How to get AWE modset using FTP

[JJ Cakes]

I'm posting this because I have terrible luck syncing with the AWE repository using ArmA3Sync since I keep having the issue that the sync stops for no reason and it won't recover.  But the repository is just an FTP site so you don't necessarily need to use ArmA3Sync to get it.  You can use an FTP client and from my experience, they're far more robust plus they get better download speeds. 

 

I hope this is detailed enough, and unfortunately there's a bunch of FTP clients out there so I can't explain in detail how to use each of them, but FTP is FTP so maybe just learning your client is enough.

 

Happy FTP-ing, if you have questions ask and I'll try and help!

 

1) Get an FTP client.  I use CoffeeCup Free FTP.

 

2) Open up ArmA3Sync and check the repository to see what you're not up to date with.  They'll be the mods with a yellow triangle in front of them.  Leave this app open, you'll need to reference it once you FTP into the server.

 

3) Determine where your AWE mods are.  For me, they're under:

 

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

 

This is going to be the destination directory when you're FTP'ing the modset.

 

4) Fire up your FTP client and navigate to your destination directory which is usually the left window for most FTP clients.  If you have mods already, you'll see all the "@" directories in there.

 

5) For the server you're going to be downloading from, put in:

 

ftp://mods.ahoyworld.net

 

6) Connect to the server, and once you can see the remote directories double-click on:

 

Enhanced

 

And you'll see all the mods, they start with the "@" symbol.  They're actually directories.

 

7) Now back to ArmA3Sync, that's going to tell you what mods you are out of sync with because of the "!" in the yellow triangle.  Click on those directories on the FTP remote side of things and click whatever it takes to download them.

 

Sometimes you can multi-select by holding down "CTRL" so you can select everything you're out of sync with and queue them up all at once.

 

8) Wait.  Last AWE modset update was 10GB so I set Windows 10 to never power down or go to sleep.  Just turned off the monitor and went to bed so that could happen at night.

 

9) Once everything has been downloaded, run ArmA3Sync again to make sure there are no complaints.  I did the FTP method for the latest 10GB update and ArmA3Sync was totally happy with it, there wasn't any post-FTP work to be done.

 

10) Profit!  OK, no profit, but if ArmA3Sync was a thorn in your side, at least now you have the AWE modset!

 

 

[Ryko]

I use Arma3Sync to confirm whether I have the right files, but for the most part, I get better download speeds getting the larger mods from alternate sources (RHS, CUP, some of the maps... armaholic).  If you're getting errors from arma3sync keep in mind that it's not really designed for dozens of users accessing it at the same time, so sometimes you just have to keep hammering it if you insist on getting your mods from the repo.

[Copey]

Again I do the same as Ryko. For example with the last update I pulled the RHS down via a torrent - admittedly I spent ages screwing it up but that was my fault. I don't do good on 2 hours sleep ahaa. 

I don't see any issues with you doing it this way though, and it might do well as a workaround for those who are getting the ace files not downloading properly issues. Admittedly you can just spam it and it will eventually work, but this might prove easier at busier times.

 

Thanks for sharing this way of doing it, I hadn't though if it!

[BenjaminHL]

This guide is great and definitely helps people like you said earlier that get bad repo speeds. I like copey and Ryko only really use the repo for the more tailored versions of mods we use on the sever the big stuff just come faster from having a subscription to armaholic. 

 

Also someone should move this to the guides section. 

 

-Ben 

[JJ Cakes]

Well, I never thought to try and download the mods from the original sources, but I'm lazy and the AWE repository seemed like the least likely for me to screw all this up.