HL2 Compile Toolkit

[Gush]

your QC is fine so it must be a problem in your model "shack_ref"
what's the poly count of that model?

im sorry but i dont know what the error "Too many indices" means. unless anyone can shade any light on that then i dont know how to fix it.
anyone guess what it means by "indices"?

It's only 2099 polys........

 

[Some0ne]

well i dunno then Gush. you're gonna have to find out what "indices" means.

 

[Some0ne]

Known Issues, Common Problems and Other Info

iv been getting a lot of emails and messages about the same few problems so iv put together a small list of each issue and some other notes of possible problems. i will put this in the how to use.txt of the next update.


The programme was made on Windows XP Home and there may be compatibilty issues with other versions of windows. I know it works on XP PRO and WINDOWS 2000 - dont know about 98 - but you are likely to get the "COMDLG" error, which i will talk about in a moment.


Uninstall Issue:
This is not so much an issue with the uninstaller but an issue if you dont use it when using a new version.
From version 1.2.0 there has been an "Uninstall.exe" which you should run before using a new version. If you dont you may get an error when you launch the new version's "HL2 Compile Toolkit.exe".
Make sure to backup any files needed from "model_compiling_files" and "compiled_model_files" as these may be deleted during the uninstall.


COMDLG Issue:
If you get an error message when you open the programme which says something about the "comdlg.dll" or "comdlg.ocx" then you have this issue. The message may be similar to this:

Failed to load control 'CommonDialog' from
comdlg32.ocx. your version of 'comdlg32' may be
outdated make sure your using the version of the
control that was provided with your application.
________
|___ok___|


To fix this download the file from this link http://www.jpole.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/COMDLG32.zip
You then need to extract the ZIP file and copy the extracted files to "WINDOWS\system32"


tier0.dll Issue:
When compiling you may get an error message saying "cannot find the DLL - tier0.dll", or similar.
To fix this you need to open up Sourcesdk and "Refresh SDK Content".
Refreshing the SDK Content may also fix other possible errors similar to the tier0.dll, such as missing other files.


Drive Issue:
This is an issue which some people seem to have. It is basically that the programme will run, but wont work properly because it is not on drive C. The symptons of this are when you try to compile, the DOS window will flash up and disappear again. I dont know why this is an issue and i dont know if its possible to get it working on a different drive than C.
To fix this put it on your C drive, if you have one.

 

[Gush]

well i dunno then Gush. you're gonna have to find out what "indices" means.

It's working now, succefully compiled my first model, yay! :afro:

Also, I don't have it installed on Drive C:\ ...mine is on another drive....

 

[Some0ne]

excellent . so this bug is a bit more complicated then

 

[Gush]

Am getting bad results when using Prop Phys.......I get the collision facing the wrong way......in Max it faces right way. I've used Physique modifier to set it up and tried using standard linking but still get that problem......

Howeverm when making normal statics it works fine.......

 

[Some0ne]

could you post your QC file and a picture of it in max.

 

[Gush]

could you post your QC file and a picture of it in max.

Hey, I fugured out the problem, just before I was gonna send it a screeny.......

Somehow I was having a very hard time with part of merging the collision model with model.......at first, I was creating collision model over model and then deleting the base model......from there I would link to bone....that was causing bad results......

Finally, what I did is save collision model separately and then merge it to the base model. Once merged, I can adjust it so its facing right, if needed. That worked for me.........

So basicly, it had to do with the merging of the collision model........


Thanks for replying......this program is nice! Btw, I sent you a donation!!

 

[Gush]

Dang, am stumped.......seems that this aim't what I thought. The problem is still happening regardless whether its merged right or not........anyway, below is my QC for a barrel model that is not giving me results.........also an image of my 3dsMax setup....I've followed this video tutorial to prepare it.........
http://www.fileplanet.com/150093/150000/fileinfo/Half-Life-2---Prop-Physics-Tutorial?r=5?r=5



***********************
$modelname "barrel\barrel"
$cdmaterials "barrel\"
$cdmaterials "barrel\"

$scale 1
$surfaceprop "wood_crate"

$keyvalues { "prop_data" { "base" "Wooden.Medium" } }


$body studio "barrel_ref"

$collisionmodel "barrel_phys" {
$automass
$concave
}
*****************

 

[Some0ne]

have you got a bone with the model attached to it?

 

[Gush]

have you got a bone with the model attached to it?

