ArmA2: Startup Parameters

These parameters can be configured by creating a new shortcut on your desktop and
then adding the appropriate option in the target line.
Example:
"C:\arma2\arma2.exe" -nosplash -mod=test;x\test;c:\arma2\test2
Contents
1 Available parameters
o 1.1 Display Options
o 1.2 Game Loading Speedup
o 1.3 Performance
o 1.4 Profile Options
o 1.5 Developer Options
o 1.6 Misc.
o 1.7 Modifications
o 1.8 Client Network Options
o 1.9 Server Options
o 1.10 Use unknown
2 Closer Description
o 2.1 Path info
2.1.1 Spaces
2.1.2 Relative vs Absolute
o 2.2 config
o 2.3 profiles
o 2.4 ranking
o 2.5 nosplash
o 2.6 cpuCount
o 2.7 exThreads
o 2.8 autotest
Available parameters
Display Options
-window
Displays Arma windowed instead of full screen. Screen resolution / window
size are set in arma2.cfg.
Game Loading Speedup
-nosplash Disables splash screens.
-world=<string>
Select a world loaded by default. Example: -world=Utes.
For faster game loading (no default world loaded and world intro in
the main menu, only at game start, disabled): -world=empty.
-skipIntro - Disables world intros in the main menu permanently.
Performance
-maxMem=<number>
Defines memory allocation limit to number (in MegaBytes).
256 is hard-coded minim (anything lower falls backs to 256).
2047 is hard-coded maxim (anything higher falls to 2047).
Engine uses auto (512-1536 MB) w/o maxMem parameter.
FileCache was always excluded from the virtual address limit
-maxVRAM=<number> Defines Video Memory allocation limit to number (in
MegaBytes).
128 is hard-coded minim (anything lower falls backs to 128).
2047 is soft-coded maxim, any value over 2GB might result
into unforseen consequences!
-winxp
Forces the game to use Direct3D version 9 only, not the
extended Vista / Win7 Direct3D 9 Ex
- the most visible feature the Direct3D 9Ex version offers is a
lot faster alt-tabing. May help with problems using older
drivers on multi-GPU systems.
-noCB
Turns off multicore use. It slows down rendering but may
resolve visual glitches.
-cpuCount=<number>
Change to a number less or equal than numbers of available
cores. This will override auto detection. Details below.
-exThreads=<number>
Change to a number 0,1,3,5,7. This will override auto detect
(use 3 for dualcore and 7 for quadcore). Details below.
-malloc=<string>
Set the particular allocator to be used. Significantly affects
both performance and stability of the game. More details.
Profile Options
-name=<string> Profile name.
-profiles=<path> Location of user-profile folder. Details: -profiles.
Developer Options
-noPause
Allow the game running even when its window does not
have focus (i.e. running in the background)
-showScriptErrors Introduced to show errors in scripts on-screen.
-noFilePatching
Ensures that only PBOs are loaded and NO unpacked data.
For more info see CMA:DevelopmentSetup.
-init=<command>
Run scripting command once in the main menu. For example
to start a certain SP mission of choice automatically.
Example: -init=playMission["","M04Saboteur.Sara"]. See
also playMission. The Mission has to reside in the
"arma2\Missions" folder, NOT the user directory.
"<path>\mission.sqm"
Load a mission directly in the editor. Example:
"c:\arma2\users\myUser\missions\myMission.intro\mission.
sqm"
"<path>\mission.biedi"
Load a mission directly in the 3D editor. Example:
"c:\arma2\users\myUser\missions\nextMission.intro\mission
.biedi"
-autotest
Loads automatically a series of defined missions and on
error writes to a log file. See below for details.
-beta=<string>
Loads the specified beta sub-folders. Separated by semi-
colons. Absolute path and multiple stacked folders are
possible.
This allows use of beta build w/o disabling in-game
mod/extension management (in UI menu).
-checkSignatures
Introduced to provide thorough test of all signatures of all
loaded banks at the start game. Output is in .rpt file.
Misc.
-buldozer Starts Buldozer mode.
-noLand Starts with no world loaded. (Used for Buldozer)
-noSound Disables sound output.
-donothing Engine closes immediately after detecting this option.
/secuexp Starts securom support for troubleshooting.
Modifications
-mod=<string>
Loads the specified sub-folders for different mods. Separated by
semi-colons. Absolute path and multiple stacked folders are
possible.
This setting always auto-disable in-game mod/extension
management (in UI menu).
Complex example:
-mod=test;x\test;c:\arma2\test2
"test" is located in the arma2 installation folder ("Arma 2\test") (relative path)
"x\test" is in the installation folder ("ArmA 2\x\test") (relative path; subfolder)
"c:\arma2\test2" is in "c:\arma2\test2" (absolute path)
"Relative path" starts from, or is rooted at, the directory from where the arma2
executable has been started, and is not always the same where the executable is, like
in betas. Usually this is the same as the installation path and the same of what's
written in Windows registry. But if you copy or symlink the necessary file and folders,
you may have different roots. It's useful when have more dedicated server.
Client Network Options
-connect=<ip> Server IP to connect to.
-port=<number> Server port to connect to.
-password=<string> Server password to connect to.
-host Start a non-dedicated multiplayer host.
Server Options
-server
Start a dedicated server. Not needed for the dedicated
server exe.
-port=<number> Port to have dedicated server listen on.
