Patching ArmA 2 under Linux

[Bob.Dob 0]

Hey I was wondering how you fellow Linux server admins go about patching/updating your ArmA 2 installs under Linux? What's the most efficient way you've found so far?

Are the AA2 patches (.exe) released by BIS somehow able to be run under Linux or do they only run natively under Windows?

Does BIS seriously expect AA2 Linux admins to have to first install the .exe patch on a already existing Windows install of the game and then re-upload the entire god damn game to the Linux server everytime? :j:

Edited December 22, 2009 by Bob.Dob

[raedor 8]

I don't know, but I guess you'll need to reupload. Maybe you can get a list with changed files so you only have to reupload those.

Possibly you can get the patches running via wine or something like this, but I guess this is much work and it is easier to reupload. If not somebody did the work already and can tell you his solution here and now ;)

[Bob.Dob 0]

Yeah that's what I figured. It's a bit ridiculous though considering BIS supports a a Linux server binary but doesn't have a simple native way of actually patching an already existing Linux ArmA 2 directory without having access to a Windows install and fast upload connection to re-upload the whole game each time a new patch comes out.

Is there no way of getting a patch released or packaged simply as raw files within a 7zip or Gzip or something? :o

[thhamm 53]

I just use Wine via remote X display. Works fine so far.

[Dwarden 1125]

i would say that use of six-updater would be possible as you can use it under linux also ...

create repository of differences between 1.04 and 1.05 for data and ...

[Bob.Dob 0]

i would say that use of six-updater would be possible as you can use it under linux also ...

create repository of differences between 1.04 and 1.05 for data and ...

Yeah but the point is you still need to install the patch on Windows first so that's kind of what I'm trying to avoid having to do right? :o

I don't know about six updater, I understand it's just like a repackaged renamed copy of rsync, so I'd rather just stick to using the official rsync straight up as I'm used to and you're right it probably would be a good option for me to consider. Maybe BIS could think about setting up an official rsync update server for patching Linux (and Windows for that matter) systems? Would be very handy for deploying patches/updates.

I'll take a look at installing Wine also I suppose, although I'd rather avoid this method if possible.

It would still be great if BIS could release the patches simply as files in 7zip or Gzip format as well instead of only the self extracting Windows .exe patcher.

Edited December 23, 2009 by Bob.Dob

[Defunkt 431]

I've been holding off installing our Linux server until 1.05 is released but I intend to try using the free version of SyncBack for the initial upload by FTP. It won't patch only changed portions of files like rsync but hopefully will automate the business of only uploading files that have changed in future.

[icebreakr 3159]

It would be nice patches would come in zips, exe's are generally a no-no.

[raedor 8]

The problem there is afaik that in some patches BI does not overwrite files, but unpack, change and repack it. So a simple tarball (be it lzma'ed or whatever) can become quite big as you have to include the full files.

[Bob.Dob 0]

The problem there is afaik that in some patches BI does not overwrite files, but unpack, change and repack it. So a simple tarball (be it lzma'ed or whatever) can become quite big as you have to include the full files.

Well, I don't think anyone's saying to get rid of a self extracting .exe patching binary but rather simply "making available" a 7zip or Gzip file as a potential alternative (especially for *nix users) even if it does end up being larger in size. Either that or make a *nix executable self extracting binary patcher that does the exact same thing as the Windows only one. It would probably be pretty easily done considering everything on a arma2 *nix install is basically guaranteed to reside in the same directory all on the filesystem (it's not like *nix has windows type system BS to deal with or a registry and crap like that lol).

