diff --git a/README b/README index d1ee926c..71cb23e6 100644 --- a/README +++ b/README @@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ INDEX: Type INTRO in DOSBox for a quick tour. It is essential that you get familiar with the idea of mounting, -DOSBox does not automatically make any drive (or parts of it) +DOSBox does not automatically make any drive (or a part of it) accessible to the emulation. See the FAQ entry "I've got a Z instead of a C at the prompt" as well as the description of the MOUNT command (section 4). @@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ Q: The keyboard lags. Q: The cursor always moves into one direction! Q: The game/application can't find its CD-ROM. Q: The game/application runs much too slow! +Q: The game/application does not run at all/crashes! Q: Can DOSBox harm my computer? Q: I would like to change the memory size/cpu speed/ems/soundblaster IRQ. Q: What sound hardware does DOSBox presently emulate? @@ -142,7 +143,7 @@ A: You're using too much CPU power to keep DOSBox running at the current speed. You can lower the cycles, skip frames, reduce the sampling rate of the respective sound device (see the DOSBox configuration file) or the mixer device. You can also increase the prebuffer in the configfile. - If you are using cycles=max or =auto, then make sure that there no + If you are using cycles=max or =auto, then make sure that there is no background processes interfering! (especially if they access the harddisk) @@ -151,11 +152,13 @@ A: This is a known problem. It only occurs if your keyboard layout isn't US. Some possible fixes: 1. Switch the keyboard layout of your operating system. 2. Use / instead. - 3. Open dosbox.conf and change usescancodes=false to usescancodes=true. - 4. Add the commands you want to execute to the "configfile". - 5. Change the DOS keyboard layout (see Section 7 Keyboard Layout). + 3. Open the DOSBox configuration file and change usescancodes=false + to usescancodes=true. + 4. Add the commands you want to execute to the [autoexec]-section + of the DOSBox configuration file. + 5. Change the DOS keyboard layout (see Section 7: Keyboard Layout). 6. Use ALT-58 for : and ALT-92 for \. - 7. for \ try the keys around "enter". For ":" try shift and the keys + 7. For \ try the keys around "enter". For ":" try shift and the keys between "enter" and "l" (US keyboard layout). 8. Try keyb.com from FreeDOS (http://projects.freedos.net/keyb/). Look for keyb2.0 pre4 as older and newer versions are known to @@ -171,23 +174,23 @@ A: Lower the priority setting in the DOSBox configuration file Q: The cursor always moves into one direction! A: See if it still happens if you disable the joystick emulation, set joysticktype=none in the [joystick] section of your DOSBox - configuration file. Maybe also try unplugging any joystick. + configuration file. Maybe also try unplugging any joystick/gamepad. If you want to use the joystick in the game, try setting timed=false and be sure to calibrate the joystick (both in your OS as well as - in the game or the game's setup). + in the game or the game's setup program). Q: The game/application can't find its CD-ROM. A: Be sure to mount the CD-ROM with -t cdrom switch, this will enable the - MSCDEX interface required by DOS games to interface with CD-ROMs. - Also try adding the correct label (-label LABEL). To enable lower-level - CD-ROM support, add the following switch to mount: -usecd #, where # is - the number of your CD-ROM drive reported by mount -cd. Under Windows you - can specify -ioctl, -aspi or -noioctl. Look at the description elsewhere - in this document for their meaning. + MSCDEX interface required by DOS games to interface with CD-ROM's. + Also try adding the correct label (-label LABEL) to the mount command. + To enable lower-level CD-ROM support, add the following switch to mount: + -usecd #, where # is the number of your CD-ROM drive reported by mount -cd. + Under Windows you can specify -ioctl, -aspi or -noioctl. Look at the + description of the mount command in Section 4 for their meaning. Try creating a CD-ROM image (preferably CUE/BIN pair) and use the - DOSBox-internal IMGMOUNT tool to mount the image. This enables very - good low-level CD-ROM support on any operating system. + DOSBox-internal IMGMOUNT tool to mount the image (the CUE sheet). + This enables very good low-level CD-ROM support on any operating system. Q: The game/application runs much too slow! @@ -195,6 +198,10 @@ A: Look at the section "How to run resource-demanding games" for more information. +Q: The