Poll

What platform would you run Quetoo on if it was on Steam?:

Leftover File After Map Compile Completes

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SA
June 21, 2009 - 12:51pm

What is the mapname.prt file which is leftover after q2wmap compiles the *.map file into a *.bsp? Is it safe to delete? I don't see any other *.prt files for Q2W's included maps so I assume so, but I want to make sure I am not disabling some functionality for the map if I delete it.

SA
June 21, 2009 - 13:25pm

"What is the mapname.prt file which is leftover after q2wmap compiles the *.map file into a *.bsp?"

Since I now know the answer to this part, I will post a reply for the benefit of others. The *.prt file is a portal file which q2wmap creates for the qvis stage to read.

So, while it seems that it would be safe to delete once the map has finished compiling, would saving it save time when recompiling the map later if only minor changes were made to the map like changing or removing item entities?

spirit
spirit's picture
June 21, 2009 - 16:51pm

Maybe, but I wouldn't think too much about that because:

a) If you build the map cleanly (using detail wherever appropriate), compiling VIS should take < 10 secs on modern hardware.

b) Deleting the file makes little sense because it uses a few kb of disk space. Even if you'd store your maps on your cell phone, this wouldn't hurt you.

c) Another argument for keeping the file is that the great portal viewer plugin for GtkRadiant needs this file (Plugins => prtview => load .prt file).

d) For the scenario you described (only entity changes), there's a special compiler command line option. Though I'm not 100% sure about this, I'd assume that the compiler wouldn't know that you changed only entities and still recompile VIS unless you use that command line switch to tell it (otherwise the switch would be useless).

e) Deleting it means useless work because it will be recreated every time you compile.

Just ignore it. :)

SA
June 21, 2009 - 17:32pm

"a) If you build the map cleanly (using detail wherever appropriate), compiling VIS should take < 10 secs on modern hardware."

Well the map I compiled wasn't my own design and I compiled it on a three year-old Pentium D, but it took about an hour and a half to complete the VIS stage even using the "-t 2" switch. So, recompiling the map for a minor change could take a long time. That's why I asked.

"c) Another argument for keeping the file is that the great portal viewer plugin for GtkRadiant needs this file (Plugins => prtview => load .prt file)."

That sounds like a good enough reason to save it to me.

jdolan
jdolan's picture
June 22, 2009 - 07:10am

Use -vis -fast when creating "test" builds. And it sounds like that map needs some serious hinting / detailing. No map should take that long to -vis. Aggressor takes 14s to -bsp -vis -light on my box. Torn takes 38s.

SA
June 22, 2009 - 16:01pm

Would you or someone who is experienced with mapping explain a little of what you mean by hinting/detailing? I am relatively new to mapping, but the map I compiled is considered a release quality map.