Requirements and Features

[ZeqMacaw]

Requirements

• Windows XP or later (or Linux or Mac OS with a way to run a .NET Framework program)
  
• .NET Framework 4
  If you have Windows 10 or above, you probably have to install .NET Framework 4.0.
  .NET Framework Versions and Dependencies[docs.microsoft.com]
  
• For model compiling, the game's authoring tools or SDK must be installed and the game must have its own "studiomdl.exe".
  
• For model viewing, the game's authoring tools or SDK must be installed and the game must have its own "hlmv.exe" (usually in same folder as studiomdl.exe).

Features (See Crowbar Guide for screenshots and usage.)

• Unpack
  
• Preview
  
• Decompile
  
• Edit
  
• Compile
  
• View
  
• Pack
  
• Release
  
• Options
  
• Help
  
• Set Up Games
  
• Other Features

[ZeqMacaw]

Unpack

Unpack from any VPK archive, keeping the important features of GCFScape and adding more.

• Show listing of single and multi-chunk VPKs. (A multi-chunk VPK is a set of VPK files grouped together that includes an index file with "_dir" in its name, such as found in Half-Life 2 and Team Fortress 2.)
  
• Show merged listing of multiple VPKs.
  
• Search for a piece of file name from any folder and save the results as part of the listing.
  
• Unpack directly from search results.

[ZeqMacaw]

Preview

View some basic info about a model without opening other tools. Access each game's model viewer (HLMV), mapper (Hammer), and the game itself.

• View info such as model version number and list of materials (VMT files) used.
  
• View compiled model (MDL file) in the game's model viewer.
  
• Use the "View as Replacement" button for viewing (in HLMV) a model that replaces a model in the game. Crowbar does some necessary handling of files, which would be a pain to do manually, to bypass HLMV's quirk of always showing the in-game model.

[ZeqMacaw]

Decompile

Decompile MDL and related files into QC, SMD, and related files.

• Versions supported:
  • MDL version 06
    
  • MDL version 10
    
  • MDL version 2531 (except vertex animations) + PHY
    
  • MDL version 36 (only reference mesh, physics mesh, and animation SMD files; QC file is incomplete)
    
  • MDL version 37 (only reference mesh, physics mesh, and animation SMD files; QC file is incomplete)
    
  • MDL version 44 + ANI + PHY + VTX + VVD
    
  • MDL version 45 + ANI + PHY + VTX + VVD
    
  • MDL version 46 + ANI + PHY + VTX + VVD
    
  • MDL version 47 (treated as version 46 currently)
    
  • MDL version 48 + ANI + PHY + VTX + VVD
    
  • MDL version 49 + ANI (some) + PHY + VTX + VVD
    
  • MDL version 52 (treated as version 49 currently)
• Option for creating subfolder in MDL file folder for decompiled files.
  
• Create output folder automatically if it doesn't already exist.
  
• Choose which files to create and what info to decompile.
  
• Re-create files that can be used for recompiling:
  • QC file
    
  • Reference mesh SMD files
    
  • LoD mesh SMD files
    
  • Physics mesh SMD file
    
  • Vertex animation (flexes) VTA file
    
  • Bone animation SMD files
    
  • Procedural bones VRD file
• Can decompile all models in same folder as selected MDL File. Think of this as batch mode.
  
• Can decompile all models in same folder as selected MDL File and its sub-folders. Think of this as another batch mode.
  
  
• Option to decompile with certain formatting so that existing SMD importers (such as Milkshape and MESA) will work correctly with the created files.
  
• Option to decompile each model to its own folder with same name as the model.
  * Especially useful for batch decompiling.
  
• Option to use subfolder for the anims.
  
• Decompile models found in subfolders into the same subfolder structure.
  For example, if MDL files are in this folder structure:
  

  models\
      humans\
  

  the decompiled folder structure would be the same, that is:
  

  models\
      humans\
  

• Option to decompile parts of QC into separate QCI files as requested in this topic.
  
• Option to generate the $definebone lines, to avoid having to delete the lines in the QC file if they cause problems.
  
• Option to write decompile log to a file.
  
  
• Write capitalized QC commands, such as $Model and $CDMaterials

[ZeqMacaw]

Edit

• IN DEVELOPMENT.

[ZeqMacaw]

Compile

Compile using the model compiler ("studiomdl.exe") installed with game, its authoring tools, or its SDK.

• Drag-n-drop QC file onto Crowbar.exe or anywhere in open Crowbar.
  
  
• Compile to custom output folder.
  
  
• Option to write compile log to a file.
  
  
• Compile all QC files in same folder as selected QC File. Think of this as batch mode.
  
• Compile all QC files in same folder as selected QC File and its sub-folders. Think of this as another batch mode.
  
  
• Select from compiled models for viewing, going to containing folder, and recompiling.
  
• "Skip current model compile" button for batch compiling.
  
• Shows progress of compile.
  
• Cancel compile.
  
  
• Go to folder in which model files have been created.
  
• Recompile selected model.

[ZeqMacaw]

View

Use the same features as Preview. Why have a second tab with the same features? Because sometimes you might want to compare two different models, such as an original model from a game and your custom version of the model.

[ZeqMacaw]

Pack

• IN DEVELOPMENT.

[ZeqMacaw]

Release

• IN DEVELOPMENT.

[ZeqMacaw]

Options

Change Auto-open (Windows file association) and drag-drop options.

• Set whether double-clicking a VPK or QC file opens Crowbar.
  
• Set whether double-clicking an MDL file opens Crowbar, which tabs to set up, and which tab to show.
  
• Set whether double-clicking a folder opens Crowbar and which tab to set up and show.
  
  
• Set which tabs to set up and which tab to show when drag-dropping an MDL file onto "Crowbar.exe" file or anywhere in Crowbar window.
  
• Set which tab to set up and show when drag-dropping a folder onto "Crowbar.exe" file or anywhere in Crowbar window.

NOTE: Drag-dropping a VPK or QC onto Crowbar always opens the Unpack or Compile tab, respectively.

[ZeqMacaw]

Help

Nice big button that links to the online Crowbar Guide.

[ZeqMacaw]

Set Up Games

• Default set of game setups.
  
• Set the game's main folder, model compiler (studiomdl.exe), model viewer (hlmv.exe), and packer/unpacker (vpk.exe or gmad.exe).

[ZeqMacaw]

Other Features

• Source code available since version 0.19.