Repairing or recovering binarized mission.sqm file

[Ambross 6]

Started making this mission about 8 months ago, recently decided to go back and actually finish it. The mission had 2 dependencies that needed to be removed so I went in to the text document and tried to remove them (yes I know I'm a potato). Now whenever I try to open the file in the editor I get the whole "file (insert file location here), line 0: '.raP': ' ' encountered instead of '='". As I understand it I must have accidentally deleted some "invisible characters" (don't know how exactly that works but that's how it was explained to me) and now the whole think is borked. I have tried a system restore, the windows previous versions feature, and a data recovery tool (not total sure the one I used was very good) without success. I'm wondering if there may be a way to decompress the file in a somewhat damaged state because I"m pretty sure i could repair it from there or if I would be able to take out parts of the dependency list (the only part I edited) and that would fix it enough for me to open it with DeraP (I think that would be the right program). Overall pretty sure I've royaly screwed myself but if anybody could explain how i could fix this or has any creative ideas on how it might be possible to get the scenario back it would be much appreciated so that i don't have to spend another 15ish hours rebuilding the mission from memory. Also if needed I can provide screenshots, the mission.sqm or any other assets needed. 

 

Thanks 

[zagor64bz 1225]

I'm willing to help, but I'm not sure I understand well the situation.So..correct me if I miss something:

 

-you had an "old" mission that you want to finish, and need to remove some dependencies.

-you opened the "mission.sqm" with a text editor

-you deleted the unwanted mod from the list

-save, try to open the mission in the editor but errors pop up and no joy.

CORRECT?

Now...you mentioned "binarized"...you UNBINARIZED the mission.sqm file BEFORE open it, right? You must have, otherwise will be next to impossible to delete the correct part without making a HUGE mess.

So...the first part of the sqm file should have looked like this:

version=53;
class EditorData
{
	moveGridStep=1;
	angleGridStep=0.2617994;
	scaleGridStep=1;
	autoGroupingDist=10;
	toggles=1;
	class ItemIDProvider
	{
		nextID=40;
	};
	class MarkerIDProvider
	{
		nextID=3;
	};
	class Camera
	{
		pos[]={1689.351,30.5,5538.3809};
		dir[]={0,-0.70710683,0.70710683};
		up[]={0,0.70710677,0.70710677};
		aside[]={0.99999994,0,0};
	};
};
binarizationWanted=0;
addons[]=
{
	"CUP_AirVehicles_AH64",
	"A3_Characters_F",
	"cfp_uniforms",
	"A3_Ui_F",
	"A3_Structures_F_Mil_Helipads",
	"A3_Modules_F_Intel",
	"CUP_WheeledVehicles_BTR60",
	"A3_Air_F_Beta_Heli_Transport_01",
	"A3_Air_F_Heli_Light_01"
};
class AddonsMetaData
{
	class List
	{
		items=9;
		class Item0
		{
			className="CUP_AirVehicles_AH64";
			name="CUP_AirVehicles_AH64";
		};
		class Item1
		{
			className="A3_Characters_F";
			name="Arma 3 Alpha - Characters and Clothing";
			author="Bohemia Interactive";
			url="https://www.arma3.com";
		};
		class Item2
		{
			className="cfp_uniforms";
			name="cfp_uniforms";
			author="CFP Team";
		};
		class Item3
		{
			className="A3_Ui_F";
			name="Arma 3 - User Interface";
			author="Bohemia Interactive";
			url="https://www.arma3.com";
		};
		class Item4
		{
			className="A3_Structures_F_Mil";
			name="Arma 3 - Military Buildings and Structures";
			author="Bohemia Interactive";
			url="https://www.arma3.com";
		};
		class Item5
		{
			className="A3_Modules_F";
			name="Arma 3 Alpha - Scripted Modules";
			author="Bohemia Interactive";
			url="https://www.arma3.com";
		};
		class Item6
		{
			className="CUP_WheeledVehicles_BTR60";
			name="CUP_WheeledVehicles_BTR60";
		};
		class Item7
		{
			className="A3_Air_F_Beta";
			name="Arma 3 Beta - Aircraft";
			author="Bohemia Interactive";
			url="https://www.arma3.com";
		};
		class Item8
		{
			className="A3_Air_F";
			name="Arma 3 Alpha - Aircraft";
			author="Bohemia Interactive";
			url="https://www.arma3.com";
		};
	};
};

let's suppose you wanted to remove the CUP dependencies from the above example....

you need to:

1-remove ALL the CUP related items from the "addons [ ]=" list,

2-remove ALL the CUP related items from the "class AddOnMetaData" list, and change the "class=number of add-ons" value .

3-SAVE the file and open the mission in editor.

You did all this ,right?

[Dedmen 2695]

14 hours ago, Lt.Ambross said:

that would fix it enough for me to open it with DeraP (I think that would be the right program).

that is the right way and the right program.

 

7 hours ago, zagor64bz said:

you UNBINARIZED the mission.sqm file BEFORE open it, right?

The problem description sounds like he didn't.

 

You could try uploading the mission, but if you opened it in notepad/wordpad then everything is basically lost. We had someone with the same problem in Arma Discord recently.

[zagor64bz 1225]

51 minutes ago, Dedmen said:

that is the right way and the right program

Yap... I use ArmaUnbin tho.. it does the same job I guess.

[Ambross 6]

On 7/15/2019 at 12:11 AM, zagor64bz said:

Now...you mentioned "binarized"...you UNBINARIZED the mission.sqm file BEFORE open it, right? You must have, otherwise will be next to impossible to delete the correct part without making a HUGE mess.

No I made the HUGE mess and I’m trying to dig myself out. 

 

23 hours ago, Dedmen said:

You could try uploading the mission, but if you opened it in notepad/wordpad then everything is basically lost.

No I did open it in notepad 

 

also never heard of that armaunbin I’ll have to try it. 

[mrcurry 496]

17 minutes ago, Ambross said:

No I made the HUGE mess and I’m trying to dig myself out. 

 

Unless you got a backup or a version exported to pbo left somewhere or you can read ASCII-interpreted binarized data you're S.O.L. Sorry for your loss. 

[Dedmen 2695]

You could show it to us. Could tell you definitely if it's lost or not.

[zagor64bz 1225]

8 hours ago, Dedmen said:

You could show it to us. Could tell you definitely if it's lost or not.

[Ambross 6]

Ya I’m pretty sure it’s gone and have already started rebuilding it but I’ll upload it for y’all to look at later today.

[zagor64bz 1225]

16 minutes ago, Ambross said:

Ya I’m pretty sure it’s gone and have already started rebuilding it....

Well, buddy...if it's gone indeed, look it like this way: 

like many things in life, starting over is not necessarily a bad thing. Walking the way you walked allows you to notice things you may have missed, or even better, strong with a renewed knowledge you're ready to change things for better. Change is good my friend...

 

Saying that, upload your file...we'll see if we can help recover it.

[Ambross 6]

alright here's whats left of the mission.sqm 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6mgzbxrqlnb7uyr/mission.sqm?dl=0

I hope that link works

[Ambross 6]

Figured I'd just wrap this up, if you're coming here having done the same thing I did then ya you're boned sorry.

For everybody else that helped thanks for helping me out with this.

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