How To Embed SWF File Or Shockwave Flash Object In Microsoft Word 2007?
How do you open SWF file or Shockwave Flash game? Well, if you able to watch YouTube or any flash video embedded on a web page, most likely you could open the SWF file with that web browser.
But, people seldom receive SWF file as not everyone knows how to open it with a web browser. (Don’t laugh, there are people out there).
Thus, sender usually embeds the SWF file into Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel. As long as the recipient is not anti-Microsoft or has basic Microsoft Office suite installed, he or she can just open the Word document or Excel spreadsheet and have fun with the embedded Shockwave Flash game in no time.
(See also previous post on how to extract or retrieve the embedded SWF file in Microsoft Word or Excel)
I am not sure the Microsoft Word or Excel Viewer can playback the embedded Shockwave Flash game, but I guess that is possible.
By the way, do you know how to embed SWF file in Microsoft Word 2007?
First step is of course open the Word 2007. Then, go to Developer tab. On the Controls group, click the Legacy Tools icon follow by More Controls icon:
In the More Controls dialogue box, locate the Shockwave Flash Object and click OK:
Now, there is a box with cross appears on the Word document. Right click the “box” and select Properties from the pop-up menu:
Locate the Movie field of Shockwave object properties dialogue box, specify the full path of your target SWF file or Shockwave Flash game and click OK:
Update: In the Shockwave object properties dialog box:
1) Enter the full path to the Shockwave file (SWF) in the Movie property text-box.
2) Set the EmbedMovie property to True (otherwise, the SWF file is never truly embedded into the Word document; your friend who receive the Word document is never able to see or play the Shockwave game that is not truly embedded; sorry to John and thank you for highlighting this to me)
Go back to Word 2007 Ribbon (the new interface that replaces traditional menu and toolbar), you should notice the Design Mode button is highlighted (to indicate it’s turned on). Simply click on the button to turn off Design Mode:
By now, the SWF file should has been embedded successfully into Word 2007 document and is ready to send it to friends for fun.
Thus, sender usually embeds the SWF file into Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel. As long as the recipient is not anti-Microsoft or has basic Microsoft Office suite installed, he or she can just open the Word document or Excel spreadsheet and have fun with the embedded Shockwave Flash game in no time.
(See also previous post on how to extract or retrieve the embedded SWF file in Microsoft Word or Excel)
I am not sure the Microsoft Word or Excel Viewer can playback the embedded Shockwave Flash game, but I guess that is possible.
By the way, do you know how to embed SWF file in Microsoft Word 2007?
First step is of course open the Word 2007. Then, go to Developer tab. On the Controls group, click the Legacy Tools icon follow by More Controls icon:
In the More Controls dialogue box, locate the Shockwave Flash Object and click OK:
Now, there is a box with cross appears on the Word document. Right click the “box” and select Properties from the pop-up menu:
Locate the Movie field of Shockwave object properties dialogue box, specify the full path of your target SWF file or Shockwave Flash game and click OK:
Update: In the Shockwave object properties dialog box:
1) Enter the full path to the Shockwave file (SWF) in the Movie property text-box.
2) Set the EmbedMovie property to True (otherwise, the SWF file is never truly embedded into the Word document; your friend who receive the Word document is never able to see or play the Shockwave game that is not truly embedded; sorry to John and thank you for highlighting this to me)
Go back to Word 2007 Ribbon (the new interface that replaces traditional menu and toolbar), you should notice the Design Mode button is highlighted (to indicate it’s turned on). Simply click on the button to turn off Design Mode:
By now, the SWF file should has been embedded successfully into Word 2007 document and is ready to send it to friends for fun.
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[...] Shockwave flash game or flash movie of what you’ve just done. Watch the next screencast or read my earlier guide on how to embed SWF file in Microsoft Word 2007, in case you’re [...]
Walker,
I’m a little confused. I followed the guide there, but I’m having a problem with the ’sharing with friends’ part. It seems that the swf file doesn’t actually embed in the document, but needs to be sent along with the document and re-referenced in developer mode on each computer.
Is there any way around that?
Thanks,
John
Hi John, you don’t have to send the swf file separately with Excel/Word that already embed the swf file in question.
I tested this with Word/Excel 2007 and works correctly. Did you follow the same steps?
Sorry John, I made a mistake in the steps. Please refer to the update. Thank you for highlighting the error.
[...] of this “revised” guide. Embed SWF game in Microsoft Excel 2007 SP2 1) Turn on or show the Developer tab in Ribbon bar, if it’s not already there. 2) Go to Developer tab, click the Insert button in Controls [...]
Excellent. Just what I was looking for. Works great!!
I think its where my files are located. I follow everything, but I have the flash game files in a fold on my desktop. I input them in movie but it wont run. need help!
Thanks for your tip. It is good. But I still in a problem. It is an error after I save my word document my embed flash can’t play and see nothing. Could you help please?.
i followed the steps but when i put the path of the object in and do all the highlighted stuff then close it it is still a square with an x through it
I am having the same problem as Dankann, I can load the SWF file and play it on word/excel the first time. After I save, exit and then try to open it again, nothing appears. Just a white box… help please.
walker,
I’m able to see the animation on my computer after putting a D:/ani.swf
but if I send it through email to friends, they are unable to view the animation.
After embedding, the flie size of the excel is smaller than the .swf file.
Any suggestions please?
Sam
@Sam, are you using Word 2007? Do you save the document into its default file format (i.e. .docx file format for Word 2007).