DOSBox won't use either autoexe.bat or config.sys but you can trywhether it works if you place these files in the folder you mount as C:\
Because DOSBox has enough files and buffers to begin with and the program might just look for it in config.sys/autoexec.bat.
And keep in mind that Dosbox is meant for games not other programs

Most people who ask about the "Files" line are trying to run a "Clipper" application. If that's what you're doing, you should consider using vDosPlus instead.

@Dominus - thank you for the suggestion but I tried adding thos files and did not work. It really needs to increase files and buffers.

@Jorpho - checked vdosplus but it is a windows application. I am using linux mint os. Good guess on the application. Running a foxbase database which is similar to clipper.

Pady, have you tried running VDosPlus in Wine?

One of the unofficial patches (probably related to whatevr is used in vDosPlus) has support for the Files command, but I keep forgetting which one or if it's available in a Linux binary. Maybe it was DOSBox-X?

I think the only way you might be able to get something like this to work in standard DOSBox is to boot some version of DOS in DOSBox, which restricts you to using disk images. Running vDosPlus in Wine would be far more convenient.

The application loads but aborts with error.

That’s real informative.

files=254
buffers=40,0

Nonsense.

“aborts with error” could mean anything: Missing SHARE, files, folders, paths…

JosSchaars wrote:

Nonsense.

“aborts with error” could mean anything: Missing SHARE, files, folders, paths…

It's a Clipper program (or something similar to Clipper). There have been many threads about these in the past.

Any DOS program is by default limited to 20 open file handles, the size of the file table in the PSP. If a program needs more, it has to call Int 21-67h to extend that table (and move it out of the PSP). If the number of DOS global file handles (files=…) wouldn’t be sufficient to accommodate that, the program would explicitly notify you that the files=… directive in config.sys has to be increased!

Clipper is special with this: Many Clipper compiled program don’t have the required number of file handles set (at link time). That number then has to be passed on to the program by the DOS environment variable CLIPPER. For instance by SET CLIPPER=options…F:50…options, before the program is started. If that isn’t done, the program won’t call DOS Int 21-67h, and be limited to 20 open file handles. The program could then well exit with error code 4: Too many open files (no handles left). Raising files=… doesn’t help of course since the program doesn’t call Int 21-67h.

vDos(Plus), like DOSBox, has no config.sys. I think the number of global file handles in DOSBox is 80 (?). Despite of many confusing Clipper related articles with F:120, even F:200 (that number seems to gotten bigger and bigger over time after first unsuccessfully only increasing files=…), that 80 should be more than enough for any Clipper program.