ArmA II launcher by alpinestars

[th3flyboy 0]

Question: Does the new RC support Combined Operations launching for Retail A2 with Steam OA or Steam OA and Steam A2? Also does it support the OA beta?

[langgis08 10]

big thx for that ... did use previous version with pleasure and this one comes just in time !

good work.

@Thunderbird: nice sig ;-) hope they'll get the cup now

[NutzMcKracken 18]

Can you fix the server browser where OA servers start showing? Not seeing any OA servers.

Also not able to swap between regular ArmA 2 and OA depending on profile.

Running Steam version of ArmA 2 and sprocket version of OA integrated into "combined" folder. Installation didn't make separate folder as Steam version of OA does.

[Guest]

Updated version frontpaged on the Armaholic homepage.

Alpinestars - Arma II Launcher v2.2.0 rc1

[th3flyboy 0]

It doesn't detect CO for an install of 505 retail ArmA 2 and Steam OA. It also does not properly detect A2 OA beta patch apparently.

[CptArmA2 10]

What language did you use to create your tool?

Looks slightly 'java-ish'

www.autohotkey.com, I am not a programmer and autohotkey is easy to learn, but limits in some way ...

---------- Post added at 09:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:36 PM ----------

It doesn't detect CO for an install of 505 retail ArmA 2 and Steam OA. It also does not properly detect A2 OA beta patch apparently.

Can somebody please describe me how will steam start Arma2/Arma2OA due to the fact that I do not have the steam version. I will try to implement steam support.

Thx,

alpinestars

---------- Post added at 09:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:38 PM ----------

Can you fix the server browser where OA servers start showing? Not seeing any OA servers.

Also not able to swap between regular ArmA 2 and OA depending on profile.

Running Steam version of ArmA 2 and sprocket version of OA integrated into "combined" folder. Installation didn't make separate folder as Steam version of OA does.

Are there separated servers? I will have a look how to detect them.

Switching between ArmA 2 and ArmA 2 OA is not related to profiles.

---------- Post added at 10:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:39 PM ----------

Are there separated servers? I will have a look how to detect them.

Okay, found them. There are different, please wait for RC2 ...

[th3flyboy 0]

It should be a bit more clarified in this thread:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=101214

As for folder structure, it should be pretty much the same as a standalone OA install and a standalone A2 install, it does not combine the folders like with the other versions.

Edited July 5, 2010 by th3flyboy

[jadehorus 10]

Thanks for the update;it works like a charm and it's so much better now!

[Nazul 10]

Yes! Nice work, very happy i can use my sound mods again.

I noticed ingame "Expansions" menu doesnt show up the mods that are loaded but the mods are loaded and working. Im not going to use the expansions menu, Id rather use a launcher.

[bullman 0]

I used the previous release of this launcher without problem and totally understood how it worked. There was only ever one ArmA2 .exe file and as long as it was referenced by the launcher, you could come up with all sorts of different mod profiles.

Now with the installation of OA and the release of this new launcher version I am now confused. :confused:

I have now 2 exe files to deal with: arma2.exe and arma2OA.exe in my ArmA2 install directory (both games are non-steam installs)

I understand that OA is (can be) a stand alone installation however I have noticed that when running armaOA.exe it still seems to load up the mod folder @expansion.

Is it now possible to play both ArmA2 and OA off the one exe file armaOA.exe, with the only difference being the addition of the mod folder @expansion if you want to play OA?

Does that mean I can essentially delete/remove/replace the arm2.exe file I originally used to play ArmA2 with armaOA.exe? Is there any need for the arma2.exe file?

Sorry about any confusion.

Cheers

Bull

[chappy 0]

In order to run Combined ops for the A2/OA steam version combination via this launcher , the easy solution at the moment is to actually reference windows command script in your steam OA installation folder. the filename is: _runA2CO.cmd

Then, with the box containing the above filepath checked in settings, go to the start tab, and 'start armaII:OA

the launcher will then start the cmd script, that in turn will launch the combined arms version of the game . I've tested this and it works for dual A2/OA installs both purchased on steam

Edited July 6, 2010 by chappy

[CptArmA2 10]

Some questions about how mods will be handled in a "mixed" installation of ArmA II and ArmA II Operation Arrowhead.

The preferred place and method to put mods in ArmA II to my understanding is the base directory of your ArmA II installation with a leading "@".

The installation of Operation Arrowhead was done in the same directory, but as far as I understand all related files in the dir "Expansion". Now the question: Must I copy all mods for Operation Arrowhead into the Expansion directory or still into the base directory of ArmA II?

If I start Operation Arrowhead the ingame ModBrowser shows all mods of the base directory, I am also able to start arma2oa.exe -mod=@ACE located in the base directory.

Are all existings mods (of ArmA II) compatible to OA?

Thx,

alpinestars

[Sekra 10]

I've been talking a bit with this with Dwarden and what I've got so far is that if you use the -mod parameter it should autodisable the ingame mod browser. Also talking about the location of mods, it probably doesnt matter which folder you put them in, so the answer would probably be that both the A2 root folder and expansion folder could be used as a location for mods. But again the problem comes when we have the Steam version since the paths are now: "<steam path>\steamapps\common\arma 2" and "<steam path>\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead" and you can have mods in root of A2, root of OA and in Expansion in OA install.. Just like the OA beta is now in my "<steam path>\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\Expansion\beta" and then there will soon be the people who have only OA and no A2 at all...

