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Crowbar’s Decompile tab reads compiled .mdl model files — along with their companion files (.ani, .vtx, .vvd, .phy) — and writes the editable source files back to disk. The output can include the master .qc script, reference and LOD mesh SMD files, bone animation SMD files, vertex animation .vta files, procedural bone .vrd files, and GoldSource texture .bmp bitmaps. You can decompile a single model, every model in a folder, or every model across an entire folder tree in one pass.

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Input Options

The input mode dropdown maps to the InputOptions enum and controls whether Crowbar operates on one file or many:
ModeDescription
FileDecompile a single .mdl file selected in the input path field.
FolderDecompile all .mdl files found directly inside the selected folder.
Folder and subfoldersRecursively decompile every .mdl file in the folder and all nested subdirectories.
Use Folder and subfolders mode to batch-decompile an entire game’s models/ directory in one operation. Combine it with Folder per model to keep each model’s output neatly separated.

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Output Path Options

The output path dropdown maps to the DecompileOutputPathOptions enum:
OptionDescription
Work folder (default)Write all decompiled files to the work folder path you specify.
Subfolder (of MDL input)Create a subfolder next to the source .mdl file using the subfolder name you provide.

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Decompile Options

Every checkbox on the Decompile tab corresponds to a settings key in AppSettings. The Default column shows the value applied when you click Use Defaults.
OptionSettings KeyDefaultDescription
QC fileDecompileQcFileIsCheckedOnGenerate the main .qc script that describes the model.
Group into QCI filesDecompileGroupIntoQciFilesIsCheckedOffSplit sequence declarations into separate .qci include files referenced by $include.
Skin family on single lineDecompileQcSkinFamilyOnSingleLineIsCheckedOnWrite each $texturegroup skin family on a single compact line instead of multiple lines.
Only changed materials in texture groupDecompileQcOnlyChangedMaterialsInTextureGroupLinesIsCheckedOnOmit materials that are unchanged from the default skin when writing $texturegroup lines.
Include $definebone linesDecompileQcIncludeDefineBoneLinesIsCheckedOnAdd explicit $definebone entries for every bone in the QC output.
Mixed case keywordsDecompileQcUseMixedCaseForKeywordsIsCheckedOffWrite QC keywords in CamelCase (e.g. $BodyGroup) instead of all lowercase.
Reference mesh SMDDecompileReferenceMeshSmdFileIsCheckedOnExtract the model’s reference (LOD0) mesh as an .smd file.
Remove path from material namesDecompileRemovePathFromSmdMaterialFileNamesIsCheckedOnStrip any folder prefix from material names written into SMD files (e.g. metal/mymat → mymat).
Non-Valve UV conversionDecompileUseNonValveUvConversionIsCheckedOffApply an alternative UV mapping calculation for compatibility with third-party importers that differ from Valve’s convention.
Bone animation SMDsDecompileBoneAnimationSmdFilesIsCheckedOnExtract all bone animation sequences as individual .smd files.
Place in anims subfolderDecompileBoneAnimationPlaceInSubfolderIsCheckedOnOutput animation SMD files into an anims/ subfolder inside the model’s output directory.
Texture BMP filesDecompileTextureBmpFilesIsCheckedOnExtract textures embedded in GoldSource .mdl files as .bmp bitmap images.
LOD mesh SMDsDecompileLodMeshSmdFilesIsCheckedOnExtract level-of-detail meshes (LOD1, LOD2, …) as separate .smd files.
Physics mesh SMDDecompilePhysicsMeshSmdFileIsCheckedOnExtract the ragdoll or collision mesh from the companion .phy file as an .smd.
Vertex animation VTADecompileVertexAnimationVtaFileIsCheckedOnExtract flex (shape key) animations as a .vta file.
Procedural bones VRDDecompileProceduralBonesVrdFileIsCheckedOnExtract procedural bone rules (jiggle bones, aim constraints, etc.) as a .vrd file.
Folder per modelDecompileFolderForEachModelIsCheckedOffIn batch mode, create a dedicated subfolder named after each model to hold its output files.
Prefix mesh filenamesDecompilePrefixFileNamesWithModelNameIsCheckedOffPrefix every output filename with the model’s name (e.g. soldier_reference.smd).
Format for stricter importersDecompileStricterFormatIsCheckedOffWrite SMD files in a more conservative format that is accepted by importers with stricter parsing rules.
Log fileDecompileLogFileIsCheckedOffWrite a .log text file alongside the decompiled output containing Crowbar’s progress messages.
Debug info filesDecompileDebugInfoFilesIsCheckedOffWrite additional binary-offset debug files used for diagnosing parse issues in supported MDL versions.
Declare sequence QCIDecompileDeclareSequenceQciFileIsCheckedOffGenerate a separate .qci file containing $declaresequence entries for all animation sequences.

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Override MDL Version

The Override MDL version dropdown forces Crowbar to interpret the .mdl file as a specific MDL version instead of using the version stored in the file header. Supported values range from MDL v06 (GoldSource early) through v57 (Source 2 transitional). Use this when:
  • Auto-detection fails and Crowbar reports “Model version not currently supported.”
  • The model works in-game or in HLMV but the header version byte is incorrect.
Leave the dropdown set to Do not override for normal use.

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Output File Types

After a successful decompile, Crowbar will have written some or all of the following files depending on which options were enabled:
ExtensionDescription
.qcMaster model script containing all $body, $sequence, $texturegroup, and other directives.
.qciOptional include file for sequences ($include) or $declaresequence entries.
.smdStudio Mesh Data file for reference meshes, LOD meshes, animation sequences, and physics meshes.
.vtaVertex animation file for flex/shape-key animations.
.vrdProcedural bone rule file (jiggle bones, aim constraints).
.bmpExtracted GoldSource texture bitmap.
.logPlain-text log of the decompile operation (when Log file is checked).

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