Yes sir, its there...attached to root bone....as I mentioned I did this over 20 times and followed the tutorials closely.....its weird but the chair did work and that happened when I un-installed the program and re-installed it....but still un-certain whether it's that.

 

[Some0ne]

well i would be very surprised if it was, in fact, a problem with the programme because i have never heard of such a problem before and it would not make any sense if it were.

 

[Gush]

well i would be very surprised if it was, in fact, a problem with the programme because i have never heard of such a problem before and it would not make any sense if it were.

You use Milkshape3d right? All you do is link you meshes to the root bone, and in your proggy set it whether you wanna use it as Static or Prop Phys......

Not sure how different it is in Max but I used Physique modfier to do this, as explained in the video tutorial......unless, all I need is linking? will give that a try......



EDIT: Strange, still does it even by just linking....



EDIT: Problem solved!..........Looks my StudioMDL.Exe was missing!! The program would still operate even without studioMDL existing.......just started SDK again for it to download then now it works......

Doesn't this tool alert users when something is missing?

 

[Some0ne]

it checks for things needed for the compile, such as QC file, SMD file etc. but it doesnt check for missing files in sourcesdk. il add this when i make an update in the summer.

edit: and im baffled as to how it still compiled without studiomdl.exe - my studiomdl.exe disappeared the other day and my model, naturally, wouldnt compile at all.

 

[Gush]

it checks for things needed for the compile, such as QC file, SMD file etc. but it doesnt check for missing files in sourcesdk. il add this when i make an update in the summer.

edit: and im baffled as to how it still compiled without studiomdl.exe - my studiomdl.exe disappeared the other day and my model, naturally, wouldnt compile at all.

I also think aadditional features for the texture compiler would be cool.......like additional option selections for VMTs' whether they use BumpMap or not.....just the most common options.

I've compiled a bunch of statics that use bumpmaps thinking the program already does it for you but it doesn't......has to go back manually and add the line.....

 

[ShiverMeTimbers]

I did everything the how to.txt said but when I go to compile textures or models I get this message:

---------------------------

vtex.exe - Entry Point Not Found
---------------------------
The procedure entry point _f could not be located in the dynamic link library Steam.dll.
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------

And in the CMD window I get this message:

Can't load C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\[email protected]\sourcesdk\bin\filesystem_steam.dll.

I tried restarting SDK content but the problem still happens.

 

[Some0ne]

that is the king of all problems...its one i have never managed to solve in a good way and from mine and other people's expieriences i can only conclude that formatting your computer should solve it. i am yet to learn of another way. sorry.

 

[Some0ne]

Hl2 Compile Toolkit 2 Announcement

This is an announcement about HL2 Compile Toolkit version 2.

This major update will include dramatic changes to the GUI - the presentation(look of it all) is being enhanced, I've got someone doing graphics for me, and the layout will be alot better - in general it will be more simple and direct and the options and things will be set out in a much nicer and easier fashion.
Along with the layout of the different features being changed, much of it will be rewritten to fit accordingly and by doing so, the programme will function a lot better.
There will also be several additions. The main ones being; map compiling, a proper section given to texture compiling with advanced options, advanced options in the Create QC feature aswell as the option to create weapon or character QCs, a feature which will enable you to remove any previously compiled models or textures with a variety of options, possibility to compile a model without making a QC, instead by choosing some options about the model in the compile screen, and altogether fixing and enhancing everything to make a much fuller programme from the previous attempt.

Please post suggestions of what you want to be in version 2 or simply comment on the announced changes.

 

[Gush]

This is an announcement about HL2 Compile Toolkit version 2.

This major update will include dramatic changes to the GUI - the presentation(look of it all) is being enhanced, I've got someone doing graphics for me, and the layout will be alot better - in general it will be more simple and direct and the options and things will be set out in a much nicer and easier fashion.
Along with the layout of the different features being changed, much of it will be rewritten to fit accordingly and by doing so, the programme will function a lot better.
There will also be several additions. The main ones being; map compiling, a proper section given to texture compiling with advanced options, advanced options in the Create QC feature aswell as the option to create weapon or character QCs, a feature which will enable you to remove any previously compiled models or textures with a variety of options, possibility to compile a model without making a QC, instead by choosing some options about the model in the compile screen, and altogether fixing and enhancing everything to make a much fuller programme from the previous attempt.

Please post suggestions of what you want to be in version 2 or simply comment on the announced changes.

