Copying picture from a SWF/Flash file

[JimStipe]

I recently upgraded my website, www.JimStipeProductions.com by changing the
entire look with the use of Flash files and a template. You might see the
previous work at www.TheFenceSealers.com if it hasn't already been forwarded
to the new website.

I know nothing about Flash and hired boxedart.com to help me out in
redesigning my website. Back in forth in emails took weeks to get the
appropriate changes right. Now that the website is completed, I realize it
takes too long to load on a 56K modem (5 minutes), but on DSL or Cable, it's
quite impressive.

I have found that if I remove the intro Flash file that is below by header,
I can improve the download time in about half. The problem is that I really
like the picture and would like to get a snapshot of it in a jpg or gif file
(which ever would be more appropriate). I don't have a Flash editor, nor do
I have Photoshop. I've tried with the programs I have on my computer
without any luck.

http://www.JimStipeProductions.com/Intro.swf

http://www.JimStipeProductions.com/fla/Intro.fla

I would greatly appreciate if someone could capture the photo for me, or
point me in the right direction in solving my delima. Going back to
boxedart.com is out of the question because I don't want to feel like a
pain. So, if I could get some help from someone I would really appreciate
it.

(e-mail address removed)

 

[Steve H]

Jim,
Go back to boxedart! They know your work inside and out and
will be able to do the still picture in a moment. It's not
hard. It's not a pain. You will pay for this service, right?

-----Original Message-----
I recently upgraded my website,

www.JimStipeProductions.com by changing the

 

[Murray]

I can improve the download time in about half.

Even that is much too long. You have about 20 seconds.... The people who
made this did you no favor by not mentioning that.

I've tried with the programs I have on my computer
without any luck.

Take a screen shot when the pic you want is displayed, and paste that into
your graphics program.

 

[JimStipe]

I tried that, but cannot copy it into MS Paint of Microsoft Image Composer.
Yes, I agree I should go back them but you really need to hear the whole
story. Here's just partial:

1. As stated, for $175 they will edit any template at their website
2. I downloaded a template that was in html version and an exact one in
Flash. When I asked to get the Flash part edited, I was it wasn't in the
$175 and I had to pay extra. Since then, they changed their wording at
their website.
3. The company is in the UK and does not have an accessible phone number,
so email responses are about 24 hours, then about 3 days for production to
do your changes and send it back to you.
4. I had to email them about 6 different times with the same instructions
within a month's period because every it came back to me, they didn't
complete what I had asked.
5. Finally when I asked to edit and put the intro in, I was told it wasn't
in their
services. Oh, but since he saw that was the initial request in my email a
month
ago, so he said he would do it. - Gee Thanks!!!

Anyways, I know html programming pretty good. Don't have a clue about Flash
and really would like to be done with this project. I have some ideas I
will implement to speed up the website. If you have any other suggestions
on how I can capture this picture, it would be greatly appreciated.

(e-mail address removed)

 

[Murray]

I tried that, but cannot copy it into MS Paint of Microsoft Image Composer.

You can't paste a screen cap into either of them?

As for the rest, I figured you might have a story like that. Sorry about
it....

 

[John Smith]

well if all you want is the image then go here
http://sothink.com/flashdecompiler/
this software will permit you to pull down any swf site. if its a locked
file you may not be able to screw with it. but you will get the pure image
file. not some copy or what ever.

 

[JimStipe]

Now, how do you tell Frontpage to load all the graphics first, and then the
SWF/Flash files later. My Flash header is hogging the bandwidth and I would
like that the last thing to load. I've got my time down to about 3 minutes.
Any suggestions.

PS> Thanks John Smith for the http://sothink.com/flashdecompiler/ suggestion
for copying my picture from a SWF/Flash file. After I tried the program
out, I found out the jokers at boxedart.com did nothing to reduce the size
of the file. From the original file, I only wanted 3 seconds of the drawing
of the deck. One would assume the programmer would delete everything in the
file but the 3 seconds. Not so, they just masked out what I didn't want, so
the computer was downloading 80% of a file I was not going to use. I
figured I was going from a 100% file and needed a small portion, so the new
file size would have been 20%.

(e-mail address removed)

 

[Ronx]

You don't.
The browser (not FrontPage) will load the page elements in whatever
order it thinks best, and you have no control over that.

In general, the browser will set up several connections to the server
and use each connection to download an element of the page, then when
that element is downloaded, go on to the next, so that several page
elements are downloading simultaneously. The effect is the page
elements arrive randomly.

 

[p c]

Actually another fyi for you:
I have disabled active scripting in my IE browser and as a result your
flash does not even display-just some lank space in that area.

Also, I don't see your flash using the Mozilla and the Firefox browsers.
I know Mozilla supports flsh, perharps not your version. You may want to
stay with flash, you may want to add links on your site "best viewed
with bla-balah" or include a link to non-flash version.

...PC

 

[Murray]

As Ron says, you don't. But consider this trick -

Where you want the final Flash to appear on the page, place a tiny Flash
loader swf. This would be a 1 frame call to get Movie (in the actionscript)
which brings in the actual Flash movie. This file will be SO small that it
will fetch in an instant, and then all the rest of your images will be
fetched. The Actionscript call happens 'outside' the browser, so to speak,
and as a result, it doesn't delay the loading of the rest of the page.

You can see this happen on the home page of a site I am doing -
http://www.drlarrystone.com/newsite/index.asp

Of course, this presumes you have access to Flash (or Swish) so that you can
code the loader swf file.