Difference between "config.cfg" and "autoexec.cfg" - And their management

[Spirit]

Not really.

autoexec.cfg is always executed and never modified by the engine.
config.cfg is getting modified by the engine.
key binds and variables the engine has set as "write to config" will be written into the config.cfg regardless from where they were loaded.

Consider the config.cfg a file you should never touch nor care about.

If you want to set things, put them into the autoexec.cfg

[talisa]

yes exactly like rambo said.

config is for controls and standard configuration, autoexec is for console and game variables that you want to be set to a specific value by default


included are my autoexec and config files from my ID1 folder so you can see the difference very clearly
there are completely different things in both files as you can see

[rambo]

There is probably going to be someone that will respond to this and prove me wrong.
But as far as Im concerned, "config.cfg" is for game controls and "autoexec.cfg" is more in game variables and controls that you want to be default. IE: if you change something in game, that you only really want for that one game, then the variable gets set but when you restart quake, if said variable is in autoexec, autoexec will reset config.cfg variable to default defined in autoexec.

[hkBattousai]

(continued)

Id1\config.cfg

bind "TAB" "+showscores"
bind "ENTER" "+jump"
bind "ESCAPE" "togglemenu"
bind "SPACE" "+jump"
bind "+" "sizeup"
bind "," "+moveleft"
bind "-" "sizedown"
bind "." "+moveright"
bind "/" "impulse 10"
bind "0" "impulse 9"
bind "1" "impulse 1"
bind "2" "impulse 2"
bind "3" "impulse 3"
bind "4" "impulse 4"
bind "5" "impulse 5"
bind "6" "impulse 6"
bind "7" "impulse 7"
bind "8" "impulse 8"
bind "=" "sizeup"
bind "\" "+mlook"
bind "`" "toggleconsole"
bind "a" "+moveleft"
bind "c" "noclip"
bind "d" "+moveright"
bind "e" "+moveup"
bind "f" "snap180"
bind "g" "god"
bind "h" "+hook"
bind "m" "r_fullbright 0"
bind "n" "r_fullbright 1"
bind "q" "+movedown"
bind "s" "+back"
bind "t" "notarget"
bind "w" "+forward"
bind "z" "+lookdown"
bind "~" "toggleconsole"
bind "UPARROW" "+fastforward"
bind "DOWNARROW" "+fastback"
bind "LEFTARROW" "+left"
bind "RIGHTARROW" "+right"
bind "ALT" "+longjump"
bind "CTRL" "+attack"
bind "SHIFT" "+speed"
bind "F1" "help"
bind "F2" "menu_save"
bind "F3" "menu_load"
bind "F4" "menu_options"
bind "F5" "menu_multiplayer"
bind "F6" "echo Quicksaving...; wait; save quick"
bind "F9" "echo Quickloading...; wait; load quick"
bind "F10" "quit"
bind "F11" "zoom_in"
bind "F12" "screenshot"
bind "INS" "+klook"
bind "DEL" "fov 100"
bind "PGDN" "fov 10"
bind "PGUP" "fov 200"
bind "HOME" "fov 125"
bind "END" "fov 25"
bind "MOUSE1" "+attack"
bind "MOUSE2" "+forward"
bind "MOUSE3" "+mlook"
bind "MWHEELUP" "mouseweapon"
bind "MWHEELDOWN" "rmouseweapon"
bind "PAUSE" "pause"
_cl_color "0"
_cl_name "Killer"
_snd_mixahead "0.1"
_windowed_mouse "0"
bgm_extmusic "1"
bgmvolume "0.100000"
cl_backspeed "400"
cl_forwardspeed "160"
cl_maxpitch "100"
cl_minpitch "-100"
crosshair "2"
external_ents "1"
gamma "0.5"
gl_farclip "16384"
gl_flashblend "0"
gl_fullbrights "1"
gl_overbright "1"
gl_overbright_models "1"
gl_subdivide_size "128"
gl_texture_anisotropy "1"
gl_texturemode "GL_LINEAR_MIPMAP_LINEAR"
gl_triplebuffer "1"
gl_zfix "1"
host_maxfps "120"
lookspring "0.000000"
lookstrafe "0.000000"
m_forward "1"
m_pitch "0.022000"
m_side "0.8"
m_yaw "0.022"
max_edicts "2048"
r_clearcolor "2"
r_dynamic "1"
r_novis "1"
r_particles "1"
r_quadparticles "1"
r_shadows "1"
r_wateralpha ".40"
saved1 "0"
saved2 "0"
saved3 "0"
saved4 "0"
savedgamecfg "0"
scr_conalpha "0.5"
scr_conscale "1.8"
scr_conspeed "500"
scr_conwidth "0"
scr_crosshairscale "1"
scr_menuscale "1.8"
scr_sbaralpha "0.4"
scr_sbarscale "1.4"
scr_scale "1.8"
sensitivity "6"
sv_altnoclip "1"
sys_throttle "0"
vid_bpp "32"
vid_fullscreen "0"
vid_height "1000"
vid_vsync "0"
vid_width "1776"
viewsize "100"
volume "0.100000"
vid_restart
+mlook