# How to record an SWF? **URL:** \ **Category:** flash\ **Created:** [May 23, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-record-an-swf/261177 "2008-05-23T20:36:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rumblesushi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@rumblesushi](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/rumblesushi)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-record-an-swf/261177/1 "2008-05-23T20:36:14Z")
I’d like to put some motion graphics up on youtube, however I don’t have a clue about video, I’ve never dabbled in it. In fact I’ve never even uploaded a video to youtube 😃 So could anyone tell me how this is done and what tools I need? I essentially just want to run an SWF and record/encode it live to an avi or mpg. Cheers, Joe ---
**Author:** ![glosrfc](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/glosrfc/32/8334_2.png) [@glosrfc](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/glosrfc)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-record-an-swf/261177/2 "2008-05-23T21:35:19Z")
File, Export Movie…select either Windows AVI or Quick Time MOV. ---
**Author:** ![rumblesushi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@rumblesushi](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/rumblesushi)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 12:45am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-record-an-swf/261177/3 "2008-05-24T00:45:32Z")
No, that’s if you’re using Flash as a traditional timeline animation tool. I want to record something just running on code, nothing on the timeline at all. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![krilnon](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/krilnon/32/34_2.png) [@krilnon](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/krilnon)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 12:49am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-record-an-swf/261177/4 "2008-05-24T00:49:20Z")
File → Export → Export Movie If you have Flash CS3, then you can record SWFs with ActionScript-generated content. Otherwise, you’ll have to use some other software like Captivate or Camtasia to record your screen. ---
**Author:** ![prg9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8dc957/32.png) [@prg9](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/prg9)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 1:00pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-record-an-swf/261177/5 "2008-05-24T13:00:23Z")
[QUOTE=rumblesushi;2330366]No, that’s if you’re using Flash as a traditional timeline animation tool. I want to record something just running on code, nothing on the timeline at all. Any ideas?[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Krilnon;2330367]If you have Flash CS3, then you can record SWFs with ActionScript-generated content. Otherwise, you’ll have to use some other software like Captivate or Camtasia to record your screen.[/QUOTE] Like Krilnon said CS3 has those capabilities. Prior to CS3 there is this plug-in that can be used in conjunction with After Effects… [http://www.drwoohoo.com/store/Flash2AE-Transform/Product.html](http://www.drwoohoo.com/store/Flash2AE-Transform/Product.html) Otherwise like Krilnon mentioned maybe try a screen capture tool and capture the motion during playback of the SWF. ---
**Author:** ![rumblesushi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@rumblesushi](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/rumblesushi)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 2:01pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-record-an-swf/261177/6 "2008-05-24T14:01:04Z")
Thanks for the info guys. I didn’t know that about CS3, unfortunately though I tried it and it failed every swf. Took a LONG time to encode, then just a grey screen played 😃 I downloaded a few trials of swf capture programs, and most of them were rubbish. One called Moyea worked, but I wasn’t very pleased with the result, it didn’t do a good job of encoding. It’s certainly not worth buying. I may end up just doing a screen capture as you suggest, and cropping it, I had a feeling that’s what I’d have to do originally. ---
**Author:** ![dsntos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dsntos](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/dsntos)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 2:10pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-record-an-swf/261177/7 "2008-05-24T14:10:58Z")
Try downloading CamStudio: [http://camstudio.org/](http://camstudio.org/) It’s a free screen capture software. ---
**Author:** ![stupidsaint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@stupidsaint](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/stupidsaint)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 5:13pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-record-an-swf/261177/8 "2008-05-24T17:13:51Z")
there isn’t any way of exporting it like some people say but there are some good recording devices. A program called BB FlashBack from Blue Berry software which is the most amazing recording program i have ever used. it costs a little bit of money but it is really worth it. you can edit the size of screen you want to record, edit the movie yourself, add textboxes, record new voice overs, delete and add frames and a lot more. > **[FlashBack Express - the best free screen recorder](https://www.flashbackrecorder.com/fbexpress/)** > > FlashBack Express free screen recorder captures your PC screen, webcam and sounds. Upload to Youtube or save as a video file hope it helps, Stupid Saint ---
**Author:** ![JBPresents](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc79bd/32.png) [@JBPresents](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/JBPresents)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 7:54pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-record-an-swf/261177/9 "2008-05-24T19:54:00Z")
I use flash cs3 and when I export to avi it only ever does traditional timeline output it won’t even animate any of the movie clips embedded so it is surprising that some of you have done this and it has worked maybe i’ll look into it again ---
**Author:** ![rumblesushi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@rumblesushi](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/rumblesushi)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2008, 6:48pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-record-an-swf/261177/10 "2008-05-25T18:48:25Z")
Saint, I took your advice and downloaded the program, and it seemed like it was going to be great, I could record just the flash window, I could record sound etc, unfortunately though the framerate was just awful. I set it at 30 fps and it ended up about 5 frames a second. I’m annoyed now, I don’t know what to do to get a (near) perfect capture of an SWF. ---
**Author:** ![JBPresents](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc79bd/32.png) [@JBPresents](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/JBPresents)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2008, 7:19pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-record-an-swf/261177/11 "2008-05-25T19:19:53Z")
> I’m annoyed now, I don’t know what to do to get a (near) perfect capture of an SWF how fast is your computer, how much ram do you have? set your page file size to double what it is 😛 ---
**Author:** ![sparkdemon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@sparkdemon](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/sparkdemon)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2008, 7:20pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-record-an-swf/261177/12 "2008-05-25T19:20:56Z")
camastia studio is my favourite too. you can define a capture area and playback whatever is on the screen. unfortunately in flash embedded animations are not rendered to avi. [quote=rumblesushi;2330968]Saint, I took your advice and downloaded the program, and it seemed like it was going to be great, I could record just the flash window, I could record sound etc, unfortunately though the framerate was just awful. I set it at 30 fps and it ended up about 5 frames a second. I’m annoyed now, I don’t know what to do to get a (near) perfect capture of an SWF.[/quote] ---
**Author:** ![rumblesushi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@rumblesushi](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/rumblesushi)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2008, 7:45pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-record-an-swf/261177/13 "2008-05-25T19:45:19Z")
JB, I’ve tried it on 2 comps, a core duo and core 2 duo, with 1 and 2 gigs of ram. the flash file alone uses no more than 50% CPU power. I would have thought it would be fine like that, with the other 50% to do a live capture. Incidentally, do you know of a simple video editing utility? Preferably free, just basic editing, cropping etc? 🙂