If you are coming from the Creating A Preset tutorial then you should be all set to add your "Full" preset to the Presets menu; otherwise, if you have not created a "Full" preset, please see the Creating A Preset tutorial.

To add a preset to the Presets menu we must first head back to the options form. In the Options menu click Setup. Next click on the Presets tab. It should look like this:

Now click the Add button and browse to the location you saved your preset to, select it, and open it. The preset will now be added to your list of presets as shown below:

You can add as many presets as you want here, and remove them latter by simply selecting them and clicking the Remove button. Once you are happy with the presets you have added, click OK to return to the main Batch Compiler from. You'll now notice a shinny new Presets main menu option. From here you can launch any presets you added from the options form. It should look like this:

You can pick up a pack of three common preset files here. This includes presets for fast, normal, and full compiles.

A lot of people are always asking me what good settings for a full compile are, so if you haven't noticed the like to sample preset files yet, look directly above this post.

one thing im new to this and i was wondering if you need to have Half life.

As in will it work for CS retail? Yes it will, just change the appropriate paths (i.e., instead of hl.exe use cstrike.exe).

I used to compile in Worldcraft but it has since stopped working with my map, so I downloaded your compiler. I followed the tutorial exactly, and even downloaded the Full preset and used it to compile my map. It worked, however there are no shadows in my map at all like there used to be. How can I fix this?

I have not been able to find a tutorial on how comple in 1.6 and then launch right in to it. I was wondering if any one knew how?

i have every thing set up just as above but i get this in the log file.....
----------------------------------------------------
Error: Entity 0, Brush 439, Side 1: has a coplanar plane at (2984, 1808, 384), texture METALSKIN1
Error: Entity 0, Brush 439: outside world(+/-4096): (-1658,-7165,-10000)-(7798,10459,10000)
Error: Entity 0, Brush 439: outside world(+/-4096): (-1658,-7165,-10000)-(7798,10459,10000)
Error: Entity 0, Brush 439: outside world(+/-4096): (-1658,-7165,-10000)-(7798,10459,10000)
----------------------------------------------------
can anyone help or head me in the right direction??

thanx

You have BC set up right, but any errors you get compiling are errors with your map, not BC. See this page.

im taking it that the surfaces must be cbes,hex,etc. and cant have 2 sides..

Error: Can't open c:\windows\desktop\neo-map\index.p0



i get this error when compiling my map!!!!

i get another error too

the file is invalid or not set!

c:\programsfiles\valvahammereditor\compiler.bat

i have a question. i got my map to work but after i almost threw my computer accross the room. i keeped getting a light error it said to add lights. well i had some so i thought maybe i need more, and thew lights all over the place and then the compile just had a quick dos popup window comes up and goes away and nothing happens. so i took a screenshot and saw it said unknown option "-cliptype" so i went to the csg tab and unchecked cliptype and it compiled fine. what am i doing wrong that cliptype had to be unchecked?

The switch isn't working because the version of Zoner's Tools that you have is out of date. See this page for more info.

are u entirly sur about that because I tried that. and another thing, the tools from "Zoners Tools Legacy (v2.5.3)" in the archive mapping tools u have for download didnt work eather but i got another version called zhlt253-17. not sure if thats same version but thoes tools work but like i said, i have to uncheck cliptype. can u specify what versions are compatible. im using valve hammer/worldcraft 3.4 and batch compiler 3.1.2.

Here is a better link. According to that link, the latest tools (v3.3) support the cliptype parameter. If they don't, please let me know and I'll update the specification. It is had for me to keep track of all the changes to the tools on top of everything.

The cliptype switch isn't essential as long as you aren't running out of clip nodes, so if you aren't, you can safey ignore it.

The cliptype option is only in zhlt 2.5.3m1.7p3 (I guess that's the full name). That means any of the really old tools (zhlt 2.5.3 and before), semi-old tools (mhlt 1.7 and before) and earl chlt builds don't have the clip type options. The option was introducex in XP-Cageys 'P' series. See the version history if you don't beleive me.

