DarkXess:

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This TUT was made by Dwarden from BIS Forums!
The Original Post is here!

Place content of this file into same directory where is ARMA2OA.EXE

note: this is only for these who have A2 and OA directories standalone

Spoiler:


Warning: will work ONLY IF there are EXISTING OR CORRECT paths in windows registry to both titles
(e.g. both A2 and OA must be run at least once on STEAM prior using the script)

*** TO RESOLVE MISSING REGISTRY PLEASE RUN STEAM AS ADMIN ***
*** then re-validate game file cache and run ARMA 2 prior running A2:
Combined Operations via menu option provided by STEAM ***
*** It seems some low user rights running DVD setup also are missing the proper registry entries for PATH ***

STEAM users;
latest version of batch is now part of STEAM release , please re-validate cache
Spoiler:



non-STEAM users:
use _runA2CO_nonSteamOA.cmd from _runA2CO_nonSteamOA.zip

in case it don't work please check registry for following entries (only if You know how)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2
key MAIN must contain correct path to ARMA 2
or
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Wow6432Node\SOFTWARE\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2
key MAIN must contain correct path to ARMA 2

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2 OA
or
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Wow6432Node\SOFTWARE\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2 OA
key MAIN must contain correct path to ARMA 2:OA

************* FULLY MANUAL WAY for experienced PC users *************

for ARMA 2: Combined Operations
solution to enable ingameUI modification manager
(when -mod are used the modification manager is disabled)
Windows Seven, Vista users using inbuilt mklink

Code:

mklink /j ".\Addons" "..\ARMA 2\Addons"
mklink /j ".\Dta" "..\ARMA 2\Dta"
mklink /j ".\Keys" "..\ARMA 2\Keys"
mklink /j ".\userconfig" "..\ARMA 2\userconfig"

Windows XP users with NTFS drives needs use this from SysInternals
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896768.aspx

Code:

junction  ".\Addons" "..\ARMA 2\Addons"
junction  ".\Dta" "..\ARMA 2\Dta"
junction  ".\Keys" "..\ARMA 2\Keys"
junction  ".\userconfig" "..\ARMA 2\userconfig"

this will automatically enable your game to load ARMA 2 content w/o need to use -mod switch
now you can add / remove mods in the UI interface
there are 3 problematic

1. you cannot enable/disable ARMA 2 off the list and it looks disabled
* yet it works, so no issue

2. all servers with retail A2:CO will show as Red with question mark
* yet You can join and play, yet it works so no issue
+ there is 1 downside of this

3.if you host you will be shown as w/o the CA and thus A2:CO users can't play with You
* can't be resolved w/o data wise changes, no big issue if you not hosting

-------

_runA2CO_beta.zip contains _runA2CO_beta.cmd
it does the same as _runA2CO.cmd for beta build of OA
only limitation is, it needs to be placed into same directory where is ARMA2OA.EXE
so you need add shortcut to it or something along the line

-------

scripts are within attached ARMA2.CO.manually.zip
they detects automatically your A2 and A2:OA and do these changes for You
also i included the one where you can easily add junction for mods from ARMA 2 to OA folder to be seen in ingameUI modification manager

NOTE: \Keys\ folder is already present in \ARMA 2 Operation Arrowhead\
so in case You need to host games, please copy your keys over or rename the
OA keys folder and create junction afterward to A2 one

----

Manual installation creating Arma 2: Combined Operations
Step 1: Uninstall ArmA2 and OA. Make Backups of your Modfolders.
Step 2: Install ArmA2 and run it once.
Step 3: Install OA. When asked where to install to, install it into the same folder as ArmA2.
Step 4: Install BAF (if applicable)
Step 5: Install PMC (if applicable)
Step 6: Install the latest OA Patch (patches also A2 + BAF + PMC).

Sample for Step 3:
If you have installed ArmA2 in c:\games\arma2, then you must install OA into c:\games\arma2 as well and not in c:\games\oa!



Attached Files
_runA2CO.zip
_runA2CO_nonSteamOA.zip
_runA2CO_beta.zip
ARMA2.CO.manually.zip

Excellent I'll give this a go.

Damn steam.

How do I integrate ArmA II, OA, >>>>AND<<<< British Armed Forces?

A mod locked my thread without reading it enough to notice the and.

The code I have been using for combined ops (much easier than this stuff here.... for steam users anyhow)

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\ArmA2OA.exe" "-nosplash" "-mod=C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2;C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\expansion;ca" "-mod=@mod;@oac;@CBA;@Maps;@caa1;@RH_Hk416;@VANT;@ApocSurvivors"

This can just be thrown in a .cmd file, change paths and mods as needed. Modfolders need to be in the OA directory.

Anyhow, I tried updating it to run BAF as well (seeing as I can't enable Chern or Utes without ArmA II):

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\ArmA2OA.exe" "-nosplash" "-mod=C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2;C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\expansion;C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\BAF\;ca" "-mod=@mod;@oac;@CBA;@Maps;@caa1;@RH_Hk416;@VANT;@ApocSurvivors"

However, now it refuses to launch. I'm on windows 7, steam edition.

