PC utilities forum: where are Macromedia Flash Player files stored on my pc?

The location depends on the browser and operating system, two things that are unknown at this point, but you should find it under "temporary internet files" (Internet Explorer) or "browser cache" (Firefox, Netscape, etc.) depending on which browser you're using. You can sort the contents by date or file type so you can find it easier. (You won't know the name of the file, but it should end with .swf.)

Hope this helps,
John

Internet Explorer simply saves the original files to the Temp. Internet Files folder, but Firefox doesn't. Instead it generates a file with no extension or association with a random file name and stores the code in that, making it difficult to 'recover.' What you'd have to do is find the file you thing is it, then rename it adding the .swf extension at the end and see if it works. This can obviously be frustrating, tedious, and actually potentially dangerous.

Instead, I'd try one of the following options:
1.) Use Internet Explorer to view the site/video, then recover the .swf file from Temporary Internet Files.

2.) In Firefox type in About:Cache, click List Cache Entries, then use ctrl + f to search for and find the "swf" ending. Once you find the one in question click on the link to be taken to the next page with more information. On that page you will be presented with a direct link to the Flash file. You can then do a Right-click->Save As to save the video to disk anywhere you like.

3.) Experiment with third-party utilities (click here that can capture the flash file for you.

Personally, I'd take option #2, but that's just me.

Hope this helps,
John


P.S. You can play a Flash file with a number of different programs, but I usually just use my browser. (Open With->Firefox)

So the answer depends on what browser(s) you use.

Kees

I really don't know where it is stored. If I were interested I would try to find out in this way:
1. First thing in the morning, (uninstall and) reinstall Flash in my browser(s).
2. Use Windows Explorer to search for files modified today. Flash is a subset of those.

Kees

Thanks very much Mark!!
I thought that perhaps I would have to save the swiff file from the Attachment in Outlook Express first, but no !!!. I was able to drag it from the "Attach" field right into the browser window.

now re swiff:
I think that swiff is how .swf is pronounced.
But here's a little (useless?) nugget. I was reading a book many years ago on how to use Flash (the application, one of the first versions ). The book stated that when .swf files were first created they were named SWF which stands for Small Web Files.
I have not come across this explanation for SWF since.

The standalone flash player can be downloaded at http://www.adobe.com/support/flashplayer/downloads.html