Note before the mods clobber the topic.

Dosbox is not meant for using productivity software, or anything where data loss is going to be a considered factor.

It is for playing video games.

It does not fully emulate a period pc, it just does the parts games wanted.

The mods will surely clobber this thread as a result.

As for how to use the autoexec section of dosbox.conf...

You want the mount line, and the program invocation line, to be seperate lines.

[Autoexec]
mount c /somepath
C:
cd /somedeeperpath
someprogram.exe

All on different lines.

Thanks for quick response. Although meant for gamers, I have been using it to successfully accessing data records which have been gathered over the last 40 years for entomological mapping purposes so perhaps the post will not be clobbered. My Windows XP died, by refurbished backup has been successfully utilised but is beginning to sound very tired. The latest backup computer runs on 64 bit which the original database proramme now 40 plus years old and irreplaceable cant use.

I hope your suggestion works, I will now try it.

No, really. I'm surprised the lock isn't on yet.

To understand why 'productivity software' is 'NOT SUPPORTED' [FULL STOP], one needs to remember or be aware that providing any kind of support places legal liability on the supporting organization in some jurisdictions.

Dosbox is explicitly provided without any waranty of any kind, and the creators of that software do not want anything to do with these kinds of implied liability.

They are sticklers about it because they have to be.

If you use dosbox this way, you do so on your own, with the full and express knowledge that this is so.

This is also why I answered in the general sense, and wont give specific support.

SueFoster wrote on Yesterday, 14:22:

Wonder if you would be able to help. I have a very old database program which needed Windows XP 32 bit.

Sounds like what you actually need is either VMware or Virtualbox.
Both are free, designed for productivity/enterprise applications such as yours and can run DOS and XP 32 bit.

I am more than happy to work without any legal liability, the data is out own and the software programme was specifically designed for the collection of biological data for mapping purposes. It was developed on Advanced Revelation software which is no longer available so having to deal with legacy computers.

The main issue is that Dosbox only gives 'high level' / 'file level' data access, and some dos programs did silly low level stuff to work with files, especially database software.

This predisposes dosbox to corrupting these files when such programs try to do direct hardware accesses to hardware that is not emulated by dosbox, with 'unpredictable' results.

If you are well aware of this risk, and know your program is well behaved, then I would think it will work for you; just be aware that the dosbox devs will not be keen to look at some odd behavior induced by a non-game program.

For your use case, you want the dosbox C drive to get mounted, switch to the C drive, change the directory to where your database software lives, then run the program.

All of that can be done with the [autoexec] section of dosbox.conf.

https://www.dosbox.com/wiki/Dosbox.conf#.5Bautoexec.5D

If it needs XP 32 bit, I can't see how DOSBOX would help at all, I think regular DOSBOX can possibly run Windows 3.1, while DOSBOX-X can be persuaded to run Windows 95/98
----
Ah, I remembered NTVDM was needed for 16 bit Windows apps (like a 16 bit installer), TBH I never realised it had (limited) DOS capability

I think it's more 'XP still had NTVDM, it could run in that.'

I constantly run XP stuff in "VMware Player 7" - It was free, and does a good job on XP.
I've been playing a bit with PCem ... Haven't tried XP yet, but I did get W98 running well.

DosBox is great for running DOS stuff, and I've heard rumors that it can be made to run W3.1 and possibly W98,
but I wouldn't expect it to run XP.

But it can be useful - I get stuff on/off my virtual machines using my own DDLINK. a very simple network file transfer
that doesn't need installation/setup, and I can run on DOS through XP (anything that can run a 16-bit code) .. but getting
access to files on a modern host can be tricky, I run DDLINK in DosBox on the host side - DosBox can access Host files
(if you mount things right), and some versions support an NE2000 NIC, accessable through a normal DOS packet driver.

Just as an idea to consider if you decide eventually that you don't want to go the dosbox way, you can always get a compact refurbished PC that is WinXP compatible for very little money. Yes they don't sell them with XP anymore but maybe someone knowledgeable enough can select it and install XP on it.

Or as already mentioned install XP in a VM like VirtualBox. You won't get the "click one icon and program starts" experience I understand you're after, but some compromises are necessary.