compile dragging its A$$

what up guys thanks for the help on other issues. Im pretty new at this map stuff but pretty excited about making my own map. The problem im having is compiling my map, ITS TAKING FOREVER I have made a map and when i started compiling it got to portflow and start running slower than SH@#. I let it run overnight and it still wasnt finished when i woke up. Is this what mappers have to deal with or am i getting to detailed with my map. The only thing i have done really different than the last compile was i built a light pole and hanging lights using brushes and a couple light props. Does it lag my compile out to make fancy brush stuff. thanks guys

Yes it does, turn your fancy brushes into func_detail (or func_brush) entities. Also a lack of RAM might be able to hang the compilers...

Though this tutorial is for HL1, it's still relevant and should help you:
http://www.snarkpit.com/editing.php?page=tutorials&id=60&highlight=splitting

I'm not too sure man. My advice is save and compile every 20 minutes or so, and save the odd back up copy. that way, if somethign screws up - you have a rough idea what it was, and if you cant solve it, then you can load one of your most recent back ups. I'm not sure why it would take so long to compile with only the extra things you listed - mine doesnt take a minute and is half of a school. Try deleting the lgiht brush just incase you have chose a rreally long one - but otherwise - check propeties of the props and stuff, as well as compiler - and look for anything that stands out. Sorry its not too helpful

Solo.

What are your system specs? Even on blazing fast rigs like mine things can take awhile depending on the contents and structure (but only a minute or so, most definitely not hours or over night! wow). For instance, if it's a really large area, and you have multiple lights, I think it can take an exponentially longer amount of time to precisely calculate all the light and shadow angles for the finished product, though that's just my guess I don't know that for certain. So far using the FAST option for VIS makes a massive speed (increase) difference. You would want normal/extra for a final, finished work. Also, as you work along the CORDON boundary is friggin excellent. You can basically section-off the part of the map you are working on and only that will be compiled/processed/available when you run the map. So it's perfect for testing new or changed 'parts' of your map without having to constantly recompile the entire thing. At least that seems to be how it's working here, and I love it.

One of the things I do after I load Hammer is I manually set the Process Priority to Above Normal. This allows it to get some extra 'kick' while not directly competing with the taskman (high) incase you need to terminate for some reason. If it were at high you'd get a deadlock since taskman wouldn't have priority over it.

The RAM is a mega MEGA issue in Hammer for sure. Pull up taskman, go scroll through all the available textures in all available keywords one at a time and watch the pagefile grow super quick. Get's well over a GIG real fast. The texture sizes used in the game are, for this type of game (or any really) very large. The average (for wall textures) seems to be 512x512. Multiply that by the total number of textures available and boom it can eat up memory sticks like butter in a volcano.

How much RAM do you have, if its not at least 256 then you have no right to compile or even play the game for that matter.

A Large map (lockdown) takes me apox 10 min to compile. your noob (I
say that with the highest respect) map prolly has errors in it. But do
what lep said to "simplify" your map.

dunno about the new engine, but when i made complex maps in the old one i would compile only after a fresh re-boot. i would make certain that all nonessential programs were disabled prior to rebooting using "msconfig"

then i would be sure to turn on only my batchfile compiler.

dunno how this will work for HL2, but its worth a try.