Crowbar stores all of its persistent state in an XML file namedDocumentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/ZeqMacaw/Crowbar/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
Crowbar Settings.xml, located in the user’s application data folder at %APPDATA%\ZeqMacaw\Crowbar <version>\. The file is created automatically on first launch with default values, and updated every time Crowbar closes normally. Settings cover window geometry, the last-used paths for each tab, per-tab processing options, game profiles, and Steam configuration. You can back this file up or share it between machines.
Settings are written to disk automatically when Crowbar exits. If the process is killed unexpectedly, any changes made during that session may not be saved.
Settings File Location
The settings file path is constructed at runtime as:Window & Application
These settings control the main window position and state restored at startup.| Setting | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
WindowLocation | Point | 0, 0 | Top-left position of the main window on screen |
WindowSize | Size | 800 × 600 | Width and height of the main window |
WindowState | FormWindowState | Normal | Window state: Normal, Maximized, or Minimized |
MainWindowSelectedTabIndex | Integer | 0 | Index of the last active tab (0 = Set Up Games) |
AppIsSingleInstance | Boolean | false | When true, only one Crowbar process is allowed at a time |
Decompile Settings
Settings for the Decompile tab — input paths, output locations, file-generation options, and the MDL version override.| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
DecompileMdlPathFileName | "" | Last-used MDL input file or folder path |
DecompileOutputFolderOption | WorkFolder | Output location mode: Work folder or Subfolder (of MDL input) |
DecompileOutputSubfolderName | "decompiled <ver>" | Name of the auto-created subfolder when using Subfolder mode |
DecompileOutputFullPath | Documents folder | Custom absolute output path |
DecompileMode | File | Input mode: File, Folder, or Folder and subfolders |
DecompileFolderForEachModelIsChecked | false | Create a separate output subfolder for each model |
DecompileStricterFormatIsChecked | false | Write SMD files in a stricter format for maximum compatibility |
DecompileLogFileIsChecked | false | Write a decompile log file alongside the output |
DecompileOverrideMdlVersion | DoNotOverride | Force Crowbar to parse the MDL as a specific version |
DecompileQcFileIsChecked | true | Generate a .qc script file |
DecompileGroupIntoQciFilesIsChecked | false | Split sequences into a separate .qci include file |
DecompileReferenceMeshSmdFileIsChecked | true | Generate reference mesh SMD files |
DecompileBoneAnimationSmdFilesIsChecked | true | Generate animation SMD files |
DecompileBoneAnimationPlaceInSubfolderIsChecked | true | Place animation SMD files in an anims/ subfolder |
DecompileLodMeshSmdFilesIsChecked | true | Generate LOD mesh SMD files |
DecompilePhysicsMeshSmdFileIsChecked | true | Generate physics mesh SMD file from .phy data |
DecompileVertexAnimationVtaFileIsChecked | true | Generate vertex animation .vta file |
DecompileProceduralBonesVrdFileIsChecked | true | Generate procedural bones .vrd file |
DecompileTextureBmpFilesIsChecked | true | Extract embedded GoldSource textures as .bmp files |
Compile Settings
Settings for the Compile tab — QC input path, output location, and active game profile.| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
CompileQcPathFileName | "" | Last-used QC input file or folder path |
CompileOutputFolderOption | GameModelsFolder | Output mode: Game’s “models” folder, Work folder, or Subfolder |
CompileOutputSubfolderName | "compiled <ver>" | Subfolder name when using Subfolder output mode |
CompileGameSetupSelectedIndex | 0 | Index of the active game profile in the game setup list |
CompileMode | File | Input mode: File, Folder, or Folder and subfolders |
CompileOptionNoP4IsChecked | true | Pass -nop4 to StudioMDL (disables Perforce integration) |
CompileOptionVerboseIsChecked | true | Pass -verbose to StudioMDL for detailed output |
CompileSourceLogFileIsChecked | false | Write a compile log file (Source engine) |
CompileGoldSourceLogFileIsChecked | false | Write a compile log file (GoldSource engine) |
Unpack Settings
Settings for the Unpack tab — package type, input path, output location, and display options.| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
UnpackPackagePathFolderOrFileName | "" | Last-used package file or folder path |
UnpackOutputFolderOption | SameFolder | Output location mode: Same folder, Subfolder, Work folder, or Game’s addons folder |
UnpackOutputSubfolderName | "unpacked <ver>" | Subfolder name when using Subfolder output mode |
UnpackByteUnitsOption | Bytes | File size display format: Bytes, Binary (KiB/MiB), or Decimal (KB/MB) |
UnpackSearchText | "" | Last-used text in the package content search filter |
UnpackFolderForEachPackageIsChecked | false | Create a separate output folder for each package |
UnpackKeepFullPathIsChecked | false | Preserve the full internal path structure when extracting |
UnpackLogFileIsChecked | false | Write an unpack log file |
Steam Settings
Settings that locate the Steam installation and library paths used for game profile discovery and Workshop publishing.| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
SteamAppPathFileNameUnprocessed | C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe | Path to the Steam executable |
SteamLibraryPaths | [] | List of additional Steam library root folders |
Options Tab Settings
The Options tab configures how Crowbar responds when you open or drag-and-drop a file onto it, and whether context menu entries are registered in Windows Explorer.Auto-Open
Controls which tab Crowbar navigates to and what action it takes when a file is opened via double-click, the command line, or a file association. Separate options exist for
.vpk, .gma, .mdl, .qc, and folders.Drag and Drop
Controls the default action when files or folders are dragged onto the main Crowbar window. Mirrors the Auto-Open options but applies to drag-and-drop events.
Context Menu
When enabled, Crowbar registers shell context menu entries so that right-clicking a
.mdl, .qc, .vpk, or folder in Windows Explorer offers Crowbar actions directly.Single Instance
Governed by
AppIsSingleInstance. When checked, opening a second Crowbar window instead routes the file to the already-running instance.