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NumLock acts like a shift key (won't stay on)

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First post, by ChrisC47

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Hi all -

I have a new Ubuntu 10.04 LTS Linux system that is running DOSBox 0.73 (the latest version approved for 10.04). Happily DOSBox runs my one DOS app just fine, except I've found that NumLock doesn't work right. In fact, it exhibits the problem even at a simple DOS prompt, so it's not the app.

NumLock behaves like a shift key. If I hold it down, then the keys on the numpad behave like numbers; otherwise they behave like the directionals.

Each press of NumLock does flip the LED state on the keyboard and in the OS, but it doesn't seem to carry through to DOSBox.

I did search the forum here before posting, and found lots and lots of people troubleshooting the initial state, or toggling it, or various games, but I didn't find anyone with this problem. Apologies if I missed it.

Mine is a stock DOSBox installation. There is no config.sys file, or at least I haven't done anything with one, yet.

Any ideas?

[I use DosBox to run Lotus 1-2-3, an old 1985 version; I am a speed demon in that app and old habits die hard]

Reply 1 of 7, by rfnagel

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Sorry, I have no idea about Linux. But, I found similar problems with several old DOS flight simulations.

Found a solution, and typed up the following for my own references (ZIP is attached to this post, including the following readme as well)

A problem with SDL.DLL prior to version 1.2.14 causes the behaviour of the
keyboard "LOCK" keys (i.e. the CAPSLOCK, NUMLOCK, and SCROLLLOCK keys) not
function as they should.

Instead of returning the "up" and "down" key status of these keys, SDL.DLL was
returning their toggled state... which can cause problems with games that use
these keys (such as Airline Simulator 2, Airline Transport Pilot, Flight
Simulator 4.0, etc...).

A workaround is to issue the command:

SET SDL_DISABLE_LOCK_KEYS=1

from the command prompt each time before launching DOSBox (and launching DOSBox
from the same command prompt window).

Note that DOSBox version 0.74 includes an older version of SDL.DLL (version
1.2.13), and that the workaround only functions with the newer version of
SDL.DLL (version 1.2.14, available for download from
http://www.libsdl.org/release/SDL-1.2.14-win32.zip).

Dunno if it will help you with your Linux DOSBox installation, but for the Windows version, it fixes that problem 😀

Attachments

  • Filename
    SDL1214.zip
    File size
    145.56 KiB
    Downloads
    254 downloads
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception

Rich ¥Weeds¥ Nagel
http://www.richnagel.net

Reply 4 of 7, by ChrisC47

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OK, I'll try that tonight. Normally I'm running this from an icon in the GUI. So for this test, I'll open a terminal window, set the variable (do I need to export it?) then run DOSBox from the command line. Right?

Will that environment variable be SDL_DISABLE_LOCK_KEYS or sdl_disable_lock_keys?

Reply 7 of 7, by linuxfox

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OK I had the same problem, I have Ubuntu 10.04 and running dosbox 0.73 capslock and numbers lock were behaving like shift I tried several things with no result. Finally I got rid of dosbox 0.73 and installed dosbox 0.74, problem solved.

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