DBGL's support for newer DOSBox forks is not perfect. Make sure you use the latest beta found at https://dbgl.org/beta/
Estel Randir wrote on 2026-09-23, 02:59:I am new to DGBL. I have an issue with mounting my games. […]
I am new to DGBL. I have an issue with mounting my games.
In Defend Reloaded I could mount my games folder (full path) that contains all my games as hard drive (I.E. \Games\Dos Games). Then I would add the full path to the game executable & the setup. Everything worked fine. But in DGBL, if I do the same thing, the game will not run. I have to mount each games folder (I.E. \Games\Dos Games\<each individual game folder>)instead of the folder with all my games. This becomes a bit tedious when trying to make profile templates. Is there a solution to this or is this just how DGBL works?
I.E:
I cannot mount \Games\Dos Games as the hard drive
I have to mount \Games\Dos Games\<each individual game folder>
You can mount the entire folder as c: without any issues.
Then in the 'Execute' section you can set 'Main' as Game_Folder\Game_executable; and Setup as Game_Folder\Setup_executable
Example (here C: is set to '.', which is DBGL\dosroot, but can be assigned to another folder):
How are you exactly mounting the games?
RedTony wrote on 2026-09-24, 14:53:You can mount the entire folder as c: without any issues. Then in the 'Execute' section you can set 'Main' as Game_Folder\Game_ […]
Estel Randir wrote on 2026-09-23, 02:59:I am new to DGBL. I have an issue with mounting my games. […]
I am new to DGBL. I have an issue with mounting my games.
In Defend Reloaded I could mount my games folder (full path) that contains all my games as hard drive (I.E. \Games\Dos Games). Then I would add the full path to the game executable & the setup. Everything worked fine. But in DGBL, if I do the same thing, the game will not run. I have to mount each games folder (I.E. \Games\Dos Games\<each individual game folder>)instead of the folder with all my games. This becomes a bit tedious when trying to make profile templates. Is there a solution to this or is this just how DGBL works?
I.E:
I cannot mount \Games\Dos Games as the hard drive
I have to mount \Games\Dos Games\<each individual game folder>You can mount the entire folder as c: without any issues.
Then in the 'Execute' section you can set 'Main' as Game_Folder\Game_executable; and Setup as Game_Folder\Setup_executable
Example (here C: is set to '.', which is DBGL\dosroot, but can be assigned to another folder):
How are you exactly mounting the games?
First of all I do not place my games inside the folder of dosbox or a front end & I will not. They are in another location.
[1] If I have a folder named "Dos Games" then I mount that folder as the C drive. I navigate to the folder and then mount it as "folder". E:\Games\Dos Games.
[2] Inside that folder are subfolders containing individual games. I then under Main & Setup, I navigate to the folder of the exact game I want E:\Games\Dos Games\Gamename\Gamename.exe & E:\Games\Dos Games\Gamename\setup.exe.
Straightforward. But when executing the game, Dosbox acts like it is going to run the game and crashes to desktop.
Neville wrote on 2026-09-23, 08:26:DBGL's support for newer DOSBox forks is not perfect. Make sure you use the latest beta found at https://dbgl.org/beta/
I found out that if you switch dosbox versions & there is some setting left over from the previous dosbox version that DGBL does not like, it goes a bit crazy and locks up. So, once I started reloading default settings that issue went away. But I would think it would be a bit more robust and maybe flag you an error or just ignore the invalid setting instead of just locking up. Output options is something that can get left over between dosbox versions as an example of an invalid setting.
Right now I am getting DBGL to run dosbox-x & staging pretty well. Some of the default shaders are not able to be selected in DGBL (dosbox stagin) even though they are in the dosbox staging directory. Maybe that will change in time.
Estel Randir wrote on 2026-09-25, 00:29:First of all I do not place my games inside the folder of dosbox or a front end & I will not. They are in another location. [1] […]
First of all I do not place my games inside the folder of dosbox or a front end & I will not. They are in another location.
[1] If I have a folder named "Dos Games" then I mount that folder as the C drive. I navigate to the folder and then mount it as "folder". E:\Games\Dos Games.
