Using dosbox 0.74-3, I am pretty sure my problem is a simple typo but here goes. I am trying to create a custom config file for a game and run it from a desktop shortcut. I edited the autoexec section and ran it using the default icon and it worked. Here is the autoexec entry:

[autoexec]
# Lines in this section will be run at startup.
# You can put your MOUNT lines here.
mount c C:\POOLRAD
c:
start
exit

I then renamed the conf file and saved it to the default folder. I created a desktop shortcut, pointed it to the dosbox start executable and added the conf file to the target. Here is the path to the file:

C:\Users\abk45\AppData\Local\DOSBox

and here is the target from the shortcut:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\DOSBox-0.74-3\DOSBox.exe" -conf"C:\Users\abk45\AppData\Local\DOSBox\poolrad.conf"

I then reset the config options in the default file to the default settings and ran the game using the shortcut, but the game does not run. The console window gives me this output:

"Loading Primary settings from config file C:\Users\abk45\AppData\LocaDOSBox\dosbox-0.74.-3.conf".

I did try deleting the default configuration file and rerun from the custom icon, but it recreated a new default.

I can't figure out what is wrong, any ideas?