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| en:tools:dosbox [2022-04-01-21-42] – ↷ Links adapted because of a move operation 7saturn | en:tools:dosbox [2025-03-08-21-19] (current) – 7saturn |
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| ====== DOSBox ====== | ====== DOSBox ====== |
| | At least since Windows x64, there is no support for 16 bit (DOS) applications. They simply cannot be run any more. For those applications and games (like [[:en:games:warlords_1|Warlords]]) a DOS emulator is required. DOSBox is such an emulator. It emulates a complete MS-DOS environment. You can get it at [[http://www.dosbox.com/|http://www.dosbox.com/]] (especially for Windows), or possibly directly via the package managing system of your Linux distribution. |
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| At least since Windows x64, there is no support for 16 bit (DOS) applications any more. They simply cannot be run any more. For those applications and games (like [[:en:games:warlords_1|Warlords 1]]) a DOS emulator is required. DOSBox is such an emulator. It emulates a complete MS-DOS environment. You can get it at [[http://www.dosbox.com/|http://www.dosbox.com/]] (especially for Windows), or possibly directly via the package managing system of your Linux distribution. | The possibilities of configuration are rather extensive (e.g. network configuration). As there is a complete Wiki on that alone, it should be sufficient to give a short introduction to its configuration. |
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| The possibilities of configuration are rather extensive (e. g. network configuration). As there is a complete Wiki on that alone, it should be sufficient to give a short introduction to its configuration. | |
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| ===== Config file ===== | ===== Config file ===== |
| | It is of course a good place to start, to get or be acquainted with the configuration of native DOS itself. The files //autoexec.bat// and //config.sys// are replaced by the config file //%localappdata%\DOSBox\dosbox-0.74.conf//. Under Linux the file can be found in folder //~/.dosbox/dosbox-0.74.conf//. Depending on the version //0.74// the exact path may be different for you. For a more frequent use, the most important aspect is mounting physically existing folders as drive letters into DOSBox. The command ''mount //<driveletter>// //<hostfolder>//'' mounts the provided folder as the root folder of the provided drive. ''mount -u //<driveletter>//'' undoes that. To have this happen automatically at startup, the command has to be entered into the config file at the proper location, below section //[autoexec]//, e.g.: |
| It is of course a good place to start, to get or be acquainted with the configuration of native DOS itself. The files ''autoexec.bat'' and ''config.sys'' are replaced by the config file ''C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\DOSBox\dosbox-0.74.conf''. Under Linux the file can be found in folder ''~/.dosbox/dosbox-0.74.conf''. Depending on the version ''0.74'' may have changed. For a more frequent use, the most important aspect is mounting physically existing folders as drive letters into DOSBox. the command ''mount <driveletter> <hostfolder>'' mounts the provided folder as the root folder of the provided drive. ''mount -u <driveletter>'' undoes that. To have this happen automatically at startup, the command has to be entered into the config file at the proper location, below ''[autoexec]'', e. g.: | |
| <code> | <code> |
| | mount c %userprofile%\Desktop |
| mount c C:\Users\username\Desktop | |
| c: | c: |
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| </code> | </code> |
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| This mounts the folder ''C:\Users\username\Desktop'' as drive ''C:'' and DOSBox switches to that drive as well during startup. The user ends up at the proper location in the provided folder. You can do anything you would do with the ''autoexec.bat'' file as well, by placing the commands below the ''[autoexec]'' section, e. g. variable settings or custom start menus. You might as well create a configuration, that automatically starts your favorite game right after opening DOSBox. | This mounts the folder //%userprofile%\Desktop// (current user's //Desktop// folder) as drive //C:// and DOSBox switches to that drive as well during startup. The user ends up at the proper location in the provided folder. You can do anything you would do with the //autoexec.bat// file as well, by placing the commands below the //[autoexec]// section, e.g. variable settings or custom start menus. You might as well create a configuration, that automatically starts your favorite game right after opening DOSBox. |