[2] Inside that folder are subfolders containing individual games. I then under Main & Setup, I navigate to the folder of the exact game I want E:\Games\Dos Games\Gamename\Gamename.exe & E:\Games\Dos Games\Gamename\setup.exe.Straightforward. But when executing the game, Dosbox acts like it is going to run the game and crashes to desktop.
Well, that has absolutely nothing to do with the mounting, you've got something else going on with DosBox itself.
Monotremata wrote on 2026-09-27, 16:58:Estel Randir wrote on 2026-09-25, 00:29:First of all I do not place my games inside the folder of dosbox or a front end & I will not. They are in another location. [1] […]
First of all I do not place my games inside the folder of dosbox or a front end & I will not. They are in another location.
[1] If I have a folder named "Dos Games" then I mount that folder as the C drive. I navigate to the folder and then mount it as "folder". E:\Games\Dos Games.
[2] Inside that folder are subfolders containing individual games. I then under Main & Setup, I navigate to the folder of the exact game I want E:\Games\Dos Games\Gamename\Gamename.exe & E:\Games\Dos Games\Gamename\setup.exe.Straightforward. But when executing the game, Dosbox acts like it is going to run the game and crashes to desktop.
Well, that has absolutely nothing to do with the mounting, you've got something else going on with DosBox itself.
I have discovered the following (this was tested with dosbox 0.74-3, dosbox-x, dosbox optionals):
[1] This works and the games will run :
Mount E:\1 Games\Offline as the C: drive.
Set game path to E:\1 Games\Offline \M&M\MM3\MM3.exe
[2] This does not work and the games will not run:
Mount E:\1 Games\Offline as the C: drive.
Set game path to E:\1 Games\Offline \M&M\M&M 3\MM 3.exe
Set game path to E:\1 Games\Offline \M & M\M&M3\MM 3.exe
The space in \M&M 3\MM 3.exe or the spaces in \M & M\M&M3\MM 3.exe completely confuses something in DBGL. Notice I purposely used spaces in the mounting directory for the C: drive. And I purposely used a symbol (&) in the game path. Neither of these cause problems in [1]. But only the spaces in the path leading to the game executables causes issue as shown in [2].
But spaces or symbols do not affect anything if I mount the game directory itself as the C: drive.
E:\1 Games\Offline \M & M\M&M 3\MM 3.exe runs just fine then.
Anyway to send this feedback to the developer? Maybe its something they are working on, intended, or a bug?
Estel Randir wrote on 2026-09-27, 23:53:Anyway to send this feedback to the developer? Maybe its something they are working on, intended, or a bug?
Estel Randir wrote on 2026-09-27, 23:53:I have discovered the following (this was tested with dosbox 0.74-3, dosbox-x, dosbox optionals): […]
I have discovered the following (this was tested with dosbox 0.74-3, dosbox-x, dosbox optionals):
[1] This works and the games will run :
Mount E:\1 Games\Offline as the C: drive.
Set game path to E:\1 Games\Offline \M&M\MM3\MM3.exe[2] This does not work and the games will not run:
Mount E:\1 Games\Offline as the C: drive.
Set game path to E:\1 Games\Offline \M&M\M&M 3\MM 3.exe
Set game path to E:\1 Games\Offline \M & M\M&M3\MM 3.exeThe space in \M&M 3\MM 3.exe or the spaces in \M & M\M&M3\MM 3.exe completely confuses something in DBGL. Notice I purposely used spaces in the mounting directory for the C: drive. And I purposely used a symbol (&) in the game path. Neither of these cause problems in [1]. But only the spaces in the path leading to the game executables causes issue as shown in [2].
But spaces or symbols do not affect anything if I mount the game directory itself as the C: drive.
E:\1 Games\Offline \M & M\M&M 3\MM 3.exe runs just fine then.
Try adding a forward slash before the space and see if that helps?? For example \M & M\M&M 3\MM 3.exe .. Try using \M/ &/ M\M&M3
I know this worked before but at some point I ran into trouble with spaces as well so I simply moved/renamed everything so there wasn't.