All that is required is BAF on your shortcut, unless you have it installed on a seperate directory to your main OA installation.

"-mod=@mod;@oac;@CBA;@Maps;@caa1;@RH_Hk416;@VANT;@ApocSurvivors;baf"

I see. That makes sense, thanks.

after you download OA it should patch your arma2 and then let you run both from arma2 OA

Hi, i bought both, ArmA2 and ArmA2 OA as combined ops via STEAM, installed both, how do i shoud to install the addons ?
How do i know if its running as combined ops ?
In STEAM folders there two folders ArmA2 and ArmA2 OA ... its not all in one.

tanks, sry my bad english if i miss something.

Welcome to Armaholic

# oXid3 : Hi, i bought both, ArmA2 and ArmA2 OA as combined ops via STEAM, installed both, how do i shoud to install the addons ?

Check this topic:
http://www.armaholic.com/forums.php?m=posts&p=85969&highlight=MOD+ADDON+STEAM#85969
I can not be of much help with Steam. I dont use it and I would like to keep it that way

How do i know if its running as combined ops ?

Start the game, go to options, go to expansions and you should see Operation Arrowhead listed and active.
Also the main menu screen should show the Desert map which comes with OA and you should be able to play the Arma 2 campaigns.

i bought OA on steam and A2 retail. which of these CO solutions should i do?

man this is complicated for retards like me.

I'm good at licking windows, I even struggle with that at times.

heya'll
i've been tryin to link arma 2 with arma 2 oa
i recently rebooted my pc
and installed arma 2 reinforcements / oa and arma 2
i did get arma 2 reinforcements & oa linked but i just cant link oa to arma 2
i am not very good at these things so i hope someone can give me a bit of an easy explanation
any help would be apreciated ..
would reinstalling the game in these order help or would my problem be solved then?
Step 1: Uninstall ArmA2 and OA. Make Backups of your Modfolders.
Step 2: Install ArmA2 and run it once.
Step 3: Install OA. When asked where to install to, install it into the same folder as ArmA2.
Step 4: Install BAF (if applicable)
Step 5: Install PMC (if applicable)
Step 6: Install the latest OA Patch (patches also A2 + BAF + PMC).

Yep, that (above) should work...as long as you install the programs in chronological order, are using the default path routing of the installer(s), and are using similar media types.

There really is no need for any manual registry edits -even for Steam users- and these types of edits should only be done as a last resort.

readme_OA.txt:

---

Merged Version ARMA 2 + ARMA 2: OPERATION ARROWHEAD
---------------------------------------------------

It is possible to merge ARMA 2 content with ARMA 2: OPERATION ARROWHEAD. In order to do this:

* make sure to install ARMA 2 first
* ARMA 2: OPERATION ARROWHEAD should find your ARMA 2 folder automatically during setup (if you want to install ARMA 2: OPERATION ARROWHEAD as stan alone product, select different folder)

I Did all the above .. but now i get an error with the pixelshader or something when i try to launch oa, arma 2 launches but still isnt linked with the others .. hmm i rly dont kno what to do theyre all in the same file i made sure of that

# NoQuarter : Yep, that (above) should work...as long as you install the programs in chronological order, are using the default path routing of the installer(s), and are using similar media types.

There really is no need for any manual registry edits -even for Steam users- and these types of edits should only be done as a last resort.

^
Did you perform a "clean" un-install of the programs... removing -or deleting- the profile and config files from *:\Users\*\Documents\ArmA 2 (or \ArmA 2OA), followed with a registry sweep/cleaning prior to the re-install?
Are you using the same type of media (DVD or DD) or are you using multiple media types?

yes i reinstalled it clean .. and multiple media types meaning ?
and i'm still tryin to patch the game but that errors aswell
thank you for helping me btw

# NoQuarter : ^
Did you perform a "clean" un-install of the programs... removing -or deleting- the profile and config files from *:\Users\*\Documents\ArmA 2 (or \ArmA 2OA), followed with a registry sweep/cleaning prior to the re-install?
Are you using the same type of media (DVD or DD) or are you using multiple media types?

Added 1 hour 8 minutes later:

The install worked i got a destkop item -> arma 2 combined operations so it's working now ..
but i only need to find a way to patch it cause it gives me an error that says someting of my CA.pbo file causes the error
after i installed oa i immediatly installed BAF / PMC and i think that's the addon that's causing the errors cause i can't patch the game up anymore .. i think .. i don't bloody kno .. xd

# NoQuarter : ^
Did you perform a "clean" un-install of the programs... removing -or deleting- the profile and config files from *:\Users\*\Documents\ArmA 2 (or \ArmA 2OA), followed with a registry sweep/cleaning prior to the re-install?
Are you using the same type of media (DVD or DD) or are you using multiple media types?