Edited December 22, 2009 by Bob.Dob

[Dwarden 1125]

The problem there is afaik that in some patches BI does not overwrite files, but unpack, change and repack it. So a simple tarball (be it lzma'ed or whatever) can become quite big as you have to include the full files.

really ?

i was under impression that since ARMA 2 only true differ byte incremental delta patches are used

method You describe would fit for ARMA 1

---------- Post added at 01:35 ---------- Previous post was at 01:34 ----------

I've been holding off installing our Linux server until 1.05 is released but I intend to try using the free version of SyncBack for the initial upload by FTP. It won't patch only changed portions of files like rsync but hopefully will automate the business of only uploading files that have changed in future.

for some reason SyncBack sounds like Rdiff-backup with interface for Windows and some other stuff

http://rdiff-backup.nongnu.org/

or even better

NIXonly Duplicity

http://duplicity.nongnu.org/

Windows UI port named Duplicati

http://code.google.com/p/duplicati/

Duplicity on windows via Cygwin

http://blog.khorun.com/2008/09/using-duplicity-on-windows-under-cygwin.html

Edited December 23, 2009 by Dwarden

[_pingu 10]

This really isn't practical. It makes it a lot more work than running a windows server, and means you have to run a windows server in parallel basically.

I think that ideally either BI or the community need to get a rsync server up with all of the latest addons. Then it's as easy as an rsync to update.

[raedor 8]

really ?

i was under impression that since ARMA 2 only true differ byte incremental delta patches are used

method You describe would fit for ARMA 1

Yap, that's definitely possible, I have no idea how it is working for A2.

[Bob.Dob 0]

I just use Wine via remote X display. Works fine so far.

Is there a way to launch the .exe somehow straight from command line? Do you really need an X display? : /

Also to reiterate, seeings how no one from BIS has commented yet, is it a possibility to hope that in the near future BIS might be willing to setup or sanction an official rsync server(s) for hosting patches as an extra alternative to the patch installer? Also what of the possibility of a straight up 7zip / Gzip patch alternative release? Or would you guys never consider doing that? :huh: Also what about the possibility of in the near future BIS actually compiles a binary patcher that actually runs natively under Linux? Or are these just total far fetched dreams? :-/

Edited December 24, 2009 by Bob.Dob

[raedor 8]

BI is probably on holiday, and also they usually do not answer to every post here around, there's just way too much to read here and their actual job is making games ;)

I guess a native binary patcher is far fetched, a 7zip patch might be possible (and could be created by the community without too much work as well, btw).

[.kju 3245]

If the community does it, it could lead to copyright/permission issues.

Otherwise YAS/SixUpdater could be easily made a patching alternative.

[Bob.Dob 0]

BI is probably on holiday, and also they usually do not answer to every post here around, there's just way too much to read here and their actual job is making games ;)

Simply NOT good enough!!! :p

But yea.... I'll try PM'ing one of them or bumping this thread after the holidays then. : )

Otherwise YAS/SixUpdater could be easily made a patching alternative.

Are these even open source projects?

Edited December 25, 2009 by Bob.Dob

[Lobanak 0]

You need to buy a copy of ArmA2 to be allowed to install a server. If BIS use rsync or whatever service for the updates, a lot of people, who don't pay for a copy, can set up a server using the service.

So the best would be an updater for linux.

I have to upload nearly everything after updating to 1.05. And if you only have 70kB/sec upload, this takes ages for the 8 GB of data. And if your connection reconnects (every 24 hours in germany), then the upload is broken sometimes and you have to upload some files two times or more often.

[BCA Cat Toaster 10]

Well, why you don´t ask people like me who already did that procedure with 215Kb/sec and ask for a passworded, time-limited FTP server2server-transfer of the just changed data and it´s done in a few minutes?

BTW, everyone can set up a server technically, all you need is the proper license that allows it and the files. That´s why u can run a ArmA2-server without the need of any installation or DVD right from the beginning. All you need for running a server is to upload a properly installed game-version and the according server executable, you don´t even need a key for that and you´re not bypassing any kind of copy protection. Why uploading from your PC (what BI actually suggests in a provided readme) should be more illegal than a controlled server2server transfer between ArmA2-Server-Hosts? All that finally matters for BI is, that things are properly licensed and the needed files are NOT available for free download to the public.

And 7-Zipping the files before uploading reduces the amount of data that needs to be transferred significantly. I was able to squeeze out 2GB+ with normal compression, no idea what Ultra can do.

Edited December 29, 2009 by BCA Cat Toaster