How to run Steam ArmA 2 + Steam OA + Beta Patches

1) Grab the file from the first post http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=101214

2) Grab the newest Beta Patch http://www.arma2.com/beta-patch.php

3) Install the beta Patch

4) Put the batch file from the .zip into your steam OA folder

5) make a copy of the batch file and name it something like ARMA2 OA - Beta

6) edit that file and replace

:run
"%ARMA2OAPATH%\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=%ARMA2PATH%;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION;ca"

with

:run
"%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=%ARMA2PATH%;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION;ca;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA;EXPANSION\BETA\EXPANSION"

7) ...

8) PROFIT!!!

+++ MODS +++

mods go into your main OA directory

lets say @CBA looks like this

:run
"%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=@CBA;%ARMA2PATH%;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION;ca;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA;EXPANSION\BETA\EXPANSION"

i dont know if there are mods that depend on loading arma2 and OA stuff first, but if thats the case i looks alot worse then it is already

:run
"%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=%ARMA2PATH%;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION;ca;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA;EXPANSION\BETA\EXPANSION;%ARMA2OAPATH%\@CBA"

+++ STARTUP PARAMETERS +++

:run
"%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=%ARMA2PATH%;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION;ca;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA;EXPANSION\BETA\EXPANSION" "-nosplash" "-world=empty" "-cpuCount=4" "-exThreads=7"

+++ NON BETA + MODS + STARTUP PARAMETERS +++

:run
"%ARMA2OAPATH%\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=@CBA;%ARMA2PATH%;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION;ca" "-nosplash" "exThreads=7"

Cool, thanks for the instructions. :)

Thanks, works pretty well. Only thing is the command window doesn't auto close anymore and the game doesn't launch thru Steam so I have to add my launch params again :/

I have stopped using the batch .cmd and made a shortcut.

Target:

"E:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\Expansion\beta\arma2oa.exe" -nosplash -world=empty -mod=A2;Expansion;ca;Expansion\beta;Expansion\beta\Expansion

Start in:

"E:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead"

Where A2 is a symbolic link I created inside the ArmA2OA directory and points to the ArmA2 directory, to keep things tidy and not show all those paths while connecting to MP.

You could also substitute A2 with the complete path to your ArmA2.

Aiky, how do you add your own launch properties with this method?

I.E. -nosplash -world=empty -cpuCount=4 -exThreads=7

:run
"%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=%ARMA2PATH%;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION;ca;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA;EXPANSION\BETA\EXPANSION" "-nosplash" "-world=empty" "-cpuCount=4" "-exThreads=7"

and if I want to add some addons of Arma 2, like the British jackal or units, I add it to the single-wire line?

considering that addons is in the folder of arma 2 Digital, and OA steam.

:run
"%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=%ARMA2PATH%;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION;ca;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA;EXPANSION\BETA\EXPANSION" "-nosplash" "-world=empty" "-mod@jackal;@Jackal;"

YES, if it works :D

mods go into your main OA directory

lets say @CBA looks like this

:run
"%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=@CBA;%ARMA2PATH%;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION;ca;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA;EXPANSION\BETA\EXPANSION"

i dont know if there are mods that depend on loading arma2 and OA stuff first, but if thats the case i looks alot worse then it is already

:run
"%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=%ARMA2PATH%;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION;ca;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA;EXPANSION\BETA\EXPANSION;%ARMA2OAPATH%\@CBA"

Thanks for the help there!

or you could just go into the game directory and locate the launch beta shortcut. and then edit the property to include -nosplash.

exthread and cpucount settings are set to 7 and 4 by default.

Is there a way to have my Steam OA and my Steam Arma 2 to download and install like combined operations.What I mean is installed seperate they take up 16g while combined operations installs in 10g.

I can't seem to get this working at all despite my best efforts to follow your instructions. I've completed Dwarden's steps for repairing missing registry entries and verified they were present, successfully installed beta patch 71900, replaced _runA2CO.cmd with Dwarden's version, then duplicated and modified it with your updated :run line. The original _runA2CO.cmd file still works, but the modified duplicate does not. No error messages appear, the command prompt simply flashes briefly and the game doesn't run.

Any idea as to where I've made a mistake?

I can't seem to get this working at all despite my best efforts to follow your instructions. I've completed Dwarden's steps for repairing missing registry entries and verified they were present, successfully installed beta patch 71900, replaced _runA2CO.cmd with Dwarden's version, then duplicated and modified it with your updated :run line. The original _runA2CO.cmd file still works, but the modified duplicate does not. No error messages appear, the command prompt simply flashes briefly and the game doesn't run.

