How to read Futurewave SmartSketch files?

[Jim5C69]

I just discovered some Futurewave SmartSketch 95 *.ssk files that I created in 1998, and I'm trying to find some way to read them. One of the search results said to use. Adobe Flash Professional CC. I tried installing a trial version of that. That led to a download of Animate. Trying to install that started a never-ending process of installing Creative Cloud, without ever actually installingt Animate. It also dramatically slowed down my computer, and I found two Adobe CEF helper processes in the Task Manager which could not be stopped with the "End Task" button. The only way I found to stop them was by uninstalling Creative Cloud.

I'm still looking for a eay to read those FutureWave SmartSketch 95 *.ssk files. Can anyone help me?

[n. tilcheff]

Hi mate,

Flash 8 and Flash CS3 seem to support SSK files.

Flash CS4 and later have no such format listed, so it is pointless to install Animate.

[Jim5C69]

Thanks!

All the versions of Flash that I've been able to install require a serial number, which I don't have.

[n. tilcheff]

I can try to convert up to 10 SSK files for you in a format that you can read/view/use.

If you like, ZIP them, put them on google drive and send me a PM with a link and some explanation what you can read/use.

[Jim5C69]

Thank you!

I had copies of the files from the installation floppies, that I've copied along with everything else, from one computer to the next, of the six computers I've used since 1998. I was able to install SmartSketch from those, inside Win31DOSBox, and everything works! I copied the folder with the ssk files into the C-DRIVE folder in the Win31DOSBox folder, and I'm able to open them with SmartSketch inside Win31DOSBox.

[n. tilcheff]

Well done, mate!

Glad you could sort it out.

You should be able to run 16-bit applications on a VirtualBox with XP without issues also.

[Jim5C69]

I found copies on my computer of the files from the installation floppies for SmartSketch. I set up a virtual Windows 3.1 using the instructions and tools under "Win31DOSBox: Windows 3.1x for 64-bit Windows" on the Columbia University website. On that I was able to install SmartSketch from those installation files, and everything works!