VOGONS


DOSBox ECE (for Windows & Linux)

Topic actions

Reply 180 of 1550, by Dominus

User metadata
Rank DOSBox Moderator
Rank
DOSBox Moderator

it will center all windows of programs that are using SDL 1.x.

Windows 3.1x guide for DOSBox
60 seconds guide to DOSBox
DOSBox SVN snapshot for macOS (10.4-11.x ppc/intel 32/64bit) notarized for gatekeeper

Reply 181 of 1550, by lukeman3000

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Thanks for the help.

For whatever it's worth, I think it'd be really nice to see this as an option in the .conf file for ECE. Reason being; I'm preparing a collection of DOSBox games for my friends using D-Fend Reloaded (they own all of these games on Steam/GOG and the like), but I'm customizing each game with optimal settings -- CPU cycles, graphics (pixel perfect), audio etc. And each game can be easily launched from the DFR GUI without any additional work on the user's part. So in other words, it'd be nice to not have to get each user to set the environment variable themselves in order to simplify the process.

Reply 182 of 1550, by Dominus

User metadata
Rank DOSBox Moderator
Rank
DOSBox Moderator

From that other thread, I had the understanding that some front end offered to set environmental variables. Defend Reloaded as well?
Or the above mentioned batch file would work as well.
But to be fair that’s such a little aesthetic thing that *I* wouldn’t change the code for that.

Windows 3.1x guide for DOSBox
60 seconds guide to DOSBox
DOSBox SVN snapshot for macOS (10.4-11.x ppc/intel 32/64bit) notarized for gatekeeper

Reply 183 of 1550, by lukeman3000

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
Dominus wrote:

From that other thread, I had the understanding that some front end offered to set environmental variables. Defend Reloaded as well?
Or the above mentioned batch file would work as well.
But to be fair that’s such a little aesthetic thing that *I* wouldn’t change the code for that.

That may be the case; I will have to check DFR and see if so.

DFR does offer the option to launch a "helper program" prior to and after execution of the game. I'm already using that function to start and stop Sound Canvas VA/Munt VSTi, but if it lets me add more than one helper program then this may work. Or, I can just add that part to the batch file I'm already using to launch SCVA/Munt VSTi and create a new batch file for those games which don't use those.

It is a relatively little aesthetic thing, but, aesthetics are important to some people (like me). It'd be cool to have a parameter to easily do this with. At least I can set window size in DOSBox -- I can't even do that much in SCUMMVM.

If I could have it my way (or perhaps if I knew how to program), I'd have the following:

* Parameter to center window
* Integrated SCVA and Munt VSTi with full parameter set for options in conf file

I know there are probably some legal issues with the latter, but, perhaps it could be set up in such a way that one would only need to drag and drop the appropriate files into a folder to get that functionality working.

Not to get too off topic - I'm just kind of flabbergasted at the level of knowledge required to play games in their "optimal" state (reasonably speaking). Although this can be a highly subjective thing. Things I didn't initially know about or understand:

* MIDI/SC-55/MT-32 (had no idea what these meant, was blown away when I heard the SQ3 theme on MT-32 for the first time a year or so ago)

* Setting appropriate volume mixer levels when using Roland Sound Canvas and Munt VSTi (stumbled upon this thread on vogons when I was googling about how to find a program which could monitor sound output level so I could try to figure out the equalization myself)

* Pixel aspect ratio (stumbled across DOSBox ECE with pixel perfect patch; had to dig into the thread to even begin to develop an understanding of what it does and which setting I should choose. Oh yeah, and it doesn't work if the window size is too small, and works to varying degrees based upon the window size)

* Hacked versions of various games (such as newrisingsun's SQIV and KQIV) which bring the best aspects of different versions of the same game into one package

And then there are so many much more nuanced things, like the fact that if you use ECE's integrated Munt, you can't independently turn the volume of only Munt itself down (you can change the soundblaster level, but apparently the game can change it on the fly)

Saying all that to say, there's a veritable plethora of things that aren't anywhere close to immediately visible to an average user. Maybe this is just how it is, but I feel like something is needed to make these things more accessible to people. I've spent hours researching these, and other, issues as I am compiling my collection of DOS games, trying to figure out the optimal settings for each.

Last edited by lukeman3000 on 2017-08-03, 18:04. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 184 of 1550, by Dominus

User metadata
Rank DOSBox Moderator
Rank
DOSBox Moderator

If you care for Scummvm then the environment variable is the way to go. AFAIK Scummvm also uses SDL...

Windows 3.1x guide for DOSBox
60 seconds guide to DOSBox
DOSBox SVN snapshot for macOS (10.4-11.x ppc/intel 32/64bit) notarized for gatekeeper

Reply 185 of 1550, by Ant_222

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
lukeman3000 wrote:

If I set the global environment window, will it center all windows, not just DOSBox?

It should (for I ain't sure it will) center all SDL 1.2 windows, which is very likely to mean DOSBox only. Just try it and let us know. You can always remove the variable if you don't like the result. And no, this is not specific to ECE.

Reply 186 of 1550, by Serious Callers Only

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

BTW, there is another critical linux (x11 this time, not sdl) thing i 'have' to use when i'm 'forced' to use 'fullresolution=original' and 'output=openglnb' on the conf file.

The default behavior of x11 when changing resolution to a lower than the native screen one is to *stretch*, which is something i despise in games, if not a true widescreen resolution hack. Other combinations of output and fullresolution might not stretch (for example, 'fullresolution=desktop', will pretty much always not stretch, but scale non-distorted when possible. Unfortunately, it isn't always possible, especially on upstream dosbox, with that 15 and 16bpp screens do not get scaled up thing) but this one always will unless i do:

xrandr --output LVDS --set "scaling mode" "Full aspect"

'LVDS' is variable. It's the monitor name. I'm hoping that wayland will change this default. Meanwhile, i have to remember this on the few games i use this (not coincidently, glide emulation games).