| ===== Most Important Short Cuts ===== | ===== Most Important Short Cuts ===== |
| * ''ALT'' + ''ENTER'': Switch to **full screen** and back. | * <key>ALT</key> + <key>ENTER</key>: Switch to **full screen** and back. |
| * ''ALT'' + ''PAUSE'': Pause emulation (hit ''ALT'' + ''PAUSE'' again to continue). | * <key>ALT</key> + <key>PAUSE</key>: Pause emulation (hit <key>ALT</key> + <key>PAUSE</key> again to continue). |
| * ''CTRL'' + ''F1'': Start the keymapper. | * <key>CTRL</key> + <key>F1</key>: Start the keymapper. |
| * ''CTRL'' + ''F4'': Change between mounted floppy/CD images. **Update directory cache** for all drives. | * <key>CTRL</key> + <key>F4</key>: Change between mounted floppy/CD images. **Update directory cache** for all drives. |
| * ''CTRL'' + ''ALT'' + ''F5'': Start/Stop avi **video capturing**. | * <key>CTRL</key> + <key>ALT</key> + <key>F5</key>: Start/Stop avi **video capturing**. |
| * ''CTRL'' + ''F5'': Save a **screenshot** in PNG format. | * <key>CTRL</key> + <key>F5</key>: Save a **screenshot** in PNG format. |
| * ''CTRL'' + ''F6'': Start/Stop **recording sound** output to a wave file. | * <key>CTRL</key> + <key>F6</key>: Start/Stop **recording sound** output to a wave file. |
| * ''CTRL'' + ''ALT'' + ''F7'': Start/Stop recording of OPL commands (DRO format). | * <key>CTRL</key> + <key>ALT</key> + <key>F7</key>: Start/Stop recording of OPL commands (DRO format). |
| * ''CTRL'' + ''ALT'' + ''F8'': Start/Stop the recording of raw MIDI commands. | * <key>CTRL</key> + <key>ALT</key> + <key>F8</key>: Start/Stop the recording of raw MIDI commands. |
| * ''CTRL'' + ''F7'': Decrease frameskip. | * <key>CTRL</key> + <key>F7</key>: Decrease frameskip. |
| * ''CTRL'' + ''F8'': Increase frameskip. | * <key>CTRL</key> + <key>F8</key>: Increase frameskip. |
| * ''CTRL'' + ''F9'': Kill DOSBox. | * <key>CTRL</key> + <key>F9</key>: Kill DOSBox. |
| * ''CTRL'' + ''F10'': **Capture/Release the mouse**. | * <key>CTRL</key> + <key>F10</key>: **Capture/Release the mouse**. |
| * ''CTRL'' + ''F11'': Decrease DOSBox Cycles (slow down emulation). | * <key>CTRL</key> + <key>F11</key>: Decrease DOSBox Cycles (slow down emulation). |
| * ''CTRL'' + ''F12'': Increase DOSBox Cycles (speed up emulation). | * <key>CTRL</key> + <key>F12</key>: Increase DOSBox Cycles (speed up emulation). |
| * ''ALT'' + ''F12'': Unlock speed (turbo button/fast forward). | * <key>ALT</key> + <key>F12</key>: Unlock speed (turbo button/fast forward). |
| * ''F11'', ''ALT'' + ''F11'': | * <key>F11</key>, <key>ALT</key> + <key>F11</key>: |
| * CGA: Change tint in NTSC output modes | * CGA: Change tint in NTSC output modes |
| * Hercules: Cycle through amber, green, white colouring. | * Hercules: Cycle through amber, green, white colouring. |
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| All that's going on inside DOSBox can be recorded as video or a screenshot be made of it. ''CTRL'' + ''F5'' takes a screenshot while ''CTRL'' + ''ALT'' + ''F5'' starts and stops video recording. ''CTRL'' + ''F6'' starts and stops audio recording. | All that's going on inside DOSBox can be recorded as video or a screenshot be made of it. <key>CTRL</key> + <key>F5</key> takes a screenshot while <key>CTRL</key> + <key>ALT</key> + <key>F5</key> starts and stops video recording. <key>CTRL</key> + <key>F6</key> starts and stops audio recording. |
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| The resulting files of video, audio or screenshot caputring are stored in folder ''C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\DOSBox\capture'' (Windows), resp. ''~/.dosbox/capture'' (Linux). | The resulting files of video, audio or screenshot caputring are stored in folder ''%localappdata%\DOSBox\capture'' (Windows), resp. ''~/.dosbox/capture'' (Linux). |
| ===== IPX ===== | ===== IPX ===== |
