An other suggestion is: permit user to create a file-batch in Win2000, in order to permit he, cliccking from Icon of batch on desktop, to create a
Dos-Box, mount a directory choosed from user, and run the program or game that user have choosed

You can already do this. Read the README. It's basically "dosbox executablefile.exe".
You can also make dosbox execute certain things at the start putting them in the [autoexec] section of dosbox.conf file. It works roughly like autoexec.bat

I am sorry to disturb you another time but you have answered me this: "You can already do this. Read the README.", but I have printed and readed all the README and there are not writed how I can maintain a file with its attributes HSRA (Hidden,System,Read, Archive) active in DosBox when these attributes of this file under Win2000 are already set to ON.
(The file infact is invisible to system under Win2000, but for DoxBox is visible and for this reason the Program IBM Filing Assistant don't run). Prove also you if you will want be sure that I told you.
DosBox don't respect original files attribute. It make all file visible and shows all files!!

You wrote also me:

"It's basically "dosbox executablefile.exe".
You can also make dosbox execute certain things at the start putting them in the [autoexec] section of dosbox.conf file. It works roughly like autoexec.bat"

Yes I can put in section "Autoexec of DosBox.Conf" certain things as you told me but if I put the command:
"attrib +h +s +r +a c:\file.sys"

your program answers me when I run it:

"Illegal command: Attrib."

and the file.sys is visible (without attribute ON) and my program for this reason don't run.

How can I do to run my old 16 bit program under Win2000 ??
I have thousand of records scheduled with this old old program. 🙁(((

Thank you very much or your help and your patience.

Andrea

Hi apollo16,

You are correct, it appears that DOSBox does not respect file attributes such as Hidden and System (and perhaps also the Archive and Read-Only attribute). I don't think there is anything you can do about this. The best you can do is to ask/hope that a developer will look into this problem and solve it for an upcoming version.

Some DOS commands like DIR and TYPE are built into the DOS command interpreter (the program that displays the C:> prompt). DOSBox provides its own set of built-in commands (which you can see by typing HELP). Unfortunately, the ATTRIB command is also not supported by DOSBox, and that is why DOSBox gives you the "Illegal command" message.

I do not think DOSBox is able to run "IBM Filing Assistant" - at least for now. I tried to install it in my DOSBox, but all I got was a blue window. Similar, trying to run it from Windows XP, also just gave me a blue screen.

Perhaps in a later version with better support for those file attributes - Sorry!

If your data is valuable to you, perhaps you should try Microsoft Virtual PC? You can download a 30 (or 60?) days free trial version from www.microsoft.com. Unlike DOSBox, Virtual PC emulates a complete PC, so it can run real MS-DOS, and not just a subset like DOSBox.
--
MiniMax

next dosbox version will allow using hdd images -> using your own system. So attrib should work. You can alrady check how it works in unsupported CVS version of dosbox.

I was answering at your second suggestion (being able to create a batch file for every program). Just look at the quote 😀
As others have said it seems dosbox doesn't allow to change/respect the attributes of the files.

Thank you "MiniMax" for your council.
The Blue Screen appear because Program IBM Filing Assistant 2.0 test the file "File.SyS": If it exist in root C:\ and if their attributes are ON.
If it doesn't exist or don't have attributes ON the program go into protection mode showing a blue screen and don't run.

Best Regards

Andrea

Don't know if it helps, but try to change the byte at
0x2e31 in file.exe from 0xf9 to 0x01.
This should render the program usable with dosbox as
well as XP (maybe still not usable in the way you need
it, but give it a try).

wd

Great work wd - what did you do? Dissassembled the code, and jumped around the file check?

😀))))))) Thank you very much WD !! YuhhhhUuuuu !!! Yeeeaahhh 😀)

I'm very very happy.
I don't know what you have done, but is so as I want the program run.
Very Great Great Work!!
DosBox + Filing Assistant Patched and all my problems are solved thanks to you.

I disturb you if I ask an other favor ??
You have done much for me and I have a lot of shame to ask you an other pleasure:

IBM Assistant 2.0 is a series of lots IBM programs that I use but the most used from me are
Filing Assistant that you have already patched (was difficult searching the protection ???)
and I use it so much because I have scheduled lots articles.
The data can be searched with this program but if I want stamp a table of these articles it don't stamp

very well infact for this design there is the other program that I use so much: Reporting Assistant 2.0
Unfortunately this prgram have the same protection of Filing Assistant.
When I run it, the program search the file REPORT.sys in root with its attributes set to on.
I have proved to see the same byte as Filing Assistant but in this case there isn't 0xf9 & 0x01 in this position and I am not a programmer. I don't know how I can do the patch.

Can please help me again ?? Don't worry if you can't.
Thank you very much.

Best Regards
Andrea

> Dissassembled the code, and jumped around the file check?

No, just jumped out of the infinity-loop.

> When I run it, the program search the file REPORT.sys in root with its attributes set to on.

Do you know if this is the only protection? I don't know the
program (and language...), so i can't tell if they do additional
checks in a printing routine or so.

> I don't know how I can do the patch.

ofs 0x14273 from 0x72 -> 0xeb
A good universal try is searching 00 00 d1 e8 72
and replacing the 72 by eb (if you have more programs...😉

wd

ALL Right!!!
The program run very very well as I want.
You have permit me to use again the two programs of series Assistant, that I have, that I use more of all.
Thank you very much you are been very gentile and I don't know how I can return a favour.

Thanks also for suggestion: "ofs 0x14273 from 0x72 -> 0xeb A good universal try is searching 00 00 d1 e8 72
and replacing the 72 by eb (if you have more programs..." I have them but I don't know how I can modify it I am not a programmer and for me what are writing is " Antique Egyptian :-; 😒 "

Thanks very much

Best Regards Andrea

> but I don't know how I can modify it I am not a programmer and for me
> what are writing is " Antique Egyptian :-; "

You can use a hex-editor to search for hexstrings (antique egyptian)
and to modify binary data. Those hieroglyphs are just hexadecimal
values that represent code.

wd

OK I search an Hex Editor Program and I will prove to search in my other IBM Assistant program to modify string as you have suggest me.
I will hope that run!

Thank you very much
You are a good great cyber-friend

Bye
Andrea

@Apollo16 (Andrea): I removed both IBM programs from here. WD solved your problem and I also think that they are copyrighted software (which should not be here).
If you have similar problems in future, I recommend you to put such thigs elsewhere and link to that page (but even this should not be done too often).

Mirek

Sorry!
Thank you for advise I will respect what you are writed.
Thanks also WD.

Best Regards
Andrea