game/application does not run at all/crashes! +A: Look at Section 10: Troubleshooting + + Q: Can DOSBox harm my computer? A: DOSBox can not harm your computer more than any other resource demanding program. Increasing the cycles does not overclock your real CPU. @@ -206,6 +213,7 @@ Q: I would like to change the memory size/cpu speed/ems/soundblaster IRQ. A: This is possible! Just create a config file: config -writeconf configfile. Start your favourite editor and look through the settings. To start DOSBox with your new settings: dosbox -conf configfile + See the description of the config command in Section 4 for more details. Q: What sound hardware does DOSBox presently emulate? @@ -252,12 +260,12 @@ Q: Great README, but I still don't get it. A: A look at "The Newbie's pictorial guide to DOSBox" located at http://vogons.zetafleet.com/viewforum.php?f=39 might help you. Also try the wiki of DOSBox: - http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/wiki/ + http://www.dosbox.com/wiki/ For more questions read the remainder of this README and/or check the site/forum: -http://dosbox.sourceforge.net +http://www.dosbox.com @@ -267,7 +275,7 @@ http://dosbox.sourceforge.net An overview of the command line options you can give to DOSBox. Windows Users must open cmd.exe or command.com or edit the shortcut to -DOSBox.exe for this. +dosbox.exe for this. The options are valid for all operating systems unless noted in the option description: @@ -288,7 +296,7 @@ dosbox -version -c command Runs the specified command before running "name". Multiple commands - can be specified. Each command should start with "-c", though. + can be specified. Each command should start with "-c" though. A command can be: an Internal Program, a DOS command or an executable on a mounted drive. @@ -298,15 +306,16 @@ dosbox -version -conf configfile Start DOSBox with the options specified in "configfile". Multiple -conf options may be present. - See Chapter 10 for more details. + See Section 11 for more details. -lang languagefile Start DOSBox using the language specified in "languagefile". -machine machinetype Setup DOSBox to emulate a specific type of machine. Valid choices are: - hercules, cga, pcjr, tandy, vga (default). The machinetype affects - both the videocard and the available soundcards. + hercules, cga, pcjr, tandy, vga (default) as well as the svga chipsets + listed in the help of the DOSBox configuration file. The machinetype + affects both the videocard and the available soundcards. -noconsole (Windows Only) Start DOSBox without showing the console window. Output will @@ -322,7 +331,7 @@ dosbox -version -securemode Same as -noautoexec, but adds config.com -securemode at the bottom of AUTOEXEC.BAT (which in turn disables any changes to how - the drives are mounted inside DOSBox) + the drives are mounted inside DOSBox). -scaler scaler Uses the scaler specified by "scaler". See the DOSBox configuration @@ -338,14 +347,14 @@ dosbox -version Note: If a name/command/configfile/languagefile contains a space, put the whole name/command/configfile/languagefile between quotes ("command or file name"). If you need to use quotes within quotes - (most likely with -c and mount). + (most likely with -c and mount): Windows and OS/2 users can use single quotes inside the double quotes. Other people should be able to use escaped double quotes inside the double quotes. - win -c "mount c 'c:\program files\'" - linux -c "mount c \"/tmp/name with space\"" + Windows: -c "mount c 'c:\program files\'" + Linux: -c "mount c \"/tmp/name with space\"" -For example: +For example (Windows): dosbox c:\atlantis\atlantis.exe -c "MOUNT D C:\SAVES" This mounts c:\atlantis as c:\ and runs atlantis.exe. @@ -376,7 +385,7 @@ MOUNT -u "Emulated Drive letter" "Emulated Drive letter" The driveletter inside DOSBox (eg. C). - "Real Drive letter (usually for CD-ROMs in Windows) or Directory" + "Real Drive letter (usually for CD-ROM's in Windows) or Directory" The local directory you want accessible inside DOSBox. -t type @@ -399,11 +408,11 @@ MOUNT -u "Emulated Drive letter" -label drivelabel Sets the name of the drive to "drivelabel". Needed on some - systems if the cd label isn't read correctly. Useful when a - program can't find its CD-ROM. If you don't specify a label and no + systems if the CD-ROM label isn't read correctly (useful when a + program can't find its CD-ROM). If you don't specify a label and no lowlevel support is selected (that is omitting the -usecd # and/or - -aspi parameters or specifying -noioctl): - For win32: label is extracted from "Real Drive". + -aspi parameters, or specifying -noioctl): + For Windows: label is extracted from "Real Drive". For Linux: label is set to NO_LABEL. If you do specify a label, this label will be kept as long as the drive @@ -435,7 +444,7 @@ MOUNT -u "Emulated Drive letter" Basically MOUNT allows you to connect real hardware to DOSBox's emulated PC. So MOUNT C C:\GAMES tells DOSBox to use your C:\GAMES directory as drive C: - in DOSBox. It also allows you to change the drive's letter identification + in DOSBox. It also allows you to change the drive letter identification for programs that demand specific drive letters. For example: Touche: Adventures of The Fifth Musketeer must be run on your C: @@ -445,34 +454,44 @@ MOUNT -u "Emulated Drive letter" MOUNT C D:\OLDGAMES will allow you to run Touche from the D drive. Mounting your entire C drive with MOUNT C C:\ is NOT recommended! The same - is true for mounting the root of any other drive, except for CD-ROMs (due to + is true for mounting the root of any other drive, except for CD-ROM's (due to their read-only nature). Otherwise if you or DOSBox make a mistake you may - loose all your files. + lose all your files. It is recommended to put all your applications/games into a subdirectory and mount that. General MOUNT Examples: - 1. To mount c:\DirX as a floppy : - mount a c:\DirX -t floppy - 2. To mount system CD-ROM drive E as CD-ROM drive D in DOSBox: - mount d e:\ -t cdrom - 3. To mount system CD-ROM drive at mountpoint /media/cdrom as CD-ROM drive D - in DOSBox: - mount d /media/cdrom -t cdrom -usecd 0 - 4. To mount a drive with ~870 mb free diskspace (simple version): - mount c d:\ -freesize 870 - 5. To mount a drive with ~870 mb free diskspace (experts only, full control): - mount c d:\ -size 512,127,16513,13500 - 6. To mount /home/user/dirY as drive C in DOSBox: - mount c /home/user/dirY - 7. To mount the directory where DOSBox was started as D in DOSBox: - mount d . + 1. To mount c:\DirX as a floppy : + mount a c:\DirX -t floppy + 2. To mount system CD-ROM drive E as CD-ROM drive D in DOSBox: + mount d e:\ -t cdrom + 3. To mount system CD-ROM drive at mountpoint /media/cdrom as CD-ROM drive D + in DOSBox: + mount d /media/cdrom -t cdrom -usecd 0 + 4. To mount a drive with ~870 mb free diskspace (simple version): + mount c d:\ -freesize 870 + 5. To mount a drive with ~870 mb free diskspace (experts only, full control): + mount c d:\ -size 512,127,16513,13500 + 6. To mount /home/user/dirY as drive C in DOSBox: + mount c /home/user/dirY + 7. To mount the directory where DOSBox was started as D in DOSBox: + mount d . + (note the . which represents the directory where DOSBox was started) MEM Program to display the amount of free memory. +VER +VER set major_version [minor_version] + Display the current DOSBox version and reported DOS version + (parameterless usage). + Change the reported DOS version with the "set" parameter, + for example: "VER set 6 22" to have DOSBox report DOS 6.22 + as version number. + + CONFIG -writeconf localfile CONFIG -writelang localfile CONFIG -securemode @@ -482,7 +501,7 @@ CONFIG -get "section property" CONFIG can be used to change or query various settings of DOSBox during runtime. It can save the current settings and language strings to disk. Information about all possible sections and properties can - be found in section 11 (The Config File). + be found in Section 11 (The Config File). -writeconf localfile Write the current configuration settings to file. "localfile" is @@ -490,7 +509,7 @@ CONFIG -get "section property" The configuration file controls various settings of DOSBox: the amount of emulated memory, the emulated soundcards and many more things. It allows access to AUTOEXEC.BAT as well. - See section 11 (The Config File) for more information. + See Section 11 (The Config File) for more information. -writelang localfile Write the current language settings to file. "localfile" is @@ -502,10 +521,10 @@ CONFIG -get "section property" Switches DOSBox to a more secure mode. In this mode the internal commands MOUNT, IMGMOUNT and BOOT won't work. It's not possible either to create a new configfile or languagefile in this mode. - (Warning you can only undo this mode by restarting DOSBox.) + (Warning: you can only undo this mode by restarting DOSBox.) -set "section property=value" - CONFIG will attempt to set the property to new value. At this moment + CONFIG will attempt to set the property to new value. Currently CONFIG can not report whether the command succeeded or not. -get "section property" @@ -517,20 +536,20 @@ CONFIG -get "section property" own preferences for each game. Examples: - 1. To create a configfile in your current directory: - config -writeconf dosbox.conf - 2. To set the cpu cycles to 10000: - config -set "cpu cycles=10000" - 3. To turn ems memory emulation off: - config -set "dos ems=off" - 4. To check which cpu core is being used. - config -get "cpu core" + 1. To create a configfile in your current directory: + config -writeconf dosbox.conf + 2. To set the cpu cycles to 10000: + config -set "cpu cycles=10000" + 3. To turn ems memory emulation off: + config -set "dos ems=off" + 4. To check which cpu core is being used. + config -get "cpu core" LOADFIX [-size] [program] [program-parameters] LOADFIX -f - Program to reduce the amount of memory available. Useful for old programs - which don't expect much memory to be free. + Program to reduce the amount of available conventional memory. + Useful for old programs which don't expect much memory to be free. -size number of kilobytes to "eat up", default = 64kb @@ -538,14 +557,14 @@ LOADFIX -f -f frees all previously allocated memory -Examples: - 1. To start mm2.exe and allocate 64kb memory - (mm2 will have 64 kb less available) : - loadfix mm2 - 2. To start mm2.exe and allocate 32kb memory : - loadfix -32 mm2 - 3. To free previous allocated memory : - loadfix -f + Examples: + 1. To start mm2.exe and allocate 64kb memory + (mm2 will have 64 kb less available) : + loadfix mm2 + 2. To start mm2.exe and allocate 32kb memory : + loadfix -32 mm2 + 3. To free previous allocated memory : + loadfix -f RESCAN @@ -564,7 +583,7 @@ MIXER left:right The volume levels in percentages. If you put a D in front it will be - in decibel (example mixer gus d-10). + in decibel (Example: mixer gus d-10). /NOSHOW Prevents DOSBox from showing the result if you set one @@ -582,20 +601,31 @@ IMGMOUNT IMGMOUNT DRIVE [imagefile] -t [image_type] -fs [image_format] -size [sectorsbytesize, sectorsperhead, heads, cylinders] + IMGMOUNT DRIVE [imagefile1, .. ,imagefileN] -t iso -fs iso imagefile - Location of the image files to mount in DOSBox. The location can + Location of the image file to mount in DOSBox. The location can be on a mounted drive inside DOSBox, or on your real disk. It is possible to mount CD-ROM images (ISOs or CUE/BIN) as well, if you - need CD swapping capabilities specify all images in succession. - The CDs can be swapped with CTRL-F4 at any time. + need CD swapping capabilities specify all images in succession + (see the next entry). + CUE/BIN pairs are the preferred CD-ROM image type as they can + store audio tracks compared to ISOs (which are data-only). For + the CUE/BIN mounting always specify the CUE sheet. + + imagefile1, .. ,imagefileN + Location of the image files to mount in DOSBox. Specifying a number + of image files is only allowed for CD-ROM images. The CD's can be + swapped with CTRL-F4 at any time. This is required for games which + use multiple CD-ROM's and require the CD to be switched during the + gameplay at some point. -t The following are valid image types: - floppy: Specifies a floppy image or images. DOSBox will automatically - identify the disk geometry ( 360K, 1.2MB, 720K, 1.44MB, etc). - iso: Specifies a CD-ROM iso image. The geometry is automatic and - set for this size. This can be an iso or a cue/bin. + floppy: Specifies a floppy image. DOSBox will automatically identify + the disk geometry (360K, 1.2MB, 720K, 1.44MB, etc). + iso: Specifies a CD-ROM iso image. The geometry is automatic and + set for this size. This can be an iso or a cue/bin pair. hdd: Specifies a harddrive image. The proper CHS geometry must be set for this to work. @@ -607,18 +637,18 @@ IMGMOUNT available from inside DOSBox. none: DOSBox will make no attempt to read the file system on the disk. This is useful if you need to format it or if you want to boot - the disk using the BOOT command. When using the "none" + the disk using the BOOT command. When using the "none" filesystem, you must specify the drive number (2 or 3, where 2 = master, 3 = slave) rather than a drive letter. For example, to mount a 70MB image as the slave drive device, - you would type: + you would type (without the quotes): "imgmount 3 d:\test.img -size 512,63,16,142 -fs none" - (without the quotes) Compare this with a mount to read the - drive in DOSBox, which would read as: + Compare this with a mount to be able to access the drive + within DOSBox, which would read as: "imgmount e: d:\test.img -size 512,63,16,142" -size - The Cylinders, Heads and Sectors specification