# How to use the forward/backward browser buttons to change flash?

**URL:** https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-use-the-forward-backward-browser-buttons-to-change-flash/264912
**Category:** flash
**Created:** [July 2, 2008, 1:20am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-use-the-forward-backward-browser-buttons-to-change-flash/264912 "2008-07-02T01:20:20Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![REEF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@REEF](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/REEF)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2008, 1:20am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-use-the-forward-backward-browser-buttons-to-change-flash/264912/1 "2008-07-02T01:20:20Z")

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I dont know what its called, but I’ve seen it done. Its the thing that allows the user to use the forward/backward buttons on their browser and have it jump to different states in an swf (or so it seems). However, the page doesnt refresh, which is awesome.

Could someone explain to me how that works and what its called? How can I set it up, is it hard?

PS. I have 2 separate swf files, one is the navigation and other is content. Is it possible that when a page is selected on the navigation, the content swf will go to a frame that loads respective content? Thanks.

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### Author: ![TheCanadian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@TheCanadian](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/TheCanadian)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2008, 1:29am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-use-the-forward-backward-browser-buttons-to-change-flash/264912/2 "2008-07-02T01:29:09Z")

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[http://www.asual.com/swfaddress/](http://www.asual.com/swfaddress/)

I think that’s what most people use. You could make your own using JS and ExternalInterface (which would actually be fairly simple) but why reinvent the wheel - especially when that wheel is free.

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### Author: ![REEF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@REEF](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/REEF)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2008, 3:44am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-use-the-forward-backward-browser-buttons-to-change-flash/264912/3 "2008-07-02T03:44:56Z")

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Okay Im trying that. The online docs say I need to include the SWFAddress.as, which I tried using \*\*#include “SWFAddress.as” \*\*yet I get an error “Classes may only be defined in external ActionScript 2.0 class scripts.”…not easy to set up =/

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### Author: ![TheCanadian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@TheCanadian](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/TheCanadian)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2008, 3:54am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-use-the-forward-backward-browser-buttons-to-change-flash/264912/4 "2008-07-02T03:54:44Z")

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SWFAddress is a class. I’m sure they include some sort of doucmentation.

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### Author: ![REEF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@REEF](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/REEF)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2008, 8:54pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-to-use-the-forward-backward-browser-buttons-to-change-flash/264912/5 "2008-07-06T20:54:31Z")

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Ok, something like: [www.f-i.com/bye](http://www.f-i.com/bye) - if you click any button on the page it enables you to use the browser buttons.

It’s kind of like named anchors, except when you use those in flash you lose the script contained in the frame.