Reply 187 of 1550, by lukeman3000

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
Firtasik wrote:
You can use a .bat file: […]
Show full quote

You can use a .bat file:

%comspec% /c set SDL_VIDEO_WINDOW_POS=center & set SDL_VIDEO_CENTERED=1 & start DOSBox.exe

So, this method is pretty limited for me because it doesn't really work with D-Fend Reloaded. It starts a separate instance of dosbox.exe (with the variable defined), but then D-Fend Reloaded launches its own instance of dosbox which does not have the variable defined (when the game launches).

To fix this, I simply made a batch file named center.bat and added it to the "helper programs" section of D-Fend Reloaded. It checks to see whether or not the environment variable has already been set or not, and if not, it defines it. This is a one-time thing -- once the environment variable is set, it no longer needs to be done. But, this is a great way to fix the problem for my friends, who I will be sharing my D-Fend Reloaded settings with. They don't have to mess with setting the environment variable themselves, they simply launch any game, restart D-Fend Reloaded, and it works. When set this way, the variable is set as a user-specific variable, so the batch file does not need to be ran as administrator.

REM Defines environment variable to center DOSBox and ScummVM game windows if undefined

if defined SDL_VIDEO_CENTERED (
exit
) else (
setx SDL_VIDEO_CENTERED 1
)
exit

Reply 188 of 1550, by Yesterplay80

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
Ant_222 wrote:

And no, this is not specific to ECE.

And because of that, could any moderator please move all posts concerning this issue somewhere else to keep this here at least a little bit tidy and on topic?

Speaking of: DOSBox ECE r4029 is ready and comes now with sergms great MT32emu 2.2.0! Go get it!

My full-featured DOSBox SVN builds for Windows & Linux: Vanilla DOSBox and DOSBox ECE (Google Drive Mirror)

Reply 190 of 1550, by Yesterplay80

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
KainXVIII wrote:

mixer /listmidi does not work again.

It does work here. Your midi device is "win32"? Because that's the only device /listmidi works with.

My full-featured DOSBox SVN builds for Windows & Linux: Vanilla DOSBox and DOSBox ECE (Google Drive Mirror)

Reply 191 of 1550, by KainXVIII

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
Yesterplay80 wrote:
KainXVIII wrote:

mixer /listmidi does not work again.

It does work here. Your midi device is "win32"? Because that's the only device /listmidi works with.

Right, i created new conf file and forget to change mididevice from default to win32 😵

Reply 192 of 1550, by Qbix

User metadata
Rank DOSBox Author
Rank
DOSBox Author

hu ? isn't win32 default ? Sound like the munt being default "bug" happened again.

Water flows down the stream
How to ask questions the smart way!

Reply 193 of 1550, by Yesterplay80

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
KainXVIII wrote:

Right, i created new conf file and forget to change mididevice from default to win32 😵

Actually I forgot to make win32 the default midi device again, I uploaded a fixed build just now.

Qbix wrote:

hu ? isn't win32 default ? Sound like the munt being default "bug" happened again.

Exactly. 😉

My full-featured DOSBox SVN builds for Windows & Linux: Vanilla DOSBox and DOSBox ECE (Google Drive Mirror)

Reply 194 of 1550, by sndwv

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

I might be missing something very obvious, but is there anything special that needs to be done to get 3dfx to work? Tried Extreme Assault and GTA with the latest SVN build and both exit with 'unable to find DLL'.

This on W7x64 by the way.

Reply 195 of 1550, by Yesterplay80

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
sndwv wrote:

I might be missing something very obvious, but is there anything special that needs to be done to get 3dfx to work? Tried Extreme Assault and GTA with the latest SVN build and both exit with 'unable to find DLL'.

It might have to do something with OVL-files (basically the 3Dfx driver for DOS) coming with the game. I tried the GTA Demo for 3Dfx and here it works in windowed mode, if I set "output=opengl" it runs in fullscreen too but doesn't use the whole screen. Something similar was already discussed and the corresponding thread, maybe there's a solution there: VIDEO - 3dfx voodoo emulation (SDL1)

My full-featured DOSBox SVN builds for Windows & Linux: Vanilla DOSBox and DOSBox ECE (Google Drive Mirror)

Reply 196 of 1550, by zirkoni

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Yep, you need the glide2x.ovl file. Should actually be included with both games on the CD.

On the versions I have they are located in the following paths on the CD
Extreme Assault: extreme\root\glide2x.ovl
GTA: 3Dfx\GRTVGR.EXE (this is a self-extracting zip file, you can open it with e.g. 7zip) => Glide\Drivers\Voodoo\Dos\glide2x.ovl

Place the ovl files in the same location with the game's 3Dfx executable (e.g. for GTA it's gtafx.exe).

https://youtube.com/@zirkoni42

Reply 197 of 1550, by sndwv

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Hey thanks! Indeed the missing glide2x.ovl was the problem, both games work great now. Are these specific to the game, or can I just pick one and put it in a directory I have PATH to? So far both games appear to work fine with Extreme Assault's file.

Reply 198 of 1550, by Yesterplay80

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

AFAIK they are often specific to the game they come with, but some seem to be interchangeable as well.

My full-featured DOSBox SVN builds for Windows & Linux: Vanilla DOSBox and DOSBox ECE (Google Drive Mirror)