Maybe it would help if DOSBox had a menu bar? It could provide access to functions like mount (with a graphical folder list) and a place to set things like the frameskip without having to remember the keyboard shortcuts.

I like it how it is. Those kinds of "improvements" should go to an external application. One thing that could make sense would be cut and past in the shell (like the unix shells).

I don't think it would be a bad idea... Many emulators have menu bars... MESS is a good example. You can mount/extract/create disks with menus.

But I'd prefer more compatibility and/or speed... or SVGA support... a menu bar it's not necessary, but it would help newbies.

I think it's worth mentioning that it could also free up more of the keyboard keys for use with games. It might also be useful now that Qbix/Harekiet are adding the ability to change more of DOSBox's settings on-the-fly, since it would mean being able to change them while a game is running instead of just at a DOS prompt.

Dear HunterZ,

You would make a great intermediate between the hardliners (like Snover) and the newbies. You are most constructive in your answers, taking some time to think from more sides than one.

The ultimate goal for DOSBox should remain to allow as many old games as possible to be playable.

Personally, I have used DOS from 1988 up till now and especially the mounting system used in DOSBox is quite different from the MSCDEX options oldtime DOS users are "used" to.

I agree that the README supplied with DOSbox is a bit "Unix man"-like; many different options with almost no examples.
I would like to have at least some examples of the extremes you are likely to encounter, using real names, instead of variables like <game name>.

I love DOSBox for the ease to run Really old games, com's and exe's from my childhood.

I'm definitely no newbie to this scene. However, there are quite a few CDROM games that register as supported without the neccessary options to start them properly.
As an example let's take Albion.
The proper place for these hints would be in the supported game overview on the DosBox website. More than once, the advice offered there simply does not work when executed to the letter.

This would satisfy both the newbies and the ones frequenting the forum whining about whining users. 😉
The newbies would have more info about the alchemy of options needed to run a specific game and the devs and veterans would have more time to look into the really obscure quirks.

Cordially yours,

a retro gamer

You are absolutly right,Xyloc,that´s the way.
Best regards,

Unfortunately, just like this forum, the supported games list is driven by users. If no one writes instructions how to get a game running, then there is nothing. The helpers in the forums who have more experience getting a game working can offer advice when asked, but often don't own, or even don't know the specific game. They give general advice based on experience. Since they don't own the game in question, they can't write those hints into the game database. It's the many help-seeking users who are the only ones who could report their experiences about how they got a specific game running, but they don't do it.

Quote from HunterZ: Another option would be to build a frontend/launcher *inside* of DOSBox, which shouldn't be too hard now that QBix is implementing the ability to change most of DOSBox's configuration settings from within the emulator.

I like this idea, kind of like that DOSSHELL Microsloth made for MS-DOS back in the day.

I personally don't need any such help, (and I would have expected that most who come here to get their old gems up and running would be in the same position). But it seems that the old gems are being re-discovered by a new generation, and I can see how they might appreciate some extra handholding.

-Idaho

p.s. Does anyone besides me foresee a need one day to make a Windows98 emulator for all those games that refuse to run on XP? Heheh, pretty soon we may be able to just ditch Microsoft in favor of Linux with emulators. Wouldn't that just kick butt?

Vmware is already working on D3D support. It's only a matter of time until a n VM fully supports D3D....With that said my recent testing with Cedega has shown that some games that do not work at all in Windows 2000/Windows XP work fine with Cedega!

Norton Commander 5.0 works fine inside DOSBox. I don't think an internal shell would be needed.

P.S.: Look behind you! A Sardaukar!

Zup:

1. The purpose of a frontend/launcher inside of DOSBox would not be served by a simple graphical/menu-driven DOS shell like Norton Commander, as the intent would be to handle things like mounting and changing DOSBox configuration settings.

2. If this integrated launcher were implemented correctly, it wouldn't have to use any resources of or be limited by the emulated DOS environment.

Yeah, I was picturing a dosshell like front end where you could just pick a directory or file, and tell Dosbox what settings you want to use to run it.

Look at the wiki, there's a guide to building menus using batch files and the CHOICE command. No need to modify dosbox for such a menu, you can write your own. All you need is the upcoming config commands.

Heheh, I'm not the one who needs it, I already write all my own batch files. This suggestion was for all the newer people who don't have a clue about DOS or any command prompt experience. 😀

*bangs head on wall* Thanks Duncan 😀

🤣 want a few aspirin mate? 😉

I come to like dosbox. I mean I sill like to play the old comptuer games, thou only in sheareware versions. I sill want to know if there is anyway that u can buy the full version's of some of the old games.

justlike to put in 2cents: dosbox is super!

dunno what the problems with them moaners and whinners, most i suspect are have-mouse-will-travel types?

in addition to being able to relive, i mean replay old dos games (blocky graphics are secondary to great gameplay - most new games are all eyecandy and no gameplay) i got a foxpro app to run with dosbox faultlessly.

great job developers! you have my thanks.

And where would one find this extension? I used the firefox search thing in extensions, and of course it came up blank. I don't really trust that search thing.

What? I think you must have posted in the wrong thread...