ArmA unstable after frequent ALT+TABs

[DeadActionMan]

Hi guys,

Has anyone else had problems when repeatedly "tweaking" a custom mission and the ALT+TABbing out of ArmA to change a script causes it to lock up or crash?

On my machine, ArmA is stable under normal conditions but when I frequently ALT+TAB between a text editor (for script tweaks) and the game, after a while, the screen gets trashed with the wrong textures being applied to the GUI and sometimes a flat or unwrapped texture fills the whole screen.

I can't even CTRL+ALT+DEL... the system needs a reboot.

Am I doing something wrong or is this a feature? It was present in 1.14 and also now in 1.15b

I can post system specs if it helps?

Thanks for any help offered

[Deadfast]

I don't think this is the right section, but you could try running the game in window if you need to ALT+TAB often (shortcut parameter -window).

[DeadActionMan]

I felt it was more to do with editing than crashing and thought my fellow editors are more likely to have seen it.

I'll try the -window idea and post the results.

Thanks

[Wolfrug]

I get this very same thing. Solution: use -window. I always thought it had to do with my graphics card or something though  Interesting that more people are having the same effects...

Wolfrug out.

[i0n0s]

ArmA, at least on a nvidia system, dislikes ALT + TAB and will crash after a time. Therefore use -window and all your problems are gone

And if you edit ArmA.cfg and make it read only you can use -x & -y to switch the resolution. So my developer ArmA is running a lower resolution so I can easily switch and still see my code.

[hoz]

I too use -window   with settings for -x=1024 -y=768. It makes it way easier to review the arma.rpt file while editing.
I'll create a faq item for this information.   

[DeadActionMan]

Thanks for all your help. The -window seems to work ok, but I prefer full screen. Just have to get my scripts right first time I guess.

Is there anyway to unlock files so I can edit them on another machine at the same time the game (not the mission) is running? I used to do this with OPF but in ArmA, when I try and save changes (from the remote machine) the files can't be saved!

Any ideas?

[hoz]

what files are being locked? Mission editing files or missions themselves?

[DeadActionMan]

Mission editing files: description, briefing, and any script that has run at least once in preview. I'm guessing other files too, but I haven't checked yet. Looks like ArmA locks everything until you quit.

[i0n0s]

ArmA locks them for himself.
As soon as ArmA looses the focus the will get unlocked and ArmA will reload them

[Tyger]

@DeadActionMan - Try googling Unlocker. I believe all it does is edit the NTFS flags so your data is safe. Hopefully you can use that to unlock files for editing.

[Undeceived]

-window was one of the best finds I had in the last time. Very useful...
You can adjust the size of the window and also simultaneously work with your scripts, etc.
Alt+Tab takes too long in my opinion.

[DeanosBeano]

Mission editing files: description, briefing, and any script that has run at least once in preview. I'm guessing other files too, but I haven't checked yet. Looks like ArmA locks everything until you quit.

 Never had a problem with SQS being locked , the description and briefing do seem to work differently though , that is the changes are not instantly recognized by simply alt tabbing ,making changes and  pressing the preview ,it seems the mission has to be saved and reloaded before changes are recognizing the change in those files as well as any sounds that may be added whilst alt tabbed.although as with everything else ,its intermittent and sometimes changes are recognized lol.
  In OFP  and before the advent of - window , it was always wise to make sure your windows mode and game mode were set to the same resolution or you would experience lock ups when alt tabbing, not sure if this is still the case in arma as i have always used - window.

 DB