RunInDOSBox
r1 (05.02.2013) by Christopher Handley
RunInDOSBox allows double-clicked MS-DOS programs to be automatically redirected to run inside DOSBox. (This is not quite true for AROS users, who will need to either use eGame (or a shell script) to start MS-DOS programs.)
Note that eGame is compatible with RunInDOSBox, and provides a quick way of starting your (MS-DOS) games, no matter which OS you use.
Please follow these steps:
1. If you don't have DOSBox installed, then please download & install it from: os4depot.net/index.php?function=showfile&file=emulation/computer/dosbox.lha (Installation is just unarchiving it wherever you want to keep it.)
DOSBox needs a newer version of SDL than comes with AmigaOS4.1 (Update 5), so you may have to download from here: os4sdl.googlecode.com/files/SDL-1.2.13-SVNr49-shared.lha (Install it by copying "libSDL-1.2.so" to the "Sys:SObjs" folder.)
2. If you have never run DOSBox before, then please run it once by double-clicking on the "DOSBox" program (and then close it). This lets AmigaOS4's AppDir: (and thus RunInDOSBox) know where to find it.
3. Next double-click on RunInDOSBox's "Install" icon. This will copy a few files to their required locations.
4. This final step cannot be automated, so the installer will start Sys:Prefs/DefIcons for you (i.e. DefIcons program in the Prefs folder on OS4's system partition.). In the window that opens:
(a) If you only want to run DOS .exe files, then you do not need to do anything! So click the "Cancel" button, and JUMP TO STEP 5.
(b) If you only want to run DOS games via eGame, then you do not need to do anything! So click the "Cancel" button, and JUMP TO STEP 5.
(c) If you want to run DOS .bat files, then please follow the instructions given in section 4.2. RunInDOSBox won't open any .bat files (AmigaOS4 ONLY).
(d) If you want to run DOS .com files, then please follow the instructions given in section 4.3. RunInDOSBox won't open any .com files (AmigaOS4 ONLY).
(e) Finally click on the "Save" button.
5. Opening the "test_demo" folder. Inside it you should see the file "Urgent.EXE". If it does NOT have a "DOSBox" icon, then you need to follow the instructions given in section 4.4. RunInDOSBox won't open any .exe files (AmigaOS4 ONLY).
6. You can now test that RunInDOSBox works, by double-clicking on "run_test". DOSBox should open on it's own screen, and you should then see & hear a simple demo. The demo does not respond to Escape, so you will need to press Ctrl-Alt-F9 to quit DOSBox.
Please follow these steps:
1. If you don't have DOSBox installed, then please download & install it from:
http://morphos-files.net/find.php?find=dosbox (Installation is just unarchiving it wherever you want to keep it.)
You also need to install PowerSDL:
http://aminet.net/package/util/libs/powersdl
2. Next double-click on RunInDOSBox's "Install" icon. (The first time RunInDOSBox is installed, it will ask where to find DOSBox.) It will then copy a few files to their required locations.
3. Opening the "test_demo" folder. Inside it you should see the file "Urgent.EXE", which should have a "DOSBox" icon.
4. You can now test that RunInDOSBox works, by double-clicking on "run_test". DOSBox should open on it's own screen, and you should then see & hear a simple demo. The demo does not respond to Escape, so you will need to press Ctrl-Alt-F9 to quit DOSBox.
Please follow these steps:
1. If you don't have DOSBox installed, then please download & install it from: aminet.net/package/misc/emu/dosbox_0.73b-aros_x86 (Installation is just unarchiving it wherever you want to keep it.)
2. Next double-click on RunInDOSBox's "Install" icon. (The first time RunInDOSBox is installed, it will ask where to find DOSBox.) It will then copy a few files to their required locations.
3. You can now test that RunInDOSBox works, by double-clicking on "run_test". DOSBox should open on it's own screen, and you should then see & hear a simple demo. The demo does not respond to Escape, so you will need to press Ctrl-Alt-F9 to quit DOSBox.
AmigaOS4 & MorphOS users can now double-click any .EXE or .COM file to run it. If you are an AmigaOS4 user who followed the optional installation steps, then you can also run .BAT files. MorphOS users can run .BAT files without any extra steps.
AROS users will need to use eGame to run .EXE, .COM & .BAT files, or otherwise create script files like "run_test" (see the section 3.2. From the Shell or a script).
When an MS-DOS program is run, you will briefly see a reminder that you can quit DOSBox by pressing Ctrl-Alt-F9. This message will disappear on it's own, but you can dismiss it immediately by pressing Enter.
When you have finished with the MS-DOS program, it is best to try to quit the program normally. Often there will be a Quit or "Exit to DOS" option. If you don't see any, then try pressing the Escape key, as many programs quit when you do this. If the program quits, then DOSBox will close & return you to Workbench. But if you can't quit normally, then you can force DOSBox to close by pressing Ctrl-Alt-F9.
Note that while DOSBox is running, you can use the normal Amiga hotkeys LeftAmiga-N to return to Workbench, and LeftAmiga-M to cycle screens.
RunInDOSBox makes DOSBox use the "RunInDOSBox.conf" file, so edit that if you want to fiddle with it's settings. But beware this file may be overwritten when you install a newer version of RunInDOSBox.