of the drive. + The Cylinders, Heads and Sectors of the drive. Required to mount hard drive images. An example how to mount CD-ROM images: @@ -647,7 +677,7 @@ BOOT [-l driveletter] This parameter allows you to specify the drive to boot from. - The default is the A drive, the floppy drive. You can also boot + The default is the A drive, the floppy drive. You can also boot a hard drive image mounted as master by specifying "-l C" without the quotes, or the drive as slave by specifying "-l D" @@ -667,12 +697,12 @@ IPX With regard to actually setting up a network, one system needs to be the server. To set this up, type "IPXNET STARTSERVER" (without the quotes) - in a DOSBox session. The server DOSBox session will - automatically add itself to the virtual IPX network. For every - additional computer that should be part of the virtual IPX network, - you'll need to type "IPXNET CONNECT ". - For example, if your server is at bob.dosbox.com, - you would type "IPXNET CONNECT bob.dosbox.com" on every non-server system. + in a DOSBox session. The server DOSBox session will automatically add + itself to the virtual IPX network. For every additional computer that + should be part of the virtual IPX network, you'll need to type + "IPXNET CONNECT ". + For example, if your server is at bob.dosbox.com, you would type + "IPXNET CONNECT bob.dosbox.com" on every non-server system. To play games that need Netbios a file named NETBIOS.EXE from Novell is needed. Establish the IPX connection as explained above, then run @@ -762,17 +792,17 @@ KEYB [languagecode [codepage [codepagefile]]] Examples: - 1) To load the german keyboard layout (automatically uses codepage 858): - keyb gr - 2) To load the russian keyboard layout with codepage 866: - keyb ru 866 - In order to type russian characters press ALT+RIGHT-SHIFT. - 3) To load the french keyboard layout with codepage 850 (where the - codepage is defined in EGACPI.DAT): - keyb fr 850 EGACPI.DAT - 4) To load codepage 858 (without a keyboard layout): - keyb none 858 - This can be used to change the codepage for the freedos keyb2 utility. + 1. To load the german keyboard layout (automatically uses codepage 858): + keyb gr + 2. To load the russian keyboard layout with codepage 866: + keyb ru 866 + In order to type russian characters press ALT+RIGHT-SHIFT. + 3. To load the french keyboard layout with codepage 850 (where the + codepage is defined in EGACPI.DAT): + keyb fr 850 EGACPI.DAT + 4. To load codepage 858 (without a keyboard layout): + keyb none 858 + This can be used to change the codepage for the FreeDOS keyb2 utility. @@ -801,19 +831,20 @@ CTRL-F11 Slow down emulation (Decrease DOSBox Cycles). CTRL-F12 Speed up emulation (Increase DOSBox Cycles). ALT-F12 Unlock speed (turbo button). -These are the default keybindings. They can be changed in the keymapper. +(NOTE: Once you increase your DOSBox cycles beyond your computer's maximum +capacity, it will produce the same effect as slowing down the emulation. +This maximum will vary from computer to computer.) + + +These are the default keybindings. They can be changed in the keymapper +(see Section 6: Mapper). Saved/recorded files can be found in current_directory/capture -(can be changed in the configfile). +(this can be changed in the DOSBox configuration file). The directory has to exist prior to starting DOSBox, otherwise nothing gets saved/recorded ! -NOTE: Once you increase your DOSBox cycles beyond your computer's maximum -capacity, it will produce the same effect as slowing down the emulation. -This maximum will vary from computer to computer. - - ========== 6. Mapper: @@ -823,10 +854,10 @@ When you start the DOSBox mapper (either with CTRL-F1 or -startmapper as a command line argument to the DOSBox executable) you are presented with a virtual keyboard and a virtual joystick. -These virtual devices correspond to the keys DOSBox will report to the -DOS applications. If you click on a key with your mouse, you can see in -the lower left corner with which event it is associated (EVENT) and to -what events it is currently bound. +These virtual devices correspond to the keys and events DOSBox will +report to the DOS applications. If you click on a button with your mouse, +you can see in the lower left corner with which event it is associated +(EVENT) and to what events it is currently bound. Event: EVENT BIND: BIND @@ -878,32 +909,32 @@ Examples about remapping the joystick: You have a joystick attached, it is working fine under DOSBox and you want to play some keyboard-only game with the joystick (it is assumed that