Source VMT Editor
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Overview
The Material Editor is an engine tool available in Source 2007 and later. This tool allows you to edit VMT properties while in-game with via a simplified interface that is both user friendly and real time. This heavily simplifies the material editing process as well. Previously users would have to edit the vmt outside of the engine, then go back in-game and reload all materials, or the current vmt. To use it, run your game or mod with -tools -nop4 on the command line and select 'Material Editor' from the Tools menu. This tool is used to edit the material properties with the added advantage of a preview.
Note:This editor supports custom shaders, including ones from the Source Shader Editor !Note: Make sure that sv_lan is set to 1 in the console located in the lower-left corner (sv_lan 1) if your game is MP based.
Warning:you need to use the command: "toolload vmt" in console for 
Alien Swarm to loadInterface
The first window on the left is the properties window. On the lower right is the preview window, and bove that is the engine viewport.
File
Note:The file menu is pretty self explanitory- Open...
- Save
- Save As...
- Close
- Recent
- Clear Recent
- Exit
Edit
- Undo
Shortcut keys Ctrl + Z
- Redo
Shortcut keys ⇧ Shift + Ctrl + Z
- Describe Undo History
Confirm:What does this do??- Clear Undo History
- Keyboard
Shortcut keys ⇧ Shift + Ctrl + Alt + E
See setting key bindings
Material
- Set Params To Default
Resets the material parameters
View
- Properties
Shows the Properties Window If Checked
- Preview
Shows the Preview Window If Checked
- Show Flags
Shows the parameter flags If Checked
- Show Tool Parameters
Shows the tool parameters on the properties window If Checked
- Default Layout
Resets the layout to the defualt view
Using the Preview Window
To use the preview window...
Left click to rotate
Right Click to zoom
Middle click to move
To Create a new material
click file -> new , then begin editing
see Material for editing information
Selecting Shaders
go to "shader" from the properties list and click 
the Select Shader window will appear
select from the list or type in the name of the shader in the filter box
see Shaders
Ideally, you should pick one of these three.
- LightmappedGeneric -> for world texturing
- VertexLitGeneric -> for model texturing
- UnlitGeneric -> for UI texturing
After your shader type is selected, the list of avalable parameters will update according to what the shader supports.
Selecting textures
go to one of the fallowing parameters and click .
- $basetexture Primary Texture
- $bumpcompress
- $bumpmap use normal textures only (self shadowing bumpmaps If the $ssbump bool is set to 1)
- $bumpstretch
- $fleshbordertexture1d
- $fleshcubetexture
- $fleshinteriortexture
- $fleshinteriornoisetexture
- $fleshnormaltexture
- $fleshsubsurfacetexture
the select VTF window will appear
select the desired texture to be used in the material
Selecting Colors
go to one of the fallowing parameters and click 
the Select Color window will appear
adjust the color swatch, or type in the values to get the desired color
the color box will change to the selected color
Setting Key Bindings
to set key bindings click Edit -> Key Bindings
the Key Bindings Editor window will appear
Shader Parameters
see List of Shader Parameters for more details
Data types
- bool "short for boolean" in which 0 = false and 1 = true
- color <color255 + int> (ex. 97 11 255 255)
- float "floating point" a decimal between 0 and 1 (ex. 0.75)
- int "short for integer" (ex. 56)
- matrix "written in binary" (ex. 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 )
- string "file path" (ex. brick\brickfloor001a.vtf) "name" (ex. VertexLitGeneric)
- vector2 "two configureable values" (ex. 23 45)
- vector3 "three configureable values" (ex. 23 45 37)
- vector4 "four configureable values" (ex. 23 45 37 89)
Loading a material
Note:Complex material designs can and may crash the editor when loadingWarning:Do not load material vmts outside of the loaded mod or game directory, the associated vtf files may not load as a resultclick file -> Open..., open the file located only in the mod or game directory currently running
Saving a material
Note:Somtimes settings may not stick, this could be due to having invalid configurationsWarning:Do not save material vmts outside of the loaded mod or game directory, the material will not load as a resultclick file -> save as..., give the material a name, and save only in the mod or game directory currently running