Category:Source SDK FAQ

This is a directory of Frequently Asked Questions about the Source SDK.

Installation

• How do I get and install the Source SDK?

General SDK troubleshooting

• Where can I go for more help?
• How do I reset the Source SDK Game Configuration?
• I reset my Game Configuration, but I get a configuration error when I try to run Hammer.
• My game configurations menu In Hammer and the SDK application is empty.
• How do I re-install the entire Source SDK installation?
• How do I remove old games from my "Current Game" menu?
• After working in the SDK for a little while, my machine runs out of resources and crashes!
• How do I fix the "Cache Needs Repair" error?
• How do I fix the "Cache Needs Decryption" error?
• I get an error "Can't find steam.dll relative to executable path (steam path)"
• I'm experiencing constant, strange problems not covered elsewhere in this FAQ.

General SDK information

• How are the Source SDK files and directories structured?
• What is meant by Game Directory?
• I get an error "The configuration information for the game is invalid or missing". What do I do?
• How can I make my own GameInfo.txt?
• Gamecfg.ini conversion information
• How do I launch the game without loading the 3D background maps?
• What are some game parameters I can launch the game with?

Hammer Configuration and Compiling

• My Hammer Configuration does not work correctly. What do I do?
• How do I manually configure the Hammer Editor?
• How do I copy the contents of the compile Process Window?
• After launching Hammer, the application takes a huge amount of RAM/system resources!
• What is the "Additional game parameters" field for?
• My multiplayer map isn't appearing in the multiplayer map list.
• I compiled my map with Hammer, but when I run the game from the Steam menu, the map is not there.
• When I compile my map, it freezes on vvis or vrad.
• I added some prop models in Hammer, but they don't appear in the game!
• When I compile, I get "Error! static_prop using model (modelname), which must be used on a dynamic entity."
• When I load my Counter-Strike: Source map, it says "Both Teams are Full".
• Hammer reports "leaked!" when I compile. How do I fix it?
• I get a message "Memory leak: mempool blocks left in memory: (number)" when I compile.
• When I run my multiplayer map in the game, people join my server!

Hammer 2D and 3D views

• Models I place in Hammer are rendered with a black and purple checkerboard in-game.
• How do I get back to having 4 views - the 3D, top, front, and side views?
• How do I make it so textures show up in the 3D view? Mine is only wireframe.
• When I'm using the Texture Application (Face Edit) window, I have to close it to move the 3D camera.
• When I use camera shortcuts with the Texture Application window, the window gets "stuck".

Level editing features and problems

• How do I correctly make a skybox?
• How do I add fog to my level?
• Can I make a custom soundscape for my level?
• How do I use Half-Life 2 model or material in a Counter-Strike: Source map?
• I'm trying to set the lightmap scale on my displacements, but it won't let me set the value I want.
• When I use the Carve tool, I get errors, or Hammer simply freezes for a long time.

FacePoser

• I get an error "SAPI 5.1 Unable to create recognizer context".

Programming

• What compiler do I need to build the SDK code?
• Can I use Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0 with the SDK?
• Am I seeing an issue that's already well known?
• When I use run_mod.bat, I can't run the game if my path has spaces.
• Missing certain Half-Life 2 entities in Hammer with custom Mods.

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