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DOSBox ECE (for Windows & Linux)

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Reply 60 of 1550, by collector

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@profo, modern best practices is to use the user's %AppData% directory for configuration files. This is for good reasons. The %ProgramFiles% directory has write permissions restricted. Windows will just save the conf to the %LocalAppData%\VirtualStore instead of DOSBox's directory. You can *easily* use DOSBox with any conf you wish, so do not ever expect the devs to change it to an outdated location.

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Reply 61 of 1550, by valnar

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I also wish we could have the config in the same folder. I don't use an install and therefore C:\Program Files\ or it's derivatives. Seeing how the app is for DOS based games, I have a DOS based mentality with it. 😀

Reply 62 of 1550, by Dominus

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How hard is this to understand? You CAN have the config in the same folder! It's just not the default as the default will bring trouble in a default installation.
In fact you can have your config ANYWHERE (you just need to point DOSBox at it)

Windows 3.1x guide for DOSBox
60 seconds guide to DOSBox
DOSBox SVN snapshot for macOS (10.4-11.x ppc/intel 32/64bit) notarized for gatekeeper

Reply 63 of 1550, by Yesterplay80

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OK, to (hopefully) make things clear: If you start DOSBox it will search for these files in this order:

  1. dosbox.conf in the same folder the dosbox.exe is, if there is no dosbox.conf it will try to open
  2. dosbox-0.74.conf (if you use the last official version) in %LOCALAPPDATA% or
  3. dosbox-SVN.conf (if you use the latest vanilla svn) in %LOCALAPPDATA% or
  4. dosbox-ECE.conf (if you use the latest ECE) in %LOCALAPPDATA%

If it can't find one of those .conf files, it will create a new one in %LOCALAPPDATA%.

So, if you want your conf-file in your DOSBox directory, just make sure you name it "dosbox.conf" (without any version dependent extension!!!) and you're good to go.

Additionally you can start DOSBox by running "dosbox.exe -conf "<PATH TO ANY .CONF YOU WANT".

Last edited by Yesterplay80 on 2017-04-12, 13:54. Edited 1 time in total.

My full-featured DOSBox SVN builds for Windows & Linux: Vanilla DOSBox and DOSBox ECE (Google Drive Mirror)

Reply 64 of 1550, by Dominus

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There is an f missing in your ece conf 😉
There is another subset of 1.)
If you set a starting folder in the dosbox shortcut it willlook for and use a dosbox.conf in that folder.

Or rather 1)
DOSBox looks in the startup folder for dosbox.conf. If no folder is set in the shortcut or Dosbox.exe is started by doubleclicking on the exe it will use the dosbox.conf in the program folder.
Hence why a dosbox.conf in the game folder is used when you drag'n'drop a game.exe on the DOSBox shortcut.

Windows 3.1x guide for DOSBox
60 seconds guide to DOSBox
DOSBox SVN snapshot for macOS (10.4-11.x ppc/intel 32/64bit) notarized for gatekeeper

Reply 65 of 1550, by valnar

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Yesterplay80 wrote:
OK, to (hopefully) make things clear: If you start DOSBox it will search for these files in this order: […]
Show full quote

OK, to (hopefully) make things clear: If you start DOSBox it will search for these files in this order:

  1. dosbox.conf in the same folder the dosbox.exe is, if there is no dosbox.conf it will try to open
  2. dosbox-0.74.conf (if you use the last official version) in %LOCALAPPDATA% or
  3. dosbox-SVN.conf (if you use the latest vanilla svn) in %LOCALAPPDATA% or
  4. dosbox-ECE.con (if you use the latest ECE) in %LOCALAPPDATA%

If it can't find one of those .conf files, it will create a new one in %LOCALAPPDATA%.

So, if you want your conf-file in your DOSBox directory, just make sure you name it "dosbox.conf" (without any version dependent extension!!!) and you're good to go.

Additionally you can start DOSBox by running "dosbox.exe -conf "<PATH TO ANY .CONF YOU WANT".

Perfect...thanks.

Reply 67 of 1550, by Yesterplay80

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FYI: I just uploaded new builds of DOSBox r4008 including the new version 2.1.0 of MT32emu! Get it while it's hot!

My full-featured DOSBox SVN builds for Windows & Linux: Vanilla DOSBox and DOSBox ECE (Google Drive Mirror)

Reply 68 of 1550, by KainXVIII

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Yesterplay80 wrote:

FYI: I just uploaded new builds of DOSBox r4008 including the new version 2.1.0 of MT32emu! Get it while it's hot!

I think you forget to delete some files from you archive 😳

Reply 70 of 1550, by collector

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ECE is not an everything-including-the-kitchen-sink build. It is mostly a plain vanilla fork with Munt and a few patches for increased accuracy, like the pixel perfect patch, etc. Look to the DOSBox-X build for extra bells and whistles.

The Sierra Help Pages -- New Sierra Game Installers -- Sierra Game Patches -- New Non-Sierra Game Installers

Reply 71 of 1550, by Yesterplay80

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willow wrote:

Since dosbox daum is dead, I would like to know if Dosbox ECE own glide patch or not?