My "C" drives live on their own drive: /Library/Emulators/DOSBox. Inside this folder is each instances 'C" drive .So /library/Emulators/DosBox/DOS is literally a folder that looks exactly like what your C drive would. /Library/Emulators/DOSBox/WIN31 is a new C: drive with a Windows 3.1 install, .../DOSBox/Win98 has a Win98 setup, etc. I still have quite a bit of the games I've played 20-30 years ago so I install them using their actual installers. Everything is installed as it should be in its original layout using only 8.3 DOS filenames to make sure everything works as its supposed to. This is DOS emulation after all, no modern day 64-bit conveniences.
As it is, half the time I'll just fire up DOSBox-X on its own and just navigate from the command line like:
-CD ULTIMA
-U5.BAT
Monotremata wrote on 2026-09-28, 13:34:Try adding a forward slash before the space and see if that helps?? For example \M & M\M&M 3\MM 3.exe .. Try using \M/ &/ M\M&M3 […]
Estel Randir wrote on 2026-09-27, 23:53:I have discovered the following (this was tested with dosbox 0.74-3, dosbox-x, dosbox optionals): […]
I have discovered the following (this was tested with dosbox 0.74-3, dosbox-x, dosbox optionals):
[1] This works and the games will run :
Mount E:\1 Games\Offline as the C: drive.
Set game path to E:\1 Games\Offline \M&M\MM3\MM3.exe[2] This does not work and the games will not run:
Mount E:\1 Games\Offline as the C: drive.
Set game path to E:\1 Games\Offline \M&M\M&M 3\MM 3.exe
Set game path to E:\1 Games\Offline \M & M\M&M3\MM 3.exeThe space in \M&M 3\MM 3.exe or the spaces in \M & M\M&M3\MM 3.exe completely confuses something in DBGL. Notice I purposely used spaces in the mounting directory for the C: drive. And I purposely used a symbol (&) in the game path. Neither of these cause problems in [1]. But only the spaces in the path leading to the game executables causes issue as shown in [2].
But spaces or symbols do not affect anything if I mount the game directory itself as the C: drive.
E:\1 Games\Offline \M & M\M&M 3\MM 3.exe runs just fine then.Try adding a forward slash before the space and see if that helps?? For example \M & M\M&M 3\MM 3.exe .. Try using \M/ &/ M\M&M3
I know this worked before but at some point I ran into trouble with spaces as well so I simply moved/renamed everything so there wasn't.My "C" drives live on their own drive: /Library/Emulators/DOSBox. Inside this folder is each instances 'C" drive .So /library/Emulators/DosBox/DOS is literally a folder that looks exactly like what your C drive would. /Library/Emulators/DOSBox/WIN31 is a new C: drive with a Windows 3.1 install, .../DOSBox/Win98 has a Win98 setup, etc. I still have quite a bit of the games I've played 20-30 years ago so I install them using their actual installers. Everything is installed as it should be in its original layout using only 8.3 DOS filenames to make sure everything works as its supposed to. This is DOS emulation after all, no modern day 64-bit conveniences.
As it is, half the time I'll just fire up DOSBox-X on its own and just navigate from the command line like:
-CD ULTIMA
-U5.BAT
For fun I tried this forward slash. DBGL will converty them to back slash when you hit ok. So, does not work.
What I have further discovered is that the issue is not just simply spaces in the executable / install path. But when you mount the C : drive, that path can have spaces. But it is only the path AFTER the path mounted as the C: drive that gives issue. Which makes sense. The C: drive path is "ground zero".
I sent an email to the developer. So I will see what response I get.
Hi, everyone! I love DBGL—it’s always been my first choice—but since the project seems to be at least “on hold” for now, and there are many features in the new versions of DOSBox (both Staining and X) that we can’t easily access with it, I wanted to recommend that you check out DFEndX right here on this forum.
It’s an updated and modern version of the DOSBox frontend DFEnd, which works very well, is actively under development, and allows us to easily enable features such as Roland SC-55 (Sound Canvas) emulation, FMV video deinterlacing, and more.
A Linux version is also in the works.
