How to Set Up Dev Environment

Setting up the ALiVE Developer Environment

This will allow you to start up the game, and modify files under C:\Users\myname\Documents\Arma 3\missions\x\alive\addons or P:\x\alive\addons and reflect the changes upon restarting only the mission (in editor), without having to restart the game and recreate the PBO's again everytime you change something in your files. Be aware that if you change main mod config files (like cfgVehicles.hpp, cfgFunctions.hpp, Eventhandler.hpp, stringtable.xml, ...) you still need to restart the game. If you add new files, you will need to rebuild your PBOs.

Note: Why the extra 'x' root directory? See here https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/CMA:DevelopmentSetup#Setup

Note: Some modification of the batch and command files used in the steps below may be required to correct the A3 paths based on your A3 initial install and/or A3 profile being used.

• Install the ArmA3 Tools on Steam (Library > Tools > Arma 3 Tools)

• Clone the ALiVE repository using Github client or your favourite tool

  • Source: https://github.com/ALiVEOS/ALiVE.OS.git (Be sure to select branch master)
  • Target folder: C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\Arma 3\missions\x\alive or P:\x\alive
  • WARNING: GIT may try to name the target folder alive.os

• Create folder 'x\alive' in your ARMA 3 directory (you may need to run Command Prompt As Administrator to do this), eg:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Arma 3\x\alive\

• Create a symlink of the git clone addons folder inside ..\Arma 3\x\alive\ Tip: You can create Symlinks from the Windows menu by using a 3rd-party tools such as Link Shell Extension

  C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Arma 3\x\alive>mklink /d addons "C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\Arma 3\Missions\x\alive.os\addons"

• Map the P: drive using the batch file provided (if you already created a P: with Arma 3 tools you don't need to do this again):

C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\Arma 3\missions\x\alive.os\utils\tools\ALIVE_map_p_drive.cmd

• Clone the latest CBA: *Source: https://github.com/CBATeam/CBA_A3 *Target: C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\Arma 3\missions\x or P:\x

• Check P:\x\ directory. The folders addons, optionals, etc. should then be found under P:\x\cba_a3

• Run these batch and command files in this order to make sure your developer setup is up to date and that you are able to convert the PBO's without the need for the "X" directory in the ARMA3 root folder.

C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\Arma 3\missions\x\alive\utils\tools\Arma3P.cmd or use the Official Arma 3 Tools workdrive application.

Note: this may take a while... your A3 working files are being updated

• Then create the new PBO files:

C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\Arma 3\missions\x\alive\utils\tools\ALIVE_makepbo.bat

• That's it, you should find your new PBO's in your ARMA3 "@Alive/Addons" folder. If there is no @ALiVE/addons folder and the pbos have been placed to your ALiVE Dev folder, then try to create an empty folder @alive/addons in your ArmA3 root directory and repeat this step (delete the old pbos in your dev folder first).

• Start your arma3.exe with the following startup params:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Arma 3\arma3.exe" -nosplash -showscripterrors -noPause -filePatching -mod=@CBA_A3;@ALiVE;

Note: You can use any tool for editing SQF files that supports the A3 command library. There are plugins for Eclipse and Notepad++.