If I made a homepage with an embedded .swf which had buttons that linked to other html pages on my website using the getUrl() function, would those links be spiderable by google? Or should I also put in text links outside of the .swf (which would ruin the design a bit)?
I know a lot of people will argue I shouldn't have flash as the main content on the homepage (and their comments are appreciated), but bear in mind, that's not my question.
The spider will see no links there at all. Edit: I am incorrect; google will see the links. I stand by my second point though.
On a personal note, and this is directed at your client, websites with the layout you describe are an abomination. They frustrate patient customers and drive away others. There is no good reason to do such a thing.
Actually, Daenyth's answer to the contrary, Google's indexing has gone a long way towards understanding Flash. It's not as opaque as it was when Daenyth's opinions must have been formed. That said, there's no single document outlining what google can see and what it can't.
For optimal google visibility, it's always a good idea to use something like SWFObject to embed your site and keep an HTML-only version of at least your nav and main content behind your .swf. That way, not only do you get better google indexing but anyone visiting the site on an iOS device will at least have something to look at.
Cheers, myk