If anyone’s interested, here’s the link: DFendX - the legend is reborn (again)
Hi. I have been visiting this board for many years now and am a long time user of Ronald's great DBGL. My contribution to his project in the last few years was providing the updated german translations. Since Ronald decided to pause or stop the development of this great piece of software, but has kindly provided the source code of the latest "official" v0.100 beta 17, I have decided to update it with some great new features, with the help of AI. For a while now I am working on a so called Extended Edition of DBGL. It turns out that in its current, unreleased state, it contains a massive new set up features and compatibility upgrades.
I have no clue about how to make a proper release possible, but I could provide the latest version 0.101 alpha 20 for anyone who is interested in testing and bug hunting. I can provide the .jar file, language files, changelog and the source code as well as an optional patch file to patch from v0.100 beta 17.
Or is it advisable to just upload the .zip file here? Please gimme some advice.
AT A GLANCE
DBGL Extended Edition (0.101 alpha 20) is DBGL 0.100 beta 17 by Ronald Blankendaal, extended mainly for current DOSBox versions. Almost everything in it is his work of nearly twenty years; the Extended Edition adds what has happened in the DOSBox world since 0.100 beta 17.
Who should switch?
• You use DOSBox Staging 0.83 or a recent DOSBox-X and want every setting in the profile dialog instead of text files.
• You have many profiles and want to find problems, compare, change several at once and undo changes.
• You play PC-98 games or use paths with spaces that did not work in 0.100 beta 17.
Your profiles, database and settings are kept when updating. On first start the database gets one extra column for play time.
MAJOR NEW FEATURES
1. Full support for DOSBox Staging 0.83. Renamed settings (e.g. glshader → shader, windowresolution → window_size) and on/off switches are converted automatically when switching. Every 0.83 setting has its own field, including CRT colour profile, deinterlacing, dedithering, image adjustments, Sound Canvas, denoiser and drive noises.
2. DOSBox-X up to 2026.10.01. About 100 common settings have real fields in “Additional options” groups (VESA modes, EMS/UMB, VCPI, Fluidsynth reverb and chorus, ISA/PCI bus clock and more). The configuration is now generated completely; in 0.100 beta 17 about half of the settings were missing.
3. Every setting of every DOSBox version is reachable. Settings without a field of their own sit on the page they belong to, in a collapsible “Further settings” group: with description, a list of the documented values, bold for changed values and a reset button. New pages appear only when the version has matching settings (e.g. Mainboard and BIOS, PC-98, VESA / SVGA, Windows Sound System).
4. The profile dialog adapts to the DOSBox version. Option lists come from the configuration the installed DOSBox writes itself. Pages without matching settings disappear, unsupported fields can be hidden. The search box finds descriptions, tooltips and values too.
5. Faster. The profile dialog opens in under 0.2 instead of about 1 second for DOSBox-X, also right after starting DBGL. The versions of Staging, DOSBox-X, 0.74, SVN, ECE and Daum are read from the executable, without a DOSBox window flashing up.
6. Download DOSBox directly. DBGL checks daily for new versions of Staging and DOSBox-X and can download them from GitHub, unpack them, add them as a DOSBox version and switch profiles over (Windows and Linux).
7. PC-98: hard disk images (.HDI, .NHD) and floppies (.FDI, .D88) can be browsed, started and booted, e.g. Windows 95 for PC-98 in DOSBox-X.
MORE NEW FEATURES
Keeping profiles in shape
• Check profiles: finds invalid values and missing folders or files, removes invalid values and repairs moved paths for all profiles at once (e.g. a new drive letter).
• Warning sign in the profile list: marks profiles with problems. The tooltip shows the problem, a click jumps to the setting. A “With problems” tab shows only those profiles.
• Earlier versions: the last five configurations of every profile are kept and can be viewed with their differences and restored.
• Compare profiles: two profiles side by side, all effective differences.
• Statistics: total play time, most played, recently played and never started games.
Many profiles at once
• Presets: Windows 95/98, Windows 3.1, slow XT/286 games, fast games and demos, Tandy, PC-98, plus your own. Only settings the DOSBox version knows are set. Usable in the profile dialog or on all selected profiles.
