Adobe AFTER EFFECTS CS3 PROFESSIONAL User Manual page 604

Render and export a composition as a Flash (SWF) file
While rendering to SWF, After Effects maintains vectors as much as possible. However, raster images, blending
modes, motion blur, some effects, and the contents of nested compositions cannot be represented as vectors in the
SWF file and are rasterized.
You can choose to ignore these unsupported items so that the SWF file includes only those After Effects features that
can be converted into native SWF elements, or you can choose to rasterize frames that contain unsupported features
and add them to the SWF file as JPEG-compressed bitmap images, which may reduce the efficiency of the SWF file.
Audio is encoded in MP3 format and added to the SWF file as an audio stream.
When After Effects creates a SWF file, it also saves a report ([SWF file_name]R.htm) to the same folder as the SWF
file. The report also contains a link to the SWF file so that you can preview the output using the Flash Player plug-
in. Open the report in a browser to view the SWF file and see which items in the composition are unsupported.
The exported SWF file includes each unchanged item in the After Effects composition once, and then references it
for each use. If a layer is used in multiple frames, each use refers to the same object, even if the layer's transform
properties (such as Position) are animated. However, if the content of the layer changes—for example, if a mask on
the layer is animated or if the layer's source footage item is video—a new object is created for each frame in which
the layer is visible. If multiple layers in the composition share the same source footage item, the source is added once
and is then referenced for every additional layer that shares the source. If the source is an Illustrator file, a SWF movie
clip is created and referenced. Text characters are added as vectors once and then referenced on all subsequent
frames, unless you choose Fill Over Stroke from the Fill And Stroke options menu; in that case, the characters are
added as vectors on every frame.
Note: If color management is enabled for the project, then colors are converted from the project's working color space to
the sRGB IEC61966-2.1 color space for output. This output color space is appropriate for movies shown in a web browser.
(See "Color management" on page 240.)
Select the composition you want to export, and then choose File > Export > Adobe Flash (SWF).
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Type a filename (making sure to include the .swf extension) and location, and then click Save.
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3 Specify options as appropriate, and then click OK.
SWF export settings
Specifies the image quality. The higher the quality, the larger the file. (If you select Rasterize for Unsup-
JPEG Quality
ported Features, the JPEG Quality setting is used for all JPEG-compressed bitmap images exported to the SWF file,
including bitmap images generated from composition frames or Adobe Illustrator files.)
Specifies whether to rasterize features that SWF format doesn't support. Choose Ignore to
Unsupported Features
exclude unsupported features, or choose Rasterize to render all frames that contain unsupported features as JPEG-
compressed bitmap images and include them in the SWF file. If you choose Rasterize, the SWF Exporter rasterizes
source files for each layer in the composition (except layers that use Illustrator files or solids as the source footage)
and nested compositions with Collapse Transformations enabled.
The bit rate of the exported audio. Choose Auto to get the lowest bit rate available for the specified
Audio Bit Rate
Sample Rate and Channels settings. Higher bit rates increase file size.
Specifies that the exported SWF file loops continuously during playback. If you plan to specify
Loop Continuously
looping by writing HTML code to control the Flash Player, deselect Loop Continuously.
Creates a SWF file that digital image or video-editing programs can't import.
Prevent Import
Includes layer, mask, and effect names in the file. Selecting this option increases file size.
Include Object Names
Rasterized objects are not named.
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