Sothink SWF Decompiler MX 2002 Pro

Sometimes the easiest way to learn things is by doing them, and that includes using software to produce Flash TM and its many effects. Sothink SWF Decompiler MX 2002 Pro is a program that can make that learning curve a lot easier to follow.

To simply view a Flash movie won't teach you much about how it works, but with Decompiler the secrets of all the elements that go into making a Flash movie are revealed.

That is because Decompiler can capture, parse, and decompile Flash movies that users see on the internet. The program supports Flash 4.0, 5.0, and MX.

When installed, Decompiler places a menu item within the tools section of the browser. When the user sees a Flash movie on the internet they wish to learn about, they simply go to the menu, choose the decompiler, and the program does its work. Decompiler will also scan a users internet cache to pick out Flash movies.

The program has a built-in Flash viewer so that users can play the movies they capture, as well as view the various elements included.

Decompiler extracts the resources of the Flash movie, sorting them into the various formats included, and shows their details and properties. That means users can see all of the images, action scripts (in readable code), sounds, fonts, buttons, frames, and text in a list.

In addition to allowing the user to view the .swf files, Decompiler also performs its magic on stand-alone Flash movies that had been packaged to .exe files.

The program does not, however, support exporting .fla files.

Should the user then want to learn more about the various elements, they can be exported to their hard drive for further examination. Images can be exported in .jpg and .bmp formats; sounds in .mp3 and .wav formats. Action scripts can be exported to text files, and shapes can be exported in Sothink Glanda format.

Those wishing to replace the existing images with their own can do so. Replacing sound with their own files requires that users use any .wav or .mp3 files in the Sound Panel.

While there are more than a couple decompilers alive in the world, this particular one stands among the best. Further, though Decompiler offers plenty of learning possibilities, I'd recommend that users remember copyright law and not simply steal other people's work.

After all, if you get caught stealing someone's work, that particular learning possibility could become a very expensive lesson.

Those people who are more "hands on" when it comes to learning will love the way the program makes all the resources accessible. And, at $40, the program costs about as much as most books about the subject, too.

What is it called again? Sothink SWF Decompiler MX 2002 Pro

Where can I get it? http://www.sothink.com

How big is the download? 1.55 MB

How much does it cost?$40

Do I recommend it? If learning Flash is difficult for you, it might be worth the expense to see how others are doing things.