Can't open base-Arma 2 missions. "Error" message claiming that it is "Read Only" up.

[David Schofield 10]

Ok, so I am a very observational learner, therefore I always looked into all of the single player and Campaign Arma 2 Mission.SQM files to figure out how to make my own missions. The Operation Arrowhead addon and Reinforcement addons have even bigger and better missions than the original vanilla Arma 2, so I've been wanting to play though them in editor and find out all the ticks that the main guys used to make the game so I myself can make a decent map.

Lo and behold:

I can't open a single mission file on the editor after extracting with Eliteness. I get a "read only" issue. I've gone though, unchecked "Read only" and nothing happened. After further investigation (Yeah fellers, I used search) I happened onto a thread where someone had a similar problem. Here is that thread: http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?90411-Un-pbo-d-files-show-up-as-read-only-files-in-editor

The problem seems to be that there are missing mission.sqm files that are not in the original campaign/single player mission folder. Therefore, the mission editor can not access the game.

My question is, how can I locate these missing mission.sqm files so I can access the said missions on the editor?

For example: sp_bafshowcase.takistan The BAF addon that showcases British forces is missing the mission.sqm file, therefore, I can not access the level on the editor.

A rare exception for this major problem was the spp00.zargabad file, aka the PMC showcase mission. I was very greatful that this one was still accessable, because I wanted to mirror the PMC headquarters in a mission of my own.

I've tried multiple things for this already. I tried using Vista's name-change to copy/paste fsm files and turn them into SQM (failed, blank editor page) and I've tried pasting other mission's SQM files into the folders lacking them (which was a really, really useless idea. I learned from it at least) so... Yeah.

Any help on this topic would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[.kju 3245]

The DLC missions are not available in an unencrypted version.

Otherwise people would not have to buy them/pay for them.

[David Schofield 10]

I don't understand. I own the legal copies of both Arma 2, Arma 2 OA, and the reinforcements CD. I've legally bought them. Why can't I edit the missions inside, like I could with vanilla Arma 2?

[zigzag 0]

Because you need arma to play arma missions but you dont need the DLC to play the missions that comes with that pack.

[W0lle 1051]

I don't understand. I own the legal copies of both Arma 2, Arma 2 OA, and the reinforcements CD. I've legally bought them. Why can't I edit the missions inside, like I could with vanilla Arma 2?

Because then you (or anyone else for that matter) could export the DLC missions (with changed units/vehicles) and give them away to people who have not purchased the DLC.

As much as this may suck, purchasing the game does not automatically allows you to edit the included game content.