# The difference between a flash file and a shockwave file

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/the-difference-between-a-flash-file-and-a-shockwave-file/42256>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [February 6, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/the-difference-between-a-flash-file-and-a-shockwave-file/42256 "2004-02-06T22:27:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![prodigy\_blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7993a0/32.png) [@prodigy\_blue](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/prodigy_blue)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/the-difference-between-a-flash-file-and-a-shockwave-file/42256/1 "2004-02-06T22:27:55Z")

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I know this may be a stupid question an all (i;ve only been doin’ the flash thing for 2 weeks now). but what is the difference? and how do you create shockwave movies.:upset:

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**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 10:48pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/the-difference-between-a-flash-file-and-a-shockwave-file/42256/2 "2004-02-06T22:48:27Z")

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[http://www.macromedia.com/support/general/ts/documents/sw\_flash\_differences.htm](http://www.macromedia.com/support/general/ts/documents/sw_flash_differences.htm)

here it is.

hope it helps 🙂

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**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 10:52pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/the-difference-between-a-flash-file-and-a-shockwave-file/42256/3 "2004-02-06T22:52:03Z")

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Shockwave movies are made with [[u]Macromedia Director[/u]. They have the extension .dcr and are played in the [url=“http://sdc.shockwave.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?”][u]Shockwave Player[/u]. Flash movies are made with [url=“http://www.macromedia.com/software/flash/”][u]Macromedia Flash[/u]. They have the extension .swf and are played in the [url=“http://www.macromedia.com/software/flashplayer/”][u]Flash Player[/u]](http://www.macromedia.com/software/director/).

Director is more adept at making interactive CDs. It allows for plugins (“Xtras”) that go well beyond the capabilities of Flash components and has integrated interactive 3D. Flash’s strength is on the web. Its job is to make strong interactive and animated movies while maintaining a small file size for movie downloading. It primarily uses vector images for this as they allow for large complex images at a small price in file size. Director, on the otherhand, is more raster-based; though it supports vector images, it doesnt do much with them because Director can play Flash inside its movies thereby giving it not only the power of Director but also the power of Flash. Flash can only play Flash files.

One cannot be converted to the other and neither application for authoring .swf or .dcr files can make a file of the opposite type.

[edit] and alex’s link is good too :beam: [/edit]