Actually, it has kekko's 3Dfx patch integrated, which wraps all Glide calls to OpenGL ones, so you don't even need an external wrapper: VIDEO - 3dfx voodoo emulation (SDL1)

UPDATE: Linux binaries (still shared, though) are online as well!

My full-featured DOSBox SVN builds for Windows & Linux: Vanilla DOSBox and DOSBox ECE (Google Drive Mirror)

Reply 72 of 1550, by willow

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collector wrote:

ECE is not an everything-including-the-kitchen-sink build. It is mostly a plain vanilla fork with Munt and a few patches for increased accuracy, like the pixel perfect patch, etc. Look to the DOSBox-X build for extra bells and whistles.

Glide patch is not kitchen sink build but thanks for your useless speech.

Last edited by willow on 2017-04-18, 17:15. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 73 of 1550, by willow

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Yesterplay80 wrote:
willow wrote:

Since dosbox daum is dead, I would like to know if Dosbox ECE own glide patch or not?

Actually, it has kekko's 3Dfx patch integrated, which wraps all Glide calls to OpenGL ones, so you don't even need an external wrapper: VIDEO - 3dfx voodoo emulation (SDL1)

Thanks very much.

Reply 74 of 1550, by James-F

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If anyone care about sound here are some results after careful measurement and comparison with real SB cards and SC-55.

If you are interested in the procedure go to this thread: FM and PCM Volume Balance of SB Cards
To measure the dB balance between PCM and FM with a real SB card in DOS I had to run a sinewave test tones for the PCM and FM using various DOS programs and measure the difference between them in dB, I did the exact same procedure in DOSBox.
DOSBox FM was around 2-3dB louder than with a real SB cards (SBPro,SB16,SB2.0).

To calibrate volume balance between a hardware SC-55 and SC-VA I used a midi file (attached) I created to adjust the output between them.
Then after careful listening with various games I found an output value for dosbox to be in balance with SC-VA and a real SC-55.

For DOSBox to have the perfect mixer balance between SC-VA and its output, one has to set the Master in DOSBox to 50.
To have a realistic balance between FM and PCM one has to set FM in DOSBox mixer to 75.
The PC Speaker emulation is way louder than the rest, so a good value after careful testing is 25.

EDIT: Adjusted in the latest SVN, no need to change FM volume, keep it 100.
The final command that once has to place in DOSBox autoexec.bat section:

mixer master 50 spkr 25

A small problem is some game change the mixer settings.
It would be really nice to adjust FM value of 75 as the new 100, just like it is in the hardware SB card.
If anyone knows where are the default volume values in the source code and could make them user adjustable in dosbox configuration file that would be awesome.

EDIT:
Adjusted in the latest SVN, no need to change FM volume, keep it 100.
So only, Master 50 and spkr 25.

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Last edited by James-F on 2017-05-11, 03:53. Edited 2 times in total.


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Reply 75 of 1550, by Qbix

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Thanks for the insights and testing results.
About the PCM and FM. Did you check it with all the different opl cores ? To see if there is a difference between those as well ?

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Reply 76 of 1550, by James-F

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With the following test procedure: FM and PCM Volume Balance of SB Cards
We get the following results with real SB cards: FM and PCM Volume Balance of SB Cards

The test frequency is 440Hz so it is unaffected by the various filters of the SB cards.
So around 8db or 8.5db between PCM and FM with most "classic" SB cards.

DOSBox:
compat 5.9db
nuked 5.9db
fast 6.5db

Yes, 2.5db can make a lot of difference when it comes to balanced sound.
The OPL3 cores in DOSBox are not filtered whether on a SB card they are slightly filtered especially on a SBPro.
The filter-less OPL3 will be perceived as even louder at the high frequencies where most FM sound is.
In DOSBox FM 75 will be prefect for typical desktop speakers, but 65 (1.25dB less than 75) will be better with studio monitors or headphones where the tweeters are right in your ear.


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Reply 77 of 1550, by Qbix

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In the code, we double the volume (amplitude) of the adlib (FM) by default.

	mixerChan = mixerObject.Install(OPL_CallBack,rate,"FM");
mixerChan->SetScale( 2.0 );

So we could mess with that value a bit.

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Reply 78 of 1550, by James-F

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Using this calculator: http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-gainloss.htm
From 2v to 1.5v will result in a -2.5db attenuation, which is what DOSBox shows at 75.
From 2v to 1.3v is -3.75dB which is 65 in DOSBox.

To my ears 65 sounds slightly more balanced than the accurately measured 75.
Again, probably because DOSBox doesn't have filter over the OPL3, and needs to be attenuated slightly more.

The best solution for tweakers would be to make this amplification value available in the configuration file, but not a good solution in the long term.
But for now can you please tell where can we find these code lines you've posted so some generous person could include them in the config file of the ECE edition (with Yesterplay80 permission of course).

EDIT:
Found it.
src / hardware / adlib.cpp

Thanks Qbix for sharing.


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Reply 79 of 1550, by Qbix

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I can send you a build with it configurable to improve the value. (I recall that the 2.0 was an on-ear attempt to get them to sound closer to how we remembered it)
However I have no plans of making it permanently configurable.

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