This article's documentation is for anything that uses the Source engine. Click here for more information.

exec

From Valve Developer Community
Jump to: navigation, search

exec is a console command available in all Source Source games. exec is a console command available in all Source Source games. It is used to execute .cfg files, namely a sequence of console commands.

Usage

exec <filename> [path id]

The command executes the file "//[path id]/cfg/<filename>" if it exists. The default value of [path id] is *, resulting in the default path <game>/cfg/<filename>.

  • The <filename> argument is the name of the file either with or without the .cfg extension. A path can also be prefixed. If the <filename> argument is given, the game always prints the line Execing config: <filename> in the console. If the file does not exist, the game also prints the line exec: couldn't exec <filename>.
  • The optional [path id] argument can be used to specify a different path to execute CFG files from. Its first character must be *.
Tip.pngTip:The exec command can be used in the launch options with -exec <filename>, for example -exec autoexec will always execute the CFG file <game>/cfg/autoexec.cfg when the game starts (which is overkill, because the game already executes autoexec.cfg even without this launch option).
Tip.pngTip:exec can save a lot of time if a sequence of commands should be executed multiple times. Instead of typing the commands into the console every time, one can save them in a CFG file and execute it using exec.
Warning.pngWarning:Recursive executions crash the game!
PlacementTip.pngExample:If the CFG file <game>/cfg/keybinds.cfg contains the line exec keybinds, then its execution will cause a game crash!

Examples

Command Executed file
exec config <game>/cfg/config.cfg
exec config.cfg
exec config *
exec config */maps <game>/maps/cfg/config.cfg
exec folder/config <game>/cfg/folder/config.cfg
exec folder/config */maps <game>/maps/cfg/folder/config.cfg

Similar Commands

There are console commands that are identical to exec, but with slight differences.

ConCommand Availability Description
execifexists Alien Swarm Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop Portal 2 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Dino D-Day Dota 2 There is no error message execifexists: couldn't exec <filename> in the console if the specified file does not exist.
execwithwhitelist Counter-Strike: Global Offensive All console commands in the specified CFG file are executed with whitelistcmd. Commands are ignored if they are not whitelisted in <game>/bspconvar_whitelist.txt.