Coolness, prolly the only problem I've encountered is getting the normal maps I make included with my models, so maybe an option whether to include or not include normal maps would be great.....

I really like this program and with a few more tweaks here and there I think this will be the tool of choice for most of us.

 

[Some0ne]

normal mapping will be included aswell as many other VMT options.

 

[SidewinderX]

so this will make charcter .qcs for you?

 

[Some0ne]

im planning on including it, yes.

 

[StardogChampion]

EDIT: The C: drive thing in the readme seems to fix this, oops.

 

[Shinobi]

site seems to be down

 

[g8rjosh]

would it be possible to convert a .max or.3ds directly? I cant stand XSI, its totally different and I havent the patience right now to learn it.

 

[StardogChampion]

would it be possible to convert a .max or.3ds directly? I cant stand XSI, its totally different and I havent the patience right now to learn it.

You don't have to use XSI, you can use Max. You need to export your .max/.3ds to a .smd using a plugin (try "cannonfodder smd export" on google). Then just use the compile toolkit.

Late reply, but nevermind.

 

[gman900]

whenever i try to open hl2 compile toolkit,i get this error!
http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/2764/error9ub.jpg
please help!

 

[Stormy]

Is there a home page for this, i have been googleing but cant find anything. Im just finding it hard to know what the current version is what what i should be downloading.

 

[Bl4ckj4ck3D]

Can anyone help me with this problem? I make the qc file and all that then go to run compile script and check the compile texture and compile model and I get a runtime 53 error.

 

[FREEMANIC]

i have got a free trail for 3d studio max 7 and i got the compile toolkit from a site awhile back and when i make an object and try combiling it it asks for my steam name thingy and when i put it in it still doesnt work

i got the compile kit from a guy called mixerman3D or something like that

 

[FREEMANIC]

Can anyone help me with this problem? I make the qc file and all that then go to run compile script and check the compile texture and compile model and I get a runtime 53 error.

howed you get the col task bar Bl4ckj4ck3D?

and i dont know the answer

 

[iks]

Error message.

Hello someone.

First, i want to thank you for this nice tool. I think i'm doing something wrong, but i'v tryed almost every thing i could think of. I get an error when trying to compile a prop model, it tells me this: Can't find steam app user info.Hit a key to continue. I think it might be me doing something wrong, but can't figure it out. Hope you can help me.:E

 

[StardogChampion]

Since Valve update things every 5 minutes, it breaks tools like this.

 

[slickcatguy]

error 53

I am also getting the error 53 problem. So far it looks like a great program some1 but with other compilers im not getting my .phy file, and this looks like it creates one which I need

 

[drmonumbo]

I get this error when trying to compile (steam is definitely open)

SteamStartup() failed: SteamStartup(0xf,0x12f0e4) failed with error 108: The loc
al Steam Service is not running
Hit a key to continue

 

[slickcatguy]

My setup

Well I finally got around to making my first model. I still use HL2 Compile Toolkit, bot ONLY to create the qc file. I then take my
- file_ref.smd (referance file)
- file_seq.smd(sequence file)
- image.vtf (I just save to vtf from adobe photoshop to make things easier)
- file.qc ( qc file created by HL2 compile toolkit)
and put them in a folder and place it in my username/sourcesdk/bin folder
I then open ms-dos (make sure steam is running) and type
cs "%sourcesdk"
bin\studiomdl bin\foldername\file.qc
and BOOM your model is compiled. just look at the dos locations where the file will be placed. any questions feel free to ask me.

 

[RBX775]

EDIT :

Argh !
The first time i read the HOW TO USE txt i didnt saw the solution for my problem,
I just checked it again, and found a Bugfix, sry !

 

[wirelesstaco]

Can anyone help me with this problem? I make the qc file and all that then go to run compile script and check the compile texture and compile model and I get a runtime 53 error.

Same thing happened to me. Took me a while but i found the answer. I had the same problem as you then i download the hl2 compile toolkit on a different computer and it worked fine. The problem is WinZip unzips all the folders. The solution is to download WinRar. :bounce:

 

[wirelesstaco]

Nvm just realized I had a different problem then you. But for any one who cant open the tool kit use me solution above.

 

[chapster5]

It doesnt compile anything for me its looking in the wrong place for the compilers? its looking in Bin instead of Bin/EP1/Bin lol, please fix, love it so far (the simplicity)