• Switch to another DOSBox version: for one, several or all profiles, with preview and report. Only your own changes are kept, the rest comes from the new version.
• Edit several profiles including the further settings; differing values are marked red.
• Undo last bulk change: restores configuration and DOSBox version of all profiles concerned.
Safety and comfort
• Create and restore backups (database, profiles, templates, settings as a zip), optionally automatic daily or weekly.
• Status window: shows DOSBox output (also for Staging 0.83 and DOSBox-X on Windows), highlights errors and warnings, can be copied and saved. Messages about a setting are clickable and open the profile at that setting. If DOSBox ends right after starting, the window stays open with the messages.
• Take over a dosbox.conf: drop a configuration file on a profile to take over its settings after a preview.
SMALLER IMPROVEMENTS
• Play time: DBGL counts how long each game runs; new sortable “Play time” column.
• Translations: German is complete, and about 7,000 texts that were still English are translated in the 17 other languages.
• Profile context menu: open profiles folder, check profile, fix problems, earlier version, take over settings from a dosbox.conf.
• “Differences from defaults…” lists every setting of a profile that differs from the DOSBox default.
• Before starting, DBGL checks mounted folders and images and, optionally, invalid values.
• Version check at startup: if a DOSBox entry does not match the executable, DBGL offers to fix it and to rewrite the configuration if needed (the old file is kept as .bak).
• Newer DOSBox versions DBGL does not know yet are mapped to the nearest known generation.
• Shader lists for Staging and DOSBox-X include shaders you installed yourself.
• New “Sound Blaster 2” page for DOSBox-X.
• Status window remembers position and size and folds many identical lines into one.
• Settings → General scrolls.
• Update package to unzip over an existing installation.
BUG FIXES (compared to 0.100 beta 17)
• DOSBox-X 2024.10.01 and later: the configuration was generated without “-all” and held only about half of the settings.
• Paths with spaces (e.g. “M & M\M&M 3\MM 3.EXE”) work. DBGL cut the file name at the space; it now writes the 8.3 short names exactly as DOSBox does. Old profiles are repaired on first start.
• Empty entries such as “locale_period=” or “file_locking=”, which overrode DOSBox defaults, are no longer saved.
• Boot lines with a Windows path (boot "C:...\win95.hdi") were misread and created a broken “imgmount A” mount.
• Assigning another DOSBox version also took over the defaults of the old version; now only your own changes are kept. Clicking OK right after the switch no longer shows an error.
• Reader for older DOSBox configurations fixed (58 instead of 23 value lists recognised for Staging 0.82.2).
• No DOSBox window any more when first opening a profile or when detecting the version.
• Sound Blaster page (DOSBox-X): no more row of empty combo boxes.
• Failed boot: the DOSBox message stays visible instead of DOSBox closing at once.
• Button tooltips when assigning a version corrected.
INSTALLING AND COPYING
1. Copy and BACKUP your whole DBGL folder first (the backup feature only exists in the Extended Edition).
2. Unzip dbgl-0.101alpha19-update.zip over the DBGL folder and replace existing files. It only contains dbgl.jar, the language files, the changelogs and a Windows test checklist.
3. Start DBGL. The database is upgraded automatically; profiles and settings are kept.
4. Optional: DOSBox → “Download DOSBox…” for Staging or DOSBox-X, then switch your profiles.
The Extended Edition is tested mainly on Linux, with real configurations of Staging 0.82/0.83, DOSBox-X 2025/2026, ECE and Daum. Feedback from Windows and macOS is welcome.
The complete list of changes is in CHANGELOG-en.txt.
That's amazing, can't wait to try it once it is available.
Thanks for trying to continue rcblanke's work.
Well, I can provide it for you via PM for testing. Or is it allowed to upload it just here? Are there any (legal) rules that I am required to follow when posting here?
mrmercy82 wrote on Yesterday, 18:40:Well, I can provide it for you via PM for testing. Or is it allowed to upload it just here? Are there any (legal) rules that I am required to follow when posting here?
DBGL is free software since 2006; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
TL;DR: it's GPLv2; as long as you follow it, you can release a version on your own too.
