Resource Compiler
resourcecompiler.exe is a command-line tool used to process and compile game assets.
The generated output usually retains the same extension as the source file, but with a _c suffix to indicate it is the compiled version. These compiled assets are copied into the game directory for use at runtime.
resourcecompiler.exe is located in the game/bin/win64 folder.
Usage
To use resourcecompiler.exe, run it from a console with the -i option followed by the absolute path to the source file(s).
resourcecompiler.exe must resolve which mod to build for. This is normally inferred from an input path inside content/; pass -game <path to gameinfo.gi> to compile files located elsewhere.
Example:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\game\bin\win64\resourcecompiler.exe" -i "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\content\csgo_addons\test\materials\dev\dev_texture_checkers.vmat"
Wildcards and recursive compilation
resourcecompiler.exe supports wildcards. To compile all .vmat files inside an addon, use:
-i "C:\path\to\addon\materials\*.vmat" -r
Always include -r when using wildcards to ensure recursive directory scanning.
Command-line options
Below is the list of documented options:
Usage: resourcecompiler <input resource file(s)>
Options:
-i <files> Source file(s) or resource project file list.
Wildcards are accepted.
The -i option can be omitted if file names are given directly.
-filelist <file> Specify a text file containing a list of files to compile.
-r If wildcards are specified, recursively searches subdirectories.
(Consider using contentbuilder for large builds.)
-nop4 Disables automatic Perforce checkout/add.
-game <path> Path to a gameinfo.gi file (which mod to build for).
If omitted, it is derived from the input file path.
-v Verbose mode.
-f Force compile all encountered resources.
-fshallow Force compile top-level resources; children and associates only if needed.
-fshallow2 Force compile top-level resources and their children; associates only if needed.
-dependency_check_only
Only perform up-to-date check (automatically sets -v
to get detailed status).
-novpk Generate loose files for the map resource and its children instead of a VPK.
-vpkincr Incrementally update a VPK; existing files remain unless overwritten.
-pauseiferror Pause for keypress before quitting if errors occur.
-pause Pause for keypress before quitting.
-changelist <name> Use named changelist for Perforce operations.
-skiptype <exts> Skip recompilation for specified extensions (comma-separated).
Example: -skiptype vmat,vtex
-crc <file> Diagnostic: report CRC of the specified file and exit.
-vpkincr is still listed but no longer does anything; see the note below.
resourcecompiler.exe also supports asset-specific options not documented here.
For example, compiling .vmap files may require additional arguments.
-vpkincr no longer does anything. The behaviour it advertises is now unconditional: a map compile always unzips the previous VPK into a staging tree first, so entries the build does not rewrite survive into the new package. The switch is still accepted and still listed in the help text, but nothing reads it.
What the force flags do
A compile can pull in two kinds of extra resource. A child is one this compile generates: the .vtex a .vmat produces from a .tga, or the .vmesh, .vphys and .vmorf a .vmdl produces. An associate is a separate top-level asset compiled as a side effect, such as the assets an econ item names. Children are printed indented under their parent with a +- prefix.
The three force flags differ only in how far the forcing reaches:
| Flag | Top-level resource | Children | Associates |
|---|---|---|---|
| none | up-to-date check | check | check |
-fshallow | forced | check | check |
-fshallow2 | forced | forced | check |
-f | forced | forced | forced |
On one material with three child textures that gives:
(none) OK: 0 compiled, 0 failed, 1 skipped
-fshallow OK: 1 compiled, 0 failed, 3 skipped
-fshallow2 OK: 4 compiled, 0 failed, 0 skipped
-f OK: 4 compiled, 0 failed, 0 skipped
-f and -fshallow2 are indistinguishable on an asset that has no associates.
Reading the up-to-date check
-dependency_check_only runs the check and reports the verdict without compiling anything. It implies -v, so the per item detail comes out on its own:
Checking existing compile file '...\materials
cincr\incr_test.vmat_c'
Special-dep matches old: 00000019 for 'Material Compiler Version'
Special-dep matches old: 0000000B for 'Texture Compiler Version'
Special-dep matches old: 00000001 for 'vpk:...\shaders_pc.vpk/csgo_simple.vfx'
Argument dependency BinaryBlobArg '___OverrideInputData___' matches old fingerprint: 00000000
Argument dependency FloatArg 'fast' not found, but fingerprint matches default: 00000000
Input-dep matches old CRC: 7FD37A0C for '...\content\core\materials\default\default_ao.tga'
Child resource is present: ...\materials\default\default_ao_tga_559f1ac6.vtex_c
All inputs have identical CRCs, skipping...
[SKIP]
When something has changed, the mismatching item is named and the verdict follows:
Input-dep CRC mismatch: disk A5061542 != 98663CF2 for '...\materials
cincr\incr_test.vmat'
Existing file invalid - Input dependency mismatch
Every verdict takes the form Existing file invalid - <reason>, where the reason names which of the recorded dependency lists failed: the header, the edit info, a special dependency, an argument dependency, an input dependency, an additional dependency, or a missing child resource.
-crc <file> reports the same CRC32 the check compares against, which is the quickest way to confirm two copies of a source file are identical:
CRC of "...\incr_test.vmat" is 0x98663CF2 (60 bytes)
How the compiler decides an asset is out of date in the first place, and what survives between map builds, is on Compiling maps.