WARNING: If MorphOS users find that DOSBox crashes on exit, then please read section 4.1. DOSBox crashes on exit (MorphOS ONLY).
When DOSBox is running, you can press Alt-Enter to switch between Full Screen & Windowed mode.
Some MS-DOS games/demos allow you to choose what graphics & sound you have. Here is a quick guide as to what DOSBox supports:
If you want to run an MS-DOS program from the Shell or a script, then you just need to put "RunInDOSBox" before it. For example:
RunInDOSBox Urgent.EXE
You can also tell RunInDOSBox to run the program in a window on Workbench:
RunInDOSBox Urgent.EXE WINDOW
If DOS32A causes any compatibility problems (I haven't found any yet), then you can disable it like so:
RunInDOSBox Foobar.EXE NoDOS32A
If DOSBox is quitting before you are able to see any error message (when trying to run a program), then you can tell it to not auto-exit:
RunInDOSBox Foobar.EXE NoExit
Advanced users can have CD images (ISOs) mounted (for games like Terminator Future Shock or Tomb Raider 1) :
RunInDOSBox FShock/Shock.exe cdISO FutureShock.iso
You can also mount a folder as a fake CD:
RunInDOSBox FShock/Shock.exe CDdir FShockCD
You can treat an MS-DOS game like any other game, by dropping it's executable on eGame's window to add it.
AmigaOS4: If you FIRST snapshot the icon of say a .EXE file, then you can add it to AmiDock.
If you are finding that DOSBox crashes on exit (such that you have a 'frozen' DOSBox window), then you will have to disable DOSBox's sound. You can do this by going to DOSBox's folder, opening "RunInDOSBox.conf" with Editor (or another text editor), searching for the nosound=false line, and then changing it to true, so that it looks like this:
nosound=true
If you want RunInDOSBox to work with .BAT files, then follow these instructions:
(a) If DefIcons is not already running, then double-click on Sys:Prefs/DefIcons. (i.e. the DefIcons program in the Prefs folder on OS4's system partition.)
(b) Under "Filetypes", look for "ascii" with a white box on it's left. It should become obvious if you click once on the white box to the left of "system".
(c) Click on "ascii" (but not on it's white box!). Then click on the (left) "Add" button below it, and for "Name" replace the "<new>" text with "msdos" (without quotes of course), then press Enter.
(d) With "msdos" still selected (under "Filetypes"), LOOK UNDER "Actions". Click on the (right) "Add" button, and (while your left mouse button is still pressed) choose "PATTERN". In the "Pattern:" box below, enter "#?.bat" (without quotes).
(e) Finally click on the "Save" button.
If you want RunInDOSBox to work with .COM files, then follow these instructions:
(a) If DefIcons is not already running, then double-click on Sys:Prefs/DefIcons. (i.e. the DefIcons program in the Prefs folder on OS4's system partition.)
(b) Under "Filetypes", please click on "project". Then click on the (left) "Add" button below it, and for "Name" replace the "<new>" text with "msdos" (without quotes of course), then press Enter.
(c) With "msdos" still selected (under "Filetypes"), LOOK UNDER "Actions". Click on the (right) "Add" button, and (while your left mouse button is still pressed) choose "PATTERN". In the "Pattern:" box below, enter "#?.com" (without quotes).
(d) Finally click on the "Save" button.
If you don't get a "DOSBox" icon for any DOS .exe files, then follow these instructions:
(a) If DefIcons is not already running, then double-click on Sys:Prefs/DefIcons. (i.e. the DefIcons program in the Prefs folder on OS4's system partition.)
(b) Under "Filetypes", please click on "project". Then click on the (left) "Add" button below it, and for "Name" replace the "<new>" text with "msdos" (without quotes of course), then press Enter.
(c) With the new "msdos" still selected (under "Filetypes"), LOOK UNDER "Actions". Click on the (right) "Add" button, and (while your left mouse button is still pressed) choose "PATTERN". In the "Pattern:" box below, enter "#?.exe" (without quotes).
(d) Click on the (right) "Add" button, and (while your left mouse button is still pressed) choose "MATCH". In the "Match:" box below, enter "MZ" (without quotes).
(e) If you did that correctly, then under "Actions" you should see:
(f) Finally click on the "Save" button.
To speed-up some games, DOS/32A is automatically used for DOS4GW-based games. It's license requires the following sentence to be included in the documentation:
This product uses DOS/32 Advanced DOS Extender technology.
If you have any problems with RunInDOSBox, then let me know! You can contact me by email, using the address given on this web page:
If for some reason you cannot email me, then I can be found on AmigaWorld.net & www.Amigans.net as "ChrisH". I suggest you PM me on AmigaWorld.net, as I may not notice forum posts (nor PMs on Amigans.net!).
Here is a list of POSSIBLE thing that I might add:
If you are interested in any of these ideas, or have any suggestions of your own, then feel free to email me! Your input may help me decided what to do next.
In chronological order, thanks to:
Sorry if I missed anyone.
r1 (05.02.2013)
r0 alpha 2 (15-11-2012)
r0 alpha 1 (20-10-2012)