Flash Player message about missing Xtra (Vector Shape)
Issue
Shockwave may give the following unhelpful message when trying to use ani-MODs: "This application requires an Xtra (Vector Shape) that either does not exist or failed to initialise properly. Please make sure the appropriate Xtras are in the Xtras folder(s)."
Explanation
The standard Shockwave Player installer does only a partial install of Shockwave, and then downloads other parts as needed. Unfortunately, Shockwave assumes that all users are running with full administrative rights at all times. In any properly-secured setup, standard users do not have administrative rights, so the as-needed downloads for Shockwave Player can't work and it reports this message.
Solution
Download and install the Shockwave Player full installer, not the partial Shockwave Player installer offered by default.
Download it from www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/alternates/#sp The full version is about 6MB, instead of the default 2MB xtras-on-demand version.
This needs full admin privileges to run, but it updates Shockwave for all users on that machine, who can then use fully-featured Shockwave without further installations or messages.
Technical notes
The 'Vector Shape' part of the Shockwave message is a bug in Adobe Shockwave. There is no such thing as a Vector Shape Xtra. The missing Xtra needed for doing ani-MODs is the Flash Asset Xtra. This Xtra is required to do Flash in Shockwave.
The error message emitted by Shockwave is set by its makers, Adobe. If it was up to us, it would say: This application relies on the Flash Asset Xtra in Shockwave. Your computer has the default partial install of Shockwave that does not include this Xtra. The partial install can go and get various Xtras on demand if you are running with elevated privileges. But very sensibly your computer is properly secured in line with best practice, so this can't happen. Please install the Flash Asset Xtra manually, or use the Shockwave full installer to install Shockwave with everything.
Page date 09/09/09