If you want to use the cliptype option, your best bet is a version of ZHLT 3. Like Nem siad, unless you are having clipping problems, you shouldn't even need to use this option. However, if you are using ZHLT 3+, I suggust using cliptype precise if it dosn't cause you any error.

thanks for all the help. i got it now. very clear

I have just started to make my first map for hl1 using hammer and zhlt....I came here because although I tried to compile using hammer, it wouldnt at first produce a .bsp file .Eventually I got it to do so, but........the .bsp file, when placed in my maps folder, wouldn't load....others would no problem,but not mine.. So, I decided to try Batch Compiler, ......set it all up, compiled ok.....placed .bsp file in maps folder, but no........same problem. Just will not load.. I've reconfigured BC....gone through the tutorial letter by letter!
One thing tho.....in the tutorial, the page about adding presets, when I click on 'add' and browse to where I saved my preset......theres nothing there..!! ...I understand there should be a ......Full.bcp file ? Well there isn't.....help me please, I'm such a newbie to mapping.......

Most likely you have a compile error. Go and post here:

http://www.chatbear.com/board.plm?b=390

be sure to post your compile log there as well. You can copy it from the command window.

----- BEGIN hlcsg -----
Command line: "D:\Valve Hammer Editor\hlcsg.exe"-wadautodetect -cliptype Precise -chart "D:\My Maps\testmap6"
Entering D:\My Maps\testmap6.map
Error: ParseEntity: EOF without closing brace

i get this msg when i try to compile any of my maps. i tried adding the }s
didnt work. i can compile annother map that my friend made but any map i make, even old oned that i have compiled before give me this error. could you please tell me how to fix this?

This is not a place for compile problems, as it has nothing to do with the Batch Compiler.

This is:
http://www.chatbear.com/board.plm?b=390

But to answer your question, read this:
http://www.slackiller.com/tommy14/errors.htm#emptybox

If that dosn't help, then I need more information:
-what version of the compile tools are you using because they might be old. Try using the newest version found here:
http://ammahls.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=81

-What version of VHE are you using?

-Are you using HLFix? It may help.
http://extension.ws/hlfix/

-Can you compile the map using VHE?

OK, so everything went well until i ran the VIS thing. i ran it separately. it did whatever. but then i got this message :

hlcsg v3.4 Final (Feb 25 2006)
Zoner's Half-Life Compilation Tools -- Custom Build
Based on code modifications by Sean 'Zoner' Cavanaugh
Based on Valve's version, modified with permission.
Submit detailed bug reports to (amckern@yahoo.com)
----- BEGIN hlcsg -----
Command line: "F:\5HALF LIFE\ZHLT\hlcsg.exe"-wadautodetect -cliptype Precise -chart "D:\Games\Valve Hammer Editor\TFC11"
Entering D:\Games\Valve Hammer Editor\TFC11.map

Current hlcsg Settings
Name | Setting | Default
---------------------|-----------|-------------------------
threads [ 1 ] [ Varies ]
verbose [ off ] [ off ]
log [ on ] [ on ]
developer [ 0 ] [ 0 ]
chart [ on ] [ off ]
estimate [ off ] [ off ]
max texture memory [ 4194304 ] [ 4194304 ]
max lighting memory [ 6291456 ] [ 6291456 ]
priority [ Normal ] [ Normal ]

noclip [ off ] [ off ]
null texture stripping[ on ] [ on ]
clipnode economy mode [ on ] [ on ]
clip hull type [ precise ] [ legacy ]
onlyents [ off ] [ off ]
wadtextures [ on ] [ on ]
skyclip [ on ] [ on ]
hullfile [ None ] [ None ]
nullfile [ None ] [ None ]
min surface area [ 0.500 ] [ 0.500 ]
brush union threshold [ 0.000 ] [ 0.000 ]

Using mapfile wad configuration
Wadfiles not in use by the map will be excluded
Wadinclude list :
[zhlt.wad]

0 brushes (totalling 0 sides) discarded from clipping hulls
CreateBrush:
(0.00 seconds)
SetModelCenters:
(0.00 seconds)

