for an entire movie (and you should have just one).

Tag Structure: 
struct swf_export {
	swf_tag			f_tag;		/* 56 */
	unsigned short		f_count;
	swf_external		f_symbol[f_count];
};

The Export tag works in conjunction with the Import and Import2 tags. The Export tag gives a list of definitions made visible to the external world. Thus these definitions are in effect available to be imported by other movies.

DefineEditText

Tag Info
Tag Number: 
37
Tag Type: 
Define
Tag Flash Version: 
4
Brief Description: 

An edit text enables the end users to enter text in a Flash window.

Tag Structure: 
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;
	}
};
See Also: 
CSMTextSettings
DefineText
DefineText2
DefineShape
DefineFont
DefineFont2

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).

DefineSprite

Tag Info
Tag Number: 
39
Tag Type: 
Define
Tag Flash Version: 
3
Brief Description: 

Declares an animated character. This is similar to a shape with a display list so the character can be changing on its own over time.

Tag Structure: 
struct swf_definesprite {
	swf_tag			f_tag;		/* 39 */
	unsigned short		f_sprite_id;
	unsigned short		f_frame_count;
	...			<data>;
	swf_tag			f_end;
};

A sprite is a set of SWF tags defining an animated object which can then be used as a simple object. A sprite cannot contain another sprite. hHowever, you can use PlaceObject2 to place a sprite in another.

The following are the tags accepted in a Sprite:

Appendix B — History of the SSWF reference

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 ...

SWF Any Filter (swf_any_filter)

SWF Structure Info
Tag Flash Version: 
8
SWF Structure: 
/* the filter type */
struct swf_filter_type {
	unsigned char	f_type;
};

struct swf_filter_glow {
	swf_filter_type	f_type;		/* 0, 2, 3, 4 or 7 */
	if(f_type == GradientGlow || f_type == GradientBevel) {
		unsigned char		f_count;
	}
	else {
		f_count = 1;
	}
	swf_rgba		f_rgba[f_count];
	if(f_type == Bevel) {
		swf_rgba		f_highlight_rgba[f_count];
	}
	if(f_type == GradientGlow || f_type == GradientBevel) {
		unsigned char		f_position[f_count];
	}
	signed long fixed	f_blur_horizontal;
	signed long fixed	f_blur_vertical;
	if(f_type != Glow) {
		signed long fixed	f_radian_angle;
		signed long fixed	f_distance;
	}
	signed short fixed	f_strength;
	unsigned		f_inner_shadow : 1;
	unsigned		f_knock_out : 1;
	unsigned		f_composite_source : 1;
	if(f_type == Bevel) {
		unsigned		f_on_top : 1;
	}
	else {
		unsigned		f_reserved : 1;
	}
	if(f_type == GradientGlow || f_type == GradientBevel) {
		unsigned		f_passes : 4;
	}
	else {
		unsigned		f_reserved : 4;
	}
};

struct swf_filter_blur {
	swf_filter_type		f_type;	/* 1 */
	unsigned long fixed	f_blur_horizontal;
	unsigned long fixed	f_blur_vertical;
	unsigned		f_passes : 5;
	unsigned		f_reserved : 3;
};

struct swf_filter_convolution {
	swf_filter_type	f_type;		/* 5 */
	unsigned char	f_columns;
	unsigned char	f_rows;
	long float	f_divisor;
	long float	f_bias;
	long float	f_weights[f_columns × f_rows];
	swf_rgba	f_default_color;
	unsigned	f_reserved : 6;
	unsigned	f_clamp : 1;
	unsigned	f_preserve_alpha : 1;
};

struct swf_filter_colormatrix {
	swf_filter_type	f_type;		/* 6 */
	long float	f_matrix[20];
};

struct swf_any_filter {
	swf_filter_type			f_fitler_type;
	swf_filter_blur			f_filter_blur;
	swf_filter_colormatrix		f_filter_colormatrix;
	swf_filter_convolution		f_filter_convolution;
	swf_filter_glow			f_filter_glow;
};

A filter defines how to transform the objects it is attached to. The first byte is the filter type. The data following depend on the type. Because each filter is much different, they are defined in separate structures. You can attach a filter to an object using an ActionScript or the PlaceObject3 tag.

The following describes the different filters available since version 8.

