I followed a URL to a Web page that plays a two-minute car commercial. The commercial took an appropriately long time to download over my dial-up connection, and then it played just fine. I saved the complete Web page, which still plays the commercial even when I reboot and open the page offline. I say it's a Flash video because under the little video screen there is a link labeled "Flash 6 Required," and when I right-click the video image, an item on the pop-up menu reads, "About Macromedia Flash Player 8..."

If it's legal and ethical, I'd like to burn a CD to be able to play this ad on another computer. But what do I copy?

I copied the Web page to another computer, but the video didn't go with it. The page looks OK, but where the video should be is just white space, and no sound. I found a .SWF file of just under 4 MB with the right filename, but when I double-click it, Windows doesn't know what app to use to open it, and Flash Player isn't in the list.

What kind of file is Flash Player anyway, and where is it located?

The folder that's part of the Web page has a .JS file in it; when I double-click that, a text box opens with "Windows Scripting Host - Script Execution Error" in the title bar. The box itself says "Category: Microsoft JScript runtime error" and "Description: 'window' is undefined." Anyway, I suspect the function of the JScript file is to display the links to local car dealers that are missing when I open the Web page offline. The only other things in the Web page folder are the little .JPG graphics that give the page its overall look.

Is there a legal, ethical way to enjoy this ad on another computer, other than to go online with the other computer and download it again?

Go back to the webpage and run the video. When it ends go into your Temporary Internet Files folder and copy the .swf to your desktop for ease.

You may need to use Windows Search to find the .swf.

You can then view the file telling it to use Internet Explorer as the application.

HTH
Bryan

Works smooth as silk. Many thanks!

Let's see if I've got this right: the Flash Player is an IE plug-in, so all I needed to do was to create an association between the video format and IE. Is that it?

A short voice-over at the end of the ad says, "Isn't it nice when things just . . . work?"

John

I believe you have it right, Wisdomseeker. If you have the need, you can download the Macromedia Flash Plaher here:

Flash Player

Sorry, I do not check for private messages

Thanks, Ham30; I already have it. I do appreciate the thought!