Object names Objects/Maxobjs Memory / Maxmem Fullness
------------ --------------- --------------- --------
models 0/400 0/25600 ( 0.0%)
planes 0/32768 0/655360 ( 0.0%)
vertexes 0/65535 0/786420 ( 0.0%)
nodes 0/32767 0/786408 ( 0.0%)
texinfos 0/32767 0/1310680 ( 0.0%)
faces 0/65535 0/1310700 ( 0.0%)
clipnodes 0/32767 0/262136 ( 0.0%)
leaves 0/8192 0/229376 ( 0.0%)
marksurfaces 0/65535 0/131070 ( 0.0%)
surfedges 0/512000 0/2048000 ( 0.0%)
edges 0/256000 0/1024000 ( 0.0%)
texdata [variable] 0/4194304 ( 0.0%)
lightdata [variable] 0/6291456 ( 0.0%)
visdata [variable] 0/2097152 ( 0.0%)
entdata [variable] 0/524288 ( 0.0%)
0 textures referenced
=== Total BSP file data space used: 0 bytes ===


Texture usage is at 0.00 mb (of 4.00 mb MAX)
0.14 seconds elapsed

----- END hlcsg -----



hlbsp v3.4 Final (Feb 25 2006)
Zoner's Half-Life Compilation Tools -- Custom Build
Based on code modifications by Sean 'Zoner' Cavanaugh
Based on Valve's version, modified with permission.
Submit detailed bug reports to (amckern@yahoo.com)
----- BEGIN hlbsp -----
Command line: "F:\5HALF LIFE\ZHLT\hlbsp.exe"-chart "D:\Games\Valve Hammer Editor\TFC11"

Current hlbsp Settings
Name | Setting | Default
-------------------|-----------|-------------------------
threads [ 1 ] [ Varies ]
verbose [ off ] [ off ]
log [ on ] [ on ]
developer [ 0 ] [ 0 ]
chart [ on ] [ off ]
estimate [ off ] [ off ]
max texture memory [ 4194304 ] [ 4194304 ]
priority [ Normal ] [ Normal ]

noclip [ off ] [ off ]
nofill [ off ] [ off ]
noopt [ off ] [ off ]
null tex. stripping [ on ] [ on ]
notjunc [ off ] [ off ]
subdivide size [ 240 ] [ 240 ] (Min 64) (Max 512)
max node size [ 1024 ] [ 1024 ] (Min 64) (Max 8192)



Object names Objects/Maxobjs Memory / Maxmem Fullness
------------ --------------- --------------- --------
models 0/400 0/25600 ( 0.0%)
planes 0/32768 0/655360 ( 0.0%)
vertexes 0/65535 0/786420 ( 0.0%)
nodes 0/32767 0/786408 ( 0.0%)
texinfos 0/32767 0/1310680 ( 0.0%)
faces 0/65535 0/1310700 ( 0.0%)
clipnodes 0/32767 0/262136 ( 0.0%)
leaves 1/8192 28/229376 ( 0.0%)
marksurfaces 0/65535 0/131070 ( 0.0%)
surfedges 0/512000 0/2048000 ( 0.0%)
edges 1/256000 4/1024000 ( 0.0%)
texdata [variable] 4/4194304 ( 0.0%)
lightdata [variable] 0/6291456 ( 0.0%)
visdata [variable] 0/2097152 ( 0.0%)
entdata [variable] 1/524288 ( 0.0%)
0 textures referenced
=== Total BSP file data space used: 37 bytes ===
0.09 seconds elapsed

----- END hlbsp -----



hlvis v3.4 Final (Feb 25 2006)
Zoner's Half-Life Compilation Tools -- Custom Build
Based on code modifications by Sean 'Zoner' Cavanaugh
Based on Valve's version, modified with permission.
Submit detailed bug reports to (amckern@yahoo.com)
----- BEGIN hlvis -----
Command line: "F:\5HALF LIFE\ZHLT\hlvis.exe"-full -chart "D:\Games\Valve Hammer Editor\TFC11"
Error: Portal file 'D:\Games\Valve Hammer Editor\TFC11.prt' does not exist, cannot vis the map


----- END hlvis -----



as you can see at the bottom, the portal file doesnt work.

and in the half life hammer editor, i ran the problem check, and the only problem i had that it said was that the func_wall doesnt have a solid. and i tried to figure that out and it still says that. i dont get it, but that was the only error it told me inthe editor when i ran the roblem checker.

so ya, and if you know how to solve that problem it would be a great help...