Does WAV.EXE works if you run it from the DOSBox prompt?

I gave it a try, I couldn't get it to work.

When using the wav.exe command line with the >nul parameter (this is so that it just plays the sound and doesn't display anything, which is what I need... the command line looks like : wav filename.wav >nul), then it does nothing and the Dosbox status window gives me the same error : SHELL:Redirect output to nul

When I don't use the >nul parameter then it doesn't work either, but this time the dos prompt (not the status window) tells me "This is a Win32 program."

there is your answer 😀
wav is a windows program. not a dos program.
Maybe they have upgraded their wav.exe ?

I use the same wav.exe file that I used back then, but even though I was in dos mode for my Qbasic program, I suppose it still had Windows in the background somehow (I'm not sure, I'm not too knowledgeable about this).

Is there any alternative? I'm struggling to try and find a way to make my programs work properly again.

well there are quite a few audioplayers for dos.
playing a wav file is the most basic operation there is, as the data can be streamed directly to the soundblaster.
So I would try if I were you to find an alternative dos wave file player
Shouldn't be very hard to find.

I remeber seeing one that was actually written in QB (I think it was on qbasic.com), so you could just pass it to that, or compile it and pass it that way, or integrate it into your sound-using programs.
Wondering about compiling? I've had pretty good luck with FreeBasic (although it uses Windows DOS extensions and so the programs it produces won't run under true, plain DOS).

Just found this source : Interesting DOS programs

The title says it all, it has quite a few collection of old dos programs.

Have a look around the sound section... 😉

Must try it one of these days! Maybe I'll find my old DOS WAV/MP3 player...

Edit: Fixed the thread title.