Flash CS3 Save As Flash 5?

Question

My son is taking a Flash class at the local college. The lab
computers all run Flash 5. We have installed Flash Professional CS3
on his computer (Win XP). He would like to edit .fla files at home
and still be able to use them in class.
Unfortunately, the only option in the "Save As..." dialogue
is for Flash 8 format, which he could not open in Flash 5.
"Export..." offers a number of options, none of them .fla. Of
course we can "Publish..." Flash 5 Player-compatible .swf files,
but that's not going to help him edit.
So, is there anyway to save a Flash 5 .fla file from the
current version of Flash?
Alternatively, is there anyway to obtain a licensed copy of
Flash 5?
Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

gejarrett,
> My son is taking a Flash class at the local college. The
lab computers
> all run Flash 5. We have installed Flash Professional
CS3 on his computer
> (Win XP). He would like to edit .fla files at home and
still be able to
> use
> them in class.
That's going to be tough. :( As you've seen, CS3 saves to
Flash 8. If
you happen to have a copy of Flash 8, you'll find it saves
back to Flash MX
2004 (aka 7), and so on. It's possible to save a CS3 FLA file
back to Flash
5, but you have to have access to each version of the IDE
back to Flash MX
(aka 6).
> Alternatively, is there anyway to obtain a licensed copy
of Flash 5?
I suppose it's *possible* you might find something on eBay
or the like,
but used software purchases often raise a few red flags. If
you search
around, it might be possible to find an old trial version ...
the kind that
dies after 30 days. That might be the best you can do.
I'm actually kind of wincing that a college is still
training people on
Flash 5. So much has changed, much of the training may not be
useful. (I
realize I'm likely preaching to the choir.)
David Stiller
Adobe Community Expert
Dev blog,
http://www.quip.net/blog/
"Luck is the residue of good design."