James_Richards wrote on 2022-04-10, 05:08:

I tried putting a DOS folder in my mounted folder and set a PATH for it, but that doesn't work. I even put a copy of COMMAND.COM in the root of the mounted C drive and I still cannot get to using PROMPT. I cna only assume that the COMMAND.COM in Z: is overriding everything else in PATH.

Did you set the new path first and then append the old path: SET PATH=C:\PATH;%PATH%
Then it should find the binary from C:\PATH first.
The other way it will find the binary from Z:\ first: SET PATH=%PATH%;C:\PATH

James_Richards wrote on 2022-04-10, 05:08:

in the case of PCem, I think the only way I could get Wing Commander to be playable was trying to install a thing like moslow.

You can select different emulated systems in PCem. If you setup it for a 286 then it should limit the CPU to 286 speeds. You probably selected some faster CPU.

I probably did hit a higher speed CPU. I might play with PCem some more.

As for the path, I entered in the [autoexec] section of the conf:
SET PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\DOS;C:\QB45;Z:\;C:\

You are saying I should just use
SET PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;%PATH%
or
SET PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;Z:\ ?
(yeah, removing some things as I was tinkering with an old QB game I made back in the day)

I don't remember much of my DOS days, but I am guessing from left to right is the priority? And when putting this in my autoexec, I should just have %PATH% in place of what is default in DOSBox?

Even if I wrote under [autoexec]
SET PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;%PATH%, it still will not seem to reference the COMMAND.COM I have at C:\ or C:\DOS

Here is what I have under [autoexec]

MOUNT C ~/DOSBOX/C/ -freesize 870400
SET PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;%PATH%
PROMPT [1;36m$Q$Q [1;37m$p[1;32m$g [0m

This works under DOSBox-X, but not DOSBox or ECE version (latest from AUR)
I still get "Illegal command: PROMPT" before I see the normal "C:\>" ($p$g) prompt

You won't be able to change the prompt like that for DOSBox. It's running its own built-in version of COMMAND.COM (the DOS shell/command interpreter) and you're trying to use unsupported commands from MSDOS.
If you want to run real MSDOS in DOSBox, set up a HDD image and install MSDOS on it.

Maybe I misunderstand your statement "...and you're trying to use unsupported commands from MSDOS."
PROMPT is an internal command in COMMAND.COM and CMD.EXE in all versions of MS-DOS, Windows 9x all thru Windows 11.
My implementation is adding ANSI codes to manipulate color and add more data to the string (VOGONS doesn't show the escape characters before the open brackets)

My thinking was by replacing the COMMAND.COM in Z: I can accomplish what I can in say a virtual machine running MS-DOS. I am fully aware that DOSBox is only a DOS emulator with a limited feature set than that of real machine running MS-DOS. I am guessing it isn't as simple as replacing COMMAND.COM. My understanding of the differences between main DOSBox and something like DOSBox-X is limited, and I don't know how a command interpreter like COMMAND.COM is implemented to begin with.

I am trying to stick with DOSBox for its ease of use, convenience and ability to change the contents of the "harddrive" on the fly.

Besides booting from a bootable image with MS-DOS installed, and loosing things like MOUNT and IMGMOUNT from DOSBox, any tips or tricks to attempt getting to where I would like to be? Or just give up, switch back to DOSBox-X and seek support on their forums?

They're internal commands because they modify the internal state of the command interpreter program. You can't expect a completely different COMMAND.COM to be able to change anything about the currently running shell.

You have to *execute* an alternate shell (command interpreter) in order to replace DOSBox's internal shell, and I don't see you doing that in your example.

You can use the COMMAND.COM from MS-DOS 5.0 or 6.22, but to use the one from 6.22 you must first use the command "VER SET 6 22" to change the reported version of DOS or the shell will refuse to load. Note that the SVN version of DOSBox has some improvements so that the DIR command of the MS-DOS shell is displayed more correctly.

The 4DOS shell is an alternate choice of shell that provides even more features than the original DOS shells, such as colorization of DIR output.

The above options allow the PROMPT command to work as expected but note that you will also need to set the COMSPEC environment variable in order for some software to be able to execute the preferred shell. Also, placing the shell in the root directory of the emulated C: drive helps in a few cases where software does not use COMSPEC as it should. In the following examples using your autoexec commands the shell program is located in the root of the emulated C: drive:

1MOUNT C ~/DOSBOX/C/ -freesize 870400
2SET PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;%PATH%
3SET COMSPEC=C:\COMMAND.COM
4C:
5COMMAND.COM
6PROMPT [1;36m$Q$Q [1;37m$p[1;32m$g [0m

1MOUNT C ~/DOSBOX/C/ -freesize 870400
2SET PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;%PATH%
3SET COMSPEC=C:\4DOS.COM
4C:
54DOS.COM
6PROMPT [1;36m$Q$Q [1;37m$p[1;32m$g [0m

jmarsh wrote on 2022-04-11, 06:08:

They're internal commands because they modify the internal state of the command interpreter program. You can't expect a completely different COMMAND.COM to be able to change anything about the currently running shell.

That is helpful. To a point, and I guess the next statement makes it even more clear

ripsaw8080 wrote on 2022-04-11, 12:40:

You have to *execute* an alternate shell (command interpreter) in order to replace DOSBox's internal shell, and I don't see you […]
Show full quote

You have to *execute* an alternate shell (command interpreter) in order to replace DOSBox's internal shell, and I don't see you doing that in your example.

You can use the COMMAND.COM from MS-DOS 5.0 or 6.22, but to use the one from 6.22 you must first use the command "VER SET 6 22" to change the reported version of DOS or the shell will refuse to load. Note that the SVN version of DOSBox has some improvements so that the DIR command of the MS-DOS shell is displayed more correctly.

The 4DOS shell is an alternate choice of shell that provides even more features than the original DOS shells, such as colorization of DIR output.

The above options allow the PROMPT command to work as expected but note that you will also need to set the COMSPEC environment variable in order for some software to be able to execute the preferred shell. Also, placing the shell in the root directory of the emulated C: drive helps in a few cases where software does not use COMSPEC as it should. In the following examples using your autoexec commands the shell program is located in the root of the emulated C: drive:

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1MOUNT C ~/DOSBOX/C/ -freesize 870400
2SET PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;%PATH%
3SET COMSPEC=C:\COMMAND.COM
4C:
5COMMAND.COM
6PROMPT [1;36m$Q$Q [1;37m$p[1;32m$g [0m

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1MOUNT C ~/DOSBOX/C/ -freesize 870400
2SET PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;%PATH%
3SET COMSPEC=C:\4DOS.COM
4C:
54DOS.COM
6PROMPT [1;36m$Q$Q [1;37m$p[1;32m$g [0m

I Tried the example you provided, and I am getting closer, but I think I'll need to run a new batch command for PATH and such. In order of commands in the [autoexec] section, I get to it calling COMMAND.COM, reports version 6.22 still, this is good, but it stops there. Processing nothing after calling COMMAND.COM. In limited testing I can play a game or two. It allowed for mounting disc images and everything seems fine so far. So, a short batch file with the PROMPT setup and calling a personalized game launcher works so far.

From here on, it is testing what else needs work. Definitely closer to what I am looking for. Thank you for the pointers!