-pid=<filename>
File to write the server's PID (process ID) to. The file is
removed automatically when the exe is stopped. Only works
for dedicated servers.
-ranking=<filename> Generates a ranking file. See below for details.
-netlog
Enables multiplayer network traffic logging. For more details
see server configuration.
-cfg=<filename>
Selects the Server Basic Config file. Config file for server
specific settings like network performance tuning.
-config=<filename>
Selects the Server Config File. Config file for server specific
settings like admin password and mission selection.
-BEpath=<path>
If you are running BattlEye this allows you to specify a
separate path for the BattlEye auto updates - this is
required if you are running multiple dedicated servers.
-ip=<nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn> Command to enable support for Multihome servers. Allows
server process to use defined available IP address.
(b1.57.76934)
-par=<filename>
Command to read startup parameters from a file. For more
details see Startup parameters config file
Use unknown
-download
Use unknown. (Possibly set auto download of missing Mod
pbo's from server.)
-generateShaders Use unknown. (Possibly for use with Buldozer)
-disableProgramDrawing Use unknown. (Possibly for use with Buldozer)
-useProgramDrawing Use unknown. (Possibly for use with Buldozer)
-gamerTag= Use unknown.
-benchmark
Intended for automated benchmarking, but was never
finished and is not working.
-noTexHeaders
Use unknown. (does seem to prevent error messages like
'Failed to load TextureHeaderManager from file
"ca\provinggrounds_pmc\texheaders.bin" - failed to open
the file.' on linux dedicated server)
Closer Description
Path info
There are a few basics to keep in mind when defining path as part of a parameter.
Spaces
When your path contains spaces, you need to enclose it with quotes, like:
"-profiles=c:\arma 2\profiles"
Relative vs Absolute
You can define most, if not all path in both ways.
Relative:
-profiles=profiles
Absolute:
-profiles=c:\arma2\profiles
The relative path is normally based on the game main folder, where the exe resides
in. Using beta patches does NOT change this! However when you use -profiles, some
commands use this path defined there as base.
config
The option -config allows you to specify a specific server.cfg file.
profiles
-profiles is a startup option allowing you to choose an alternate location for the user
profile files, such as downloaded missions and .cfg files.
The windows user account would need permissions to write to the folder of choice.
An example might be like this:
"C:\arma2\Arma2.exe" -profiles=C:\arma2\Profiles
or
"C:\arma2\Arma2.exe" -profiles=Profiles
would store all your profiles/configs/downloaded content into your ROOT ArmA folder
under the folder name "Profiles"
ranking
-ranking is a startup option allowing you to output ranking info or othewise know as
player stats.
The windows user account would need permissions to write to the folder of choice.
An example might be like this:
"C:\arma2\Arma2.exe" -ranking=C:\arma2\ranking.log
Output sample:
class Player1
{
name = "PlayerName";
killsInfantry = 71;
killsSoft = 3;
killsArmor = 5;
killsAir = 5;
killsPlayers = 0;
customScore = 0;
killsTotal = 84;
killed = 3;
};
nosplash
-nosplash is a startup option that allows you to bypass the splash screens on startup
of Arma2.
Note: Real speed-up gained with this is likely to be negligible with Arma2, as the
loading screens are handled in parallel with the game data being loaded, and the
loading itself takes quite long thanks to the amount of data needed.
cpuCount
-cpuCount= is option which allows define number of CPUs/cores available.
The best way to simulate dual core on quad core is to use -cpuCount=2 when you run
the game and then change the affinity to 2 cores to make sure additional cores can
never be used when some over-scheduling happens. It might be also possible to set
the affinity in the OS before you launch the process, that would work as well.
exThreads
-exThreads= is option to define extra threads.
All file operations go through a dedicated thread. This offloads some processing from
the main thread, however it adds some overhead at the same time. The reason why
threaded file ops were implemented was to serve as a basement for other threads
ops. When multiple threads are running at the same time, OS is scheduling them on
different cores. Geometry and Texture loading (both done by the same thread) are
scheduled on different cores outside the main rendering loop at the same time with
the main rendering loop.
Ex(tra)threads table
Number Geometry loading Texture loading File operations
0 0 0 0
1 0 0 1
3 0 1 1
5 1 0 1
7 1 1 1
autotest
The parameter can be used to automatically run a series of test missions. For example
FPS measurement or scripting validation.
The game runs in special mode. It runs all missions from the given list.
If any mission fails (ends with other than END1), it is logged into the rpt
file (search: <autotest).
In case of any fail, the game also returns an errorlevel to DOS. This can be used to
issue an notification by a secondary application.
Launch arma with:
-autotest=c:\arma2\autotest\autotest.cfg
The autotest.cfg looks like:
class TestMissions
{
class TestCase01
{
campaign = "";
mission = "autotest\TestCase01.Desert_E";//relative path to the arma
directory
};
class TestCase02
{
campaign = "";
mission = "c:\arma2\autotest\TestCase02.Desert_E";//absolute path
};
};
NOTE: If you use -profiles, the relative path is relative to your specificity path.
Rpt entry:
<AutoTest result="FAILED">
EndMode = LOSER
Mission = autotest\TestCase01.Desert_E
</AutoTest>
If possible use simple worlds, like Desert, to keep the loading times short. The loading
screen command might be useful as well to speed up task that need no rendering.