SWF Fill Style (swf_fill_style)

SWF Structure Info
Tag Flash Version: 
1
SWF Structure: 
/* f_type = 0x00 - solid fill */
struct swf_fill_style_solid {
	unsigned char		f_type;
	if(f_tag == DefineMorphShape || f_tag == DefineMorphShape2) {
		swf_rgba	f_rgba;
		swf_rgba	f_rgba_morph;
	}
	else if(f_tag == DefineShape3) {
		swf_rgba	f_rgba;
	}
	else {
		swf_rgb		f_rgb;
	}
};

/* f_type = 0x10 - linear gradient fill,
	    0x12 - radial gradient fill
	    0x13 - focal gradient fill (V8.0) */
struct swf_fill_style_gradient {
	unsigned char		f_type;
	swf_matrix			f_gradient_matrix;
	if(f_tag == DefineMorphShape || f_tag == DefineMorphShape2) {
		swf_matrix	f_gradient_matrix_morph;
	}
	swf_gradient		f_gradient;
};

/* f_type = 0x40 - tilled bitmap fill with smoothed edges,
	    0x41 - clipped bitmap fill with smoothed edges,
	    0x42 - tilled bitmap fill with hard edges (V7.0)1,
	    0x43 - clipped bitmap fill with hard edges (V7.0)2 */
struct swf_fill_style_bitmap {
	unsigned char		f_type;
	unsigned short		f_bitmap_ref;
	swf_matrix		f_bitmap_matrix;
	if(f_tag == DefineMorphShape || f_tag == DefineMorphShape2) {
		swf_matrix	f_bitmap_matrix_morph;
	}
};

union swf_fill_style {
	unsigned char		f_type;
	swf_fill_style_solid	f_solid;
	swf_fill_style_gradient	f_gradient;
	swf_fill_style_bitmap	f_bitmap;
};
  • 1. See description for more info.
  • 2. See description for more info.

The fill style is defined in the first byte. The values are defined below. Depending on that value, the fill style structure changes as shown below. swf_fill_style is a union of all the other structures.

Notice that types 0x42 and 0x43 are only available since version 7 and type 0x13 is only available since version 8.

Note that these values were introduced in Flash 7 but it looks like only player 8 supported the distinction between hard edges and smooth edges on a per shape basis. That would explain why I could not see any difference between smooth and hard shapes when I tested this feature ...

DefineBitsLossless

Tag Info
Tag Number: 
20
Tag Type: 
Define
Tag Flash Version: 
2
Brief Description: 

A bitmap compressed using ZLIB (similar to the PNG format).

Tag Structure: 
struct swf_definebitslossless {
	swf_long_tag		f_tag;		/* 20 or 36 */
	unsigned short		f_image_id;
	unsigned char		f_format;	/* 3, 4 or 5 */
	unsigned short		f_width;
	unsigned short		f_height;
	if(f_format == 3) {
		unsigned char	f_colormap_count;
		if(f_tag == DefineBitsLossless) {
			swf_rgb		f_colormap[f_colormap_count];
		}
		else {
			swf_rgba	f_colormap[f_colormap_count];
		}
		unsigned char	f_indices[((f_width + 3) & -4) * f_height];
	}
	else {
		if(f_tag == DefineBitsLossless) {
			swf_xrgb	f_bitmap[f_width * f_height];
		}
		else {
			swf_argb	f_bitmap[f_width * f_height];
		}
	}
};
See Also: 
DefineBitsJPEG
DefineBitsJPEG2
DefineBitsJPEG3
DefineBitsJPEG4
DefineBitsLossless2
JPEGTables

These tags declares a loss-less image bitmap. It has a small header followed by an optional colormap and the bitmap data. When we have a colormap, the bitmap data is an array of indices in the colormap aligned to 4 bytes on a per row basis.

There are three supported formats:

...
Format
No.
(bits)		 Color Format Comments
Without
Alpha		 With
Alpha
3
(8 bits(1))		 RGB

IEEE Standard 754

 

The original document by Steve Hollasch can be found at http://steve.hollasch.net/cgindex/coding/ieeefloat.html

IEEE Standard 754 Floating Point Numbers

Steve Hollasch / Last update 2005-Feb-24

DefineSound

Tag Info
Tag Number: 
14
Tag Type: 
Define
Tag Flash Version: 
2
Brief Description: 

Declare a sound effect. This tag defines sound samples that can later be played back using either a StartSound or a DefineButtonSound. Note that the same DefineSound block can actually include multiple sound files and only part of the entire sound can be played back as required.

Tag Structure: 
struct swf_definesound {
	swf_tag			f_tag;		/* 14 */
	unsigned short		f_sound_id;
	unsigned		f_sound_format : 4;
	unsigned		f_sound_rate : 2;
	unsigned		f_sound_is_16bits : 1;
	unsigned		f_sound_is_stereo : 1;
	unsigned long		f_sound_samples_count;
	unsigned char		f_sound_data[<variable size>];
};

A DefineSound tag declares a set of samples of a sound effect or a music.

The sound samples can be compressed or not, stereo or not and 8 or 16 bits. The different modes are not all available in version 2, although the same tag is used in newer versions with additional capabilities.

The f_sound_is_16bits is always set to 1 (16bits samples) if the samples are compressed (neither Raw nor Uncompressed).