Hey guys

I've got a quick question about compiling for source. I'm trying to learn with a simple arch way for the time being. I am using milkshape to model and export and Jed's GUI studioMDL 1.0 to compile.

This has happened for several textures which is the reason that I'm trying to use standard ones. The first one that I used was a custom solid red just made to see if I could compile. When I couldn't get it to work I started using standard ones to see if I was doing the texture or the compiling wrong. In milkshape the texture is the stonetrim001a.vtf. This is the compiling log from the compiler [Thanks Jed - great tool to finally see whats happening]

[Performing Sanity Check]
QC file loaded...PASS
Can read QC...PASS
Can find studiomdl.exe...PASS
Can build command line...PASS
All tests passed!

[Compiling QC file - "arches.qc"]
[Compiler output follows]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
entering C:\DOCUME~1\GRAHAM~1\Desktop\Models\arches\arches. qc
grabbing \Documents and Settings\Graham Conquergood\Desktop\Models\arches\/./arches_ref.smd
grabbing \Documents and Settings\Graham Conquergood\Desktop\Models\arches\/arches_idle.smd

************ ERROR ************
unknown graphics type: "\Documents and Settings\Graham Conquergood\Desktop\Models\arches\/stonetrim001a.vtf"


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Compiler execution completed]

And the QC file

// Output .MDL
$modelname "C:\Documents and Settings\Graham Conquergood\Desktop\Models\arches\arches.mdl"

// Directory of .SMD
$cd "\Documents and Settings\Graham Conquergood\Desktop\Models\arches\"

// Directory of .BMP
$cdtexture "\Documents and Settings\Graham Conquergood\Desktop\Models\arches\"
$cliptotextures

// Write textures into a ???T.mdl
//$externaltextures

$scale 1.0

// bodygroups: use relative path from $cd
$bodygroup body
{
studio "./arches_ref"
}

Hope this is enough for someone to help me?

Thanks

Graham
Twigs

Your trying to use the HL1 compiler with a HL1 formatted QC but with Source format SMD files. The error is coming up because the HL1 studiomdl is hitting the texture name in the SMD and it doesnt end in ".bmp".

1) GUIStudioMDL v1 isnt designed for Source but it will work if you copy it to the SDK/bin folder. However, I'm just finishing the Source version up at the moment.

2) A lot of the QC commands for HL1 are invalid for Source - don't be suprised if you get "bad command errors" in the output. You'll need to re-write your QC's to comply with the Source compiler. Look in the SDK samples for examples on how do do this and the SDK docs for the important QC commands.

3) I can't recall, but I believe that the Source compiler doesnt care what format the textures are in within the SMD as it just looks for a VMT file of the same name anyway. However, just to be sure - stick to VTF or TGA textures.

Awsome Jed - thanks for the help. Using studioMDL and re-writing the QC I got the model to compile minus the texture, I'll work on that myself to see if I can get it to work. Look forward to the compiler for source.

And they replaced cdtextures with cdmaterials

so it should be

$cdmaterials "\Documents and Settings\Graham Conquergood\Desktop\Models\arches\"

But getting the right directories figured out is annoying at first. You'll be getting a lot of purple/black checkered errors.

Ok - I had a problem with using a standard texture where it was giving me a clear model. I was using a mapping texture and instead I tried a modelling texture. I'm not sure if it fixed the problem but it worked.

Thanks again for the help guys!