What is a Flash .SWC file and how is it used?

Question

What is a .SWC file and how is it commonly used?

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Answer 1

In addition to just holding classes, SWCs can also hold media assets. SWCs are used by linking them into existing Flash or Flex projects. Adobe Flash Pro CS4 is the first version of Flash where you could just link in a SWC to a FLA (this is done in the AS3 section of the Flash tab of the Publish Settings). Previously SWCs had to be brought in as components.

SWCs allow for the easy distribution of assets between Flash and Flex (well, the tool is now called Flash Builder, but the framework is still called Flex). We currently use them to build our visual assets in Flash Pro and then use them in a Flex project.

Conchiolin

Can a SWC be loaded into an AS2 file as well? – Journalize

I believe SWCs predate AS3, but you'll be hard pressed to find AS2 SWCs out there and communicating between AS2 and AS3 is fairly gnarly (different VMs). – Conchiolin

Answer 2

It's like a compiled library file used to help distribute classes.

http://www.communitymx.com/content/article.cfm?cid=dc2c0

Realize

Answer 3

Wikipedia has an article on this. At the time of writing it needed help.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_SWC_file

Positive