Eng:Project Downloading

Project Downloading is when the code of a Scratch project is downloaded from the Scratch Website to the user's computer. This allows a user to work on a project in Scratch 1.4, the Scratch 2.0 offline editor (when released), or other programs that can read Scratch files. For simply viewing the code of a project, See Inside can be used.

Downloading 2.0 Projects
Downloading a Scratch 2.0 project is done from the project editor. There is an option under the File menu, "Download to your computer". Upon clicking, the user will be prompted to choose a name and location for the file. It will be a .sb2 file.

This method works for all projects on the Scratch website, no matter what version it was saved in. Projects saved in Scratch 2.0 (including autosave) only work with this method; projects never saved in Scratch 2.0 work with the method below.

Downloading 1.4 Projects
If a project was made in the Scratch 1.x series, and was never saved using Scratch 2.0, it can be downloaded by clicking "Embed" beneath the project viewer, then "Download code", as in the image to the right. This will download a  file, depending on the user's web browser, a download window may or may not appear and/or give options for the downloading user.

Benefits of Downloading Projects
Most of the past benefits of downloading projects were lost in Scratch 2.0, with the introduction of See Inside and the backpack. Users previously would download projects to view or edit the scripts, or use media from the project, but all of this can now be done online. Some Scratch Extensions currently work only in past versions of Scratch, but this should be fixed soon. The only real reasons to download a Scratch 2.0 project are:


 * To keep a backup copy of the project in case it is deleted online
 * To Edit the project offline
 * To reduce lag caused by Flash
 * To Play other peoples games and projects offline
 * To play a game which does not work online (common for projects created with Scratch 1.4)

Locking Downloads
Some Scratchers support the idea of an option to lock downloads, or, in Scratch 2.0, lock "See Inside" on a project, as it would prevent others from stealing their work, allow private scripting, and so on.

However, the suggestion was rejected due to the fact that remixing is an important part of Scratch. The suggestion was also against the Creative Commons license, that Scratch projects are under, which allows remixing.

Several quotes had been mentioned [ here], including:

"But wouldn't the option to refuse download be against Scratch's motto to imagine, program, and share? Honestly, if I did not want other people taking the art and music form my projects, I would post my projects on my own personal site and set my own Creative Commons/copyright license or not upload my project to the Scratch website at all."

- cheddargirl

Despite the explanations, the idea is still supported by some Scratchers because it can be a way of preventing project copying or art theft.

However, some people have created their own remix blockers. However, this is highly discouraged and should not be used.