[Spook E]

is there an app for the mac that will let you grab flash/shockwave files out of a webpage? some of them would make cool screensaver / backlight desktops?

[Millennium]

Not straight out of the browser, but it can be done. If you inspect the source of a page for the .swf file's URL, you can then use curl -o url in the Terminal to grab it.

[Arkham_c]

Originally posted by Spook E:
is there an app for the mac that will let you grab flash/shockwave files out of a webpage? some of them would make cool screensaver / backlight desktops?

If you use Safari then it's easy. Open the page, load the flash movie. Then open a terminal, type "cd /tmp && ls" and look for files that look like "WebKitPlugInStreamXXXXX". These are cached files, and some of them are the .swf files you're looking for. Look for the big ones as a giveaway. Copy them to your desktop with a name that ends in ".swf" and you've got it.

[cybergoober]

Terminal is cool and all, in a geek kind of way (j/k)

Work smarter, not harder. That's my motto.


In Safari, just open the Activity window (Window --> Activity, or command-option-a). Find the Flash file you want to download (should have extension .swf), hold down the Option key and double click the file. It should begin to download.

I have used this method to download embedded (or so it would seem) mp3s and movies from various websites (flame on, I've got thick skin). Note it gets harder to track down the files you're after the more windows/tabs you have open, although the Activity window will list each open window/tab by the name of the page with a disclosure triangle.

edit:
If necessary I can go into more detail or even post some pics outlining what I described although it is fairly straight-forward.

[-Q-]

I just read the above tip on MacOS X Hints. Very cool indeed.

[Apfhex]

Originally posted by cybergoober:
In Safari, just open the Activity window (Window --> Activity, or command-option-a). Find the Flash file you want to download (should have extension .swf), hold down the Option key and double click the file. It should begin to download.

Woah. That's an amazing tip. I didn't know you could do that! Makes it loads easier to grab swf's.

[philzilla]

Originally posted by Millennium:
Not straight out of the browser, but it can be done. If you inspect the source of a page for the .swf file's URL, you can then use curl -o url in the Terminal to grab it.

actually, it can be done straight out of the browser. if you type the url for the .swf in Safari's address/location bar, opt+enter downloads the file (like IE used to)

[gorickey]

Originally posted by philzilla:
actually, it can be done straight out of the browser. if you type the url for the .swf in Safari's address/location bar, opt+enter downloads the file (like IE used to)

Why would you do type the URL when you can follow the above suggestion by cybergoober to accomplish the same thing?

[TheIceMan]

cybergoober: That is an awesome tip!! Thank you. I did something like that with OmniWeb, but this is even simpler! Thanks again.

[philzilla]

Originally posted by gorickey:
Why would you do type the URL when you can follow the above suggestion by cybergoober to accomplish the same thing?

does that suggestion work if someone IM's or emails me a .swf link? no. well, it obviously does if i click the link first, then click the activity window link. easier to just do it my way, in certain instances.

[bartman00]

I totally don't recommend this method but you could accidentily delete your entire /Library folder. After that all flash will automatically download as a .swf till you reinstall flash! Great! Eeerr.. not

Bart

[gorickey]

Originally posted by philzilla:
does that suggestion work if someone IM's or emails me a .swf link? no. well, it obviously does if i click the link first, then click the activity window link. easier to just do it my way, in certain instances.

Gotcha.

But for the original posters question, the other method is much easier...

[Spook E]

yeah thats a really sick tip thanks v.much for it

[cybergoober]

Originally posted by philzilla:
actually, it can be done straight out of the browser. if you type the url for the .swf in Safari's address/location bar, opt+enter downloads the file (like IE used to)

Originally posted by gorickey:
Why would you do type the URL when you can follow the above suggestion by cybergoober to accomplish the same thing?

Originally posted by philzilla:
does that suggestion work if someone IM's or emails me a .swf link? no. well, it obviously does if i click the link first, then click the activity window link. easier to just do it my way, in certain instances.

Hello…? Smarter, not harder. j/k

I haven't tried this, but if someone IM'ed or emailed you a .swf link couldn't you just drag that link to your Downloads window (Window => Downloads - or- cmd-opt-l) to start the download rather than copy/paste then option-return? As I said, I haven't tried this but it seems like that should work. Perhaps I'll do some testing a bit later.

FWIW I keep my Download and Activity windows always open and Exposé to them when needed so the extra step of opening the Downloads window is moot in my case.

edit: Dragging to Downloads window does NOT work from iChat. So I guess I'll eat my words on that one. I'll test Mail.app in a little while.