Any idea as to where I've made a mistake?

i've XP

work

:run

"%ARMA2OAPATH%\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=%ARMA2PATH%;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION;ca"

not work

:run

"%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=%ARMA2PATH%;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION;ca;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA;EXPANSION\BETA\EXPANSION"

= no beta patch for me :(

you downloaded and installed the beta patch successfully? did you check if the beta folder is present in your steam OA\expansion folder?

just checked the .cmd from dwarden is different now

:uac_PATH_A2
@FOR /F "tokens=2* delims=	 " %%A IN ('REG QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2" /v MAIN') DO SET ARMA2PATH=%%B

IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO std_PATH_A2
IF ERRORLEVEL 0 GOTO uac_PATH_A2OA

:std_PATH_A2
@FOR /F "tokens=2* delims=	 " %%C IN ('REG QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2" /v MAIN') DO SET ARMA2PATH=%%D
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO ENDfailA2
IF ERRORLEVEL 0 GOTO uac_PATH_A2OA

:uac_PATH_A2OA
@FOR /F "tokens=2* delims=	 " %%E IN ('REG QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2 OA" /v MAIN') DO SET ARMA2OAPATH=%%F

IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO uac_PATH_A2OA
IF ERRORLEVEL 0 GOTO RUN

:std_PATH_A2OA
@FOR /F "tokens=2* delims=	 " %%G IN ('REG QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2 OA" /v MAIN') DO SET ARMA2OAPATH=%%H

IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO ENDfailA2OA
IF ERRORLEVEL 0 GOTO RUN

:run
"%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=%ARMA2PATH%;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION;ca;%ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA;EXPANSION\BETA\EXPANSION" "-nosplash" "-exThreads=7"

:end
@exit

:ENDfailA2
@exit

:ENDfailA2OA
@exit

thats mine actually

I'm trying to run mods and it just isn't working. Here's my file I got form BIS after editing it accordingly:

Here's the result in the addons menu:

NOTE: I also do not see the effect from "-nosplash".

No problem here with -nosplash

:run

"%_ARMA2OAPATH%\ARMA2OA.exe" "-nosplash" "-mod=%_ARMA2PATH%;%_ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION;ca" %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9

ENDLOCAL

Here is how i got working beta with my steam versin of both Arma 2 and Arma 2 :OA.

Default in _runA2CO is:

:run

"%_ARMA2OAPATH%\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=%_ARMA2PATH%;%_ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION;ca" %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9

Change it to:

:run

"%_ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=%_ARMA2PATH%;%_ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION;ca;beta" %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9

In case you want insert commands like - nosplash and use of mods it looks like that:

:run

"%_ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=%_ARMA2PATH%;%_ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION;ca;beta" -nosplash - mod=name of your mods %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9

Easiest way for launching mods/commands is to use steam "set launch options" and adding stuff you need.

mine aint working

im changing it to

:run

"%_ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION\BETA\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=%_ARMA2PATH%;%_ARMA2OAPATH%\EXPANSION;ca;beta" %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9

but when i run it, its not running as 71900.....

tryed everything

why is nothing ever simple..

yes it works, Finally!! thanks for the post

Steam/BIS just changed the _runA2CO.

Anybody got any ideas on the steam startup properties?

nm, fixed it. However I will give my code to others because it does seem to have changed:

:run
call "%_ARMA2OAPATH%\Expansion\beta\ARMA2OA.exe" "-mod=%_ARMA2PATH%;EXPANSION;ca" "-mod=@Flir;Expansion\beta;Expansion\beta\Expansion" -nosplash

This is running Beta+OA Mod

i finally got it all to work via steam

now i dont have my overlay when i run combined ops, and if i run OA by itself, it doesnt run the patch

i wanted it via steam so i can have my overlay to lol:(

i finally got it all to work via steam

now i dont have my overlay when i run combined ops, and if i run OA by itself, it doesnt run the patch

i wanted it via steam so i can have my overlay to lol:(

Hi.

You only have the steam overlay if you only run ArmA2 or ArmA2:OA or ArmA2:CO, with beta patch, no steam overlay at all.

The latest _runA2CO.cmd should have this line in your _runA2CO.cmd:

"%_STEAMPATH%\steam.exe" -applaunch 33930 "-mod=%_ARMA2PATH%;EXPANSION;ca"

Add a shortcut to your Steam and you should get the overlay.

If you run CO the shortcut way that is.

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\Expansion\beta\arma2oa.exe" -mod=D:\common;D:\A2;D:\Expansion;Expansion;Expansion\beta;Expansion\beta\Expansion;ca -nosplash -world=empty -exthreads=3

And start in changed to the proper folder. I moved my non-steam ArmA 2 installation folder to D:\A2, and edited the registry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2\MAIN to change the installation path.

You can run steam overlay like that.