[MadMike-Brig2010- 10]

With the new version i could not add the following directories as mods:

Expansion\beta;

Expansion\beta\Expansion;

The launcher always adds only Expansion which is not correct for the 71900 beta as shown in the readme of the beta patch. Is there a way to add theses directories, too?

[CuDa 10]

Awesome launcher!!..imo, best one..The only other two things I can think of, would be when you click on a mod a picture comes up of that mod..like some modders will have a pic of their mod included inside folder ..if there was a way you could link your launcher to that pic, where you see it inside of your launcher, that would be omg so cool..because I have so many mods a lot of times i forget what mod is what...hehe..and second one would be a check all mod option where you could turn it off and on..but if you dont add these, no biggie..still awesome launcher..Thank You!!

[CptArmA2 10]

With the new version i could not add the following directories as mods:

Expansion\beta;

Expansion\beta\Expansion;

The launcher always adds only Expansion which is not correct for the 71900 beta as shown in the readme of the beta patch. Is there a way to add theses directories, too?

Please wait for RC2, it will be supported.

[NutzMcKracken 18]

Thanks for your work on this Alpine.....keep the good work. Seems like you're on the right track though.

And you're right, for uniformity the installations should have a way to detect whether there is an existing install and install to the appropriate directory without any issues. Seems at the moment its only those that have Steam installs of OA have issues with separate installs.

505, Sprocket, IDEA, and DVD install to the existing ArmA 2 installation location.

[Robalo 465]

Nice tool.

Can you fix it so it will detect mod folders with only 'Dta' in them ? (no AddOns folder). Sorry if it was already brought up.

Thanks.

[darkxess 60]

nice tool, love this addon.

Anyways, just a quick bug report: when im in window mode, everywhere i go on the screen it has a box hovering over everywhere the cursor goes saying something about "to change the language, you will need to restart" whatever, something in the lines of that anyways! ive been using your tool since day one, In window mode! its the first time its done this.

Thanks...

Edit: just noticed more concerning this bug, when its in the "minimize to tray" position, and the game isnt running, you can go over anything on your desktop and it comes up with the same thing, also hover over "refresh" you will see what i mean for example.

Edited July 6, 2010 by DarkXess

[CombatComm 10]

Hey so I have a problem now. I know this is what everyone is discussing. I cant load arma II:OA with mods. Can someone help me? I cant do it thru the launcher obviously cuz of the directory issue. Than I cant even load them using the shortcut target method because for whatever reason I dont have that in Windows 7. Any suggestions?

[mrcurry 496]

Using this launcher to launch combined operations + mods on a steam installation doesn't work (yet).

You can see the reason in the .rpt file:

...\arma 2 operation arrowhead\EXPANSION;ca" -mod @CBA @ACE @ACE_X  

should be...

...\arma 2 operation arrowhead\EXPANSION;ca" -mod=@CBA;@ACE;@ACE_X  

Quick fix:

Create a shortcut to the "_runA2CO.cmd" with the properties:

...\arma 2 operation arrowhead\_runA2CO.cmd" "-mod=@CBA;@ACE;@ACE_X"

Note the "" around -mod=...

[m4rk3tin6 10]

Ey CptArma2 I'm a brazilian community where all members use your launcher that is amazing and extremely easy to use, the more I'd like to ask you a favor or even just an authorization for us to change the picture by putting a picture of the community, not would be released with the name of the community would be for internal use only, if you can let us do this and I thank the entire community.

ESA | M4rK3Ting (CCT) www.arma2.com.br

[th3flyboy 0]

I would like to suggest the ArmA 2 mod folders and OA mod folders in seperate directories in event of a Seperate combined arms install such as with steam.

[mrcurry 496]

I would like to suggest the ArmA 2 mod folders and OA mod folders in seperate directories in event of a Seperate combined arms install such as with steam.

Seconded

Also if possible it'd be nice if the selected .exe to run would be profile specific.

Example: Switching profile from one for A2 to one for OA will automatically switch .exe to Arma2OA

Edited July 13, 2010 by mrCurry

[CptArmA2 10]

All,

sorry for my late response, but I am not able to spend as much time as needed :o

Version 3.0.0 handles both versions (ArmA II and ArmA II OA), the selected exe can now be saved to a launcher profile. The new version also searches mods in the Documents directories of your installation (e.g. C:\Users\[user]\Documents\ArmA 2\).

The ServerBrowser only shows servers related to the selected *.exe (ArmA II or ArmA II OA). To use the betas just enable the mod "beta" (ArmA II) or "Expansion\beta" (ArmA II OA).

Hint: Due to some major changes, the old profiles and config are not compatible, you need to reset the launcher. Do not forget it is a beta version!

Download it here

Please feel free to test it! I did some tests on Windows 7 w/ an ArmA II + OA installation and some on Windows XP w/ a standalone OA installation ...

Detailed release notes will follow, a lot of internal changes led to the decision to call it V3 :)

Thx,

alpinestars