How do you add a link to a .swf file?

Question

Is there a way to add a link/URL to a .swf file, without embedding into the original .fla file?
Is there any way to do that with just the .swf file alone, and without actually editing the .fla or re-creating it?

Answer 1

I won't be providing lessons, but here's the basics...  to load the other swf file using AS3 you will use code like the following in the main timeline...
var my_loader:Loader = new Loader();
my_loader.load(new URLRequest("theOther.swf"));
addChild(my_loader);
addChild(myBtn); // described next but coded here
To add a link, you can create an invisible button and place whereever you like in the timeline, or if its a text link you can assign the link to the dynamic textfield via the properties panel.  To create an invisible button just create a button symbol and draw a shape for it only in its Hit frame, leaving all other empty... that way you can still see the button to work with it on the stage, but it will be invisible when the file plays.  You could also have the button include text or any other visual you desire if you don't need/want it to be invisible.
If you use the button approach, then you need to assign the button an instance name (I use "myBtn" for this example)  Then you have to assign an event listener and event handler function for the button...
myBtn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, clickBtn);
function clickBtn(evt:MouseEvent):void {
     navigateToURL(new URLRequest("http://www.yourlinksurl.com/etc"));
The reason I addChild for myBtn after I addChild the Loader is so that it will sit above the Loader.  Without that line, the Loader would have the loaded swf sitting atop the button blocking access to it.
If you plan to use a Textfield instead of a button, then you don't need the event code but you still need the addChild() line to bring it in front.  As mentioned already you can link it via the properties panel field for a link.  To make life simple per these instructions just assign the textfield an instance name of myBtn.