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| DOSBox brings its own [[en:network_terms:ipx|IPX]] network solution. The IPX protocol is transported via an outer UDP connection. In order to facilitate this, a DOSBox instance running the IPX server is required, while numerous clients can connect to it. In general, the IPX functionality requires the command ''ipx=true'' to be executed, either manually or in the configuration file. The default value is ''false'', so you have to have this set first. Otherwise DOSBox will not provide IPX. | DOSBox brings its own [[en:network_terms:ipx|IPX]] network solution. The IPX protocol is transported via an outer UDP connection. In order to facilitate this, a DOSBox instance running the IPX server is required, while numerous clients can connect to it. In general, the IPX functionality requires the command ''ipx=true'' to be executed, either manually or in the configuration file. The default value is //false//, so you have to have this set first. Otherwise DOSBox will not provide IPX. |
| ==== Server ==== | ==== Server ==== |
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| To actually start a server, the following command is used: | To actually start a server, the following command is used: |
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| ''ipxnet startserver [UDP port]'' | ''ipxnet startserver <UDP port>'' |
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| The ''[UDP port]'' section can be omitted. Default value is ''213''. However, under Linux opening ports ''1'' to ''1024'' requires root privileges. So you will probably want to choose another port then. This means, an IPX server running on the given port is listening and relaying the information to other clients. | The ''//<UDP port>//'' value is optional. Default value is //213//. However, under Linux opening ports 1 to 1024 requires root privileges. So you will probably want to choose another port then. This means, an IPX server running on the given port is listening and relaying the information to other clients. |
| === Stopping Server === | === Stopping Server === |
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| The server can easily be stopped by executing ''ipxnet stopserver''. | The server can easily be stopped by executing ''ipxnet stopserver''. |
| ==== Client ==== | ==== Client ==== |
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| === Connecting === | === Connecting === |
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| Once the server is up and running clients can connect to it. This is done with the following command: | Once the server is up and running clients can connect to it. This is done with the following command: |
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| ''ipxnet connect <nowiki><IP></nowiki> [UDP port]'' | ''ipxnet connect //<nowiki><IP></nowiki>// //<UDP port>//'' |
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| The ''<nowiki><IP></nowiki>'' part is mandatory and requires the destination IP or host name of the server you want to connect to. All clients connected to the same server can communicate with each other via IPX from within DOSBox, including the DOSBox instance running the server. Again, the ''[UDP port]'' value is optional and default is ''219''. Connecting to port ''219'' should not require the client to be run with root privileges. | The ''//<nowiki><IP></nowiki>//'' part is mandatory and requires the destination IP or host name of the server you want to connect to. All clients connected to the same server can communicate with each other via IPX from within DOSBox, including the DOSBox instance running the server. Again, the ''//<UDP port>//'' value is optional and default is //219//. Connecting to port //219// should not require the client to be run with root privileges. |
| === Disconnecting === | === Disconnecting === |
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| To close the client's connection, simply enter ''ipxnet disconnect''. | To close the client's connection, simply enter ''ipxnet disconnect''. |
| ===== See also ===== | ===== See also ===== |
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| * [[https://www.dosbox.com/wiki/Main_Page|DOSBox Wiki]] | * [[https://www.dosbox.com/wiki/Main_Page|DOSBox Wiki]] |
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| [[en:games_database|Back to the games database]] | [[en:games_database|Back to the games database]] |
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