Help Downloading swf File & viewing in Real Player

Question

Level 1

85 points

Help Downloading swf File & viewing in Real Player

Hi Friends!

I'm trying to download a flash video from the following website:

http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-collections/microsoft-p1.php

It's a spoof on Steve Ballmers' Monkey Dance, wearing an iPod. I've GOT TO HAVE THIS!

After going to the link above, and choosing Steve Ballmer's iPod, you have the option to download, which is on the left. I download the file just fine and it shows up as a Real Player file, but when I try to play it, is says "A General Error has occured". I click help within Real Player (latest version 10), and it says I can test to see if RP is working fine. I do the test, and RP checks out fine. Therefore, for some reason this file is either getting corrupted upon download, or for some reason, I need something else to get this flash to play. I have Shockwave installed. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

Vito

Powerbook G4 1.33 Mhz Mac OS X (10.4.3) External OWC, 512 RAM, iSight

Posted on Nov 28, 2005 4:01 PM

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Answer 1

K.S.

Level 4

3,700 points

Nov 29, 2005 6:07 AM in response to VitoArc

I'm not sure where the RealPlayer association for .swf files is coming from, but as far as I can tell RealPlayer can't play them. (I've recently seen this same behaviour with iCab's cache browser downloading .swf as RealPlayer files. I fixed the problem but can't really remember all that I did.)

Anyway, try dragging the file into a Safari window and see if it plays. Or you can bring up the contextual menu and use Open With to select Safari, or some other browser. You can also Get Info on the file and change Open With to whatever you want, and select Change All: that should do the trick permanently.

Hope this helps.

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Answer 2

Tom Graves

Level 7

20,627 points

Nov 29, 2005 9:45 AM in response to VitoArc

The flash movie downloaded as a Real file for me as well. Opened its Get Info box by clicking Command-I. I then clicked on Default Applications. Safari was not listed, so I chose "Other" and navigated to it and found that it was grayed out. I changed the setting in the dialog box from "Recommended Applications" to "All Applications" which enabled Safari. I then set Safari as the default app and closed the Get Info box. The movie then opened with no problems in Safari. Interestingly, for some reason the flash movie's icon did not change to a Safari doc, but remained that of a Real doc even though Safari is now the default app.

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Answer 3

VitoArc Author

Level 1

85 points

Dec 1, 2005 3:49 PM in response to Tom Graves

Thank you Tom, and K.S., this did the trick! I did the same thing you did Tom, and I too still see the "Real Player" icon even though I changed the file to open with Safari. All three of us are using Tiger 10.4.3, so I'm wondering if this has something to do with the icon "mismatch". Anywho, it works, and that's all that matters! "It just works". Thanks guys!

Vito

Powerbook G4 1.33 Mhz Mac OS X (10.4.3) External OWC, 512 RAM, iSight

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Answer 4

K.S.

Level 4

3,700 points

Dec 2, 2005 5:39 AM in response to K.S.

I'm not sure where the RealPlayer association for
.swf files is coming from, but as far as I can tell
RealPlayer can't play them.

That's what I wrote and it's incorrect: I forgot what I knew. RealPlayer will play .swf files using File > Open File ..., File >Open Location..., and drag & drop, but there does seem to be a problem with some .swf files generating that "General Error" message in RealPlayer.

eMac Combo 1GHz/1GB/60GB Mac OS X (10.4.3) CanoScan D646U, Canon iP1600, CrossFire 120GB, DSL

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Answer 5

Tom Graves

Level 7

20,627 points

Dec 2, 2005 6:53 AM in response to K.S.

Thanx for the information, I hadn't realized Real could play swf files, but I still wish the would appear as documents for Safari or, as with html files, as documents for your default browser.

Now, if we can only figure out why real Real files download as GoLive files for many people.

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