You can't copy files to the z: drive without having to de-compile dosbox.

Any ideas then?

What is the name of the program?
edit: And did it work with previous versions of dosbox?

Have you tried editing your batch file to use specific paths like:
C:\myapps\btx.exe
call c:\mybats\dumbbat.bat
or whatever?
Also...is the first line in the bat (ok, maybe it's @echo off, but the second)
c:
?

What is the name of the program?
edit: And did it work with previous versions of dosbox?

The program is just named BXT.EXE, but it's an old machine controlller program. As in, CNC milling machine. It's a Bridgeport. It needs to run in DOS and have hardware control over the serial port. I'm trying to run it in DOSBOX for various reasons. I have, in the past, had it working on a Linux box in DOSEMU, but this is a windows machine. I can't speak to other versions of DOSBOX, as I have only now tried it for the first time.

Have you tried editing your batch file to use specific paths like: C:\myapps\btx.exe call c:\mybats\dumbbat.bat or whatever? Als […]
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Have you tried editing your batch file to use specific paths like:
C:\myapps\btx.exe
call c:\mybats\dumbbat.bat
or whatever?
Also...is the first line in the bat (ok, maybe it's @echo off, but the second)
c:
?

Good idea on the paths... I'll try that tonight when I get home.
No, the first line is a PATH statement.
PATH=\DOS
Then, this batch file ("RUN.BAT") calls BXT.EXE, which is what looks for CONFIG.BXT. That's when I get the error.

Any of this help you help me?

Thanks.

Perhaps bxt.exe accepts a parameter: the location of the config file, so use the bat file to pass it, see if it works...also, substitute the path..err...path to wherever the config file is stored, I think the program is looking for the config file using the variable and, since there's no DOS and Z:\ is inserted automatically, it will look there and, clearly, not find it. Something along the lines of path=%path%;c:\pathtoconf which is what I believe the original batch should have done anyway.
A lot of people try to drive machines with DosBox and find little success: it has been clearly stated that DosBox's goal is to run old games, and that it does great...so...keep that in mind.

If all else fails, booting a DOS floppy image (with the BOOT command) will also get rid of drive Z and prevent the application from trying to look there, right?

How about

c:
cd myapps
btx.exe

instead of

C:\myapps\btx.exe

?

If all else fails, booting a DOS floppy image (with the BOOT command) will also get rid of drive Z and prevent the application from trying to look there, right?

Now *there's* an interesting idea...
The files needed were *originally* on a bootable floppy, back in the day...
At some point, we all started putting it on a hard drive because it gave us a place to store the programs it ran (to cut parts), too.

Now, people that have these older machines are updating the PC sides of them as the old 286 and 486 parts break. The problem is that the operating system (the machine's, not DOS) will not run on the newer, faster processors. Too, people want to have an operating system (windows or Linux) these days to accomplish other things, as well.

Hence my trying to see if DOSBOX will work, here.

So, if all the files are in one directory, can that be mounted as bootable, or do I have to have an ACTUAL image file?

Thanks!

Perhaps bxt.exe accepts a parameter: the location of the config file, so use the bat file to pass it, see if it works...also, substitute the path..err...path to wherever the config file is stored,

Tried it. No love .

I think the program is looking for the config file using the variable and, since there's no DOS and Z:\ is inserted automatically, it will look there and, clearly, not find it. Something along the lines of path=%path%;c:\pathtoconf which is what I believe the original batch should have done anyway.

Yes, it's definitely looking for it. Still no love though.

A lot of people try to drive machines with DosBox and find little success: it has been clearly stated that DosBox's goal is to run old games, and that it does great...so...keep that in mind.

I am, and thank you for the help.

How about c: cd myapps btx.exe […]
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How about
c:
cd myapps
btx.exe

instead of
C:\myapps\btx.exe

No love there, either.

Thanks.

Keep the ideas coming, please. (:>)

WJR wrote:

So, if all the files are in one directory, can that be mounted as bootable, or do I have to have an ACTUAL image file?

You need an actual image file. If you have a physical floppy disk (and a physical floppy drive), you can use RaWriteWin to make the image. Otherwise, the easiest way would be to take an existing bootable floppy image (there are lots of them out there) and add the files you need using Virtual Floppy Drive.

Keep in mind that once you've booted an image, you can no longer use the "mount" command to mount directories, or access other directories you've mounted.

It seems to be focussed on the Z:\ drive. I've seen software that did that before.
Some generic ways of getting around it.
Copy the files on Z:\ to C:\ set the comspec correctly (to c:\command.com) and the path (to c:\). Maybe it will work then

Copy the files on Z:\ to C:\ set the comspec correctly (to c:\command.com) and the path (to c:\)

How would I do that? I don't see that in the wiki.

Thanks.

I think he means:
-Mount some convenient folder as c:
-Copy all files in Z:\ over to C:\
-type "set COMSPEC=C:\COMMAND.COM" (without the quotes)
-type "set PATH=C:\" (without the quotes)

dos handbook

I think he means: -Mount some convenient folder as c: -Copy all files in Z:\ over to C:\ -type "set COMSPEC=C:\COMMAND.COM" (wit […]
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I think he means:
-Mount some convenient folder as c:
-Copy all files in Z:\ over to C:\
-type "set COMSPEC=C:\COMMAND.COM" (without the quotes)
-type "set PATH=C:\" (without the quotes)

That seems to have worked, but I cannot be sure until I get home and try it on the actual machine because it errors out trying to talk to the machine.

Thanks guys. I'll let you know.

I hope it works.

Well... we're on the bleeding, hairy edge of success, thanks to you guys!

It runs... mostly...

Program starts, talks to machine, and I can actually get it to do things.

Now the bad - It's hanging up when I tell it to read a file for processing into mechanical movement. I can edit and read the text files, but it hangs when I try to get the machine to utilize them. Any ideas? Thanks again.

It may be trying to read from a path or file that does not exist.

The best method I have found for diagnosing such problems is the DOSBox debugger; while it does a lot of other things, it also shows what paths or files a program in DOSBox is trying to access. Sometimes it is possible to rearrange your mounted folders and such forth if a program is getting stuck trying to access something the wrong way.