Half-Life Console Help

What You Can Do With the Console When You Get It

You can use it to execute scripts, bind keys to command(s), change the value of game variables, and make aliases (really just a special kind of variable). That may not sound like much, but with some clever use of the alias command you can make some pretty amazing things.

Keep in mind that executing a script file is basically the same thing as opening the console and typing in those same lines (the only difference being the need for the set keyword when changing variable values in script files).

A script file is just a text file that you create in or copy to the Half-Life/Valve/ directory and includes console commands and variable settings, one per line, and/or separated by semicolons (;). That is, a semicolon OR a newline (return) indicates the end of a command in a script file.

In general it's easier to test the effect of variable changes or short scripts or binds by typing the commands directly into the console. (Keep in mind that some changes, particularly video and sound settings, will not take effect until the game is restarted). Once you have it right, just duplicate the commands that you typed in a text file (autoexec.cfg if you want it to be automatic). 
 
 

Executing Scripts
To execute a script file named "anything.cfg" (the .cfg extension can be anything you want, but most people use .cfg) put the file in Half-Life/Valve/ (you can use Notepad or any other text editor to create the file), then just open the console and type exec anything.cfg

You can execute as many different configs as you like whenever you want (even during a game), but keep in mind that Half-Life/Valve/autoexec.cfg is executed automatically when you join a game, and the last config executed will overwrite any settings in previous configs.

You can even have one config execute another (by putting exec other_config.cfg as one line in the first one), or make a key or mouse button execute a config (by binding the key to execute it, as in bind x "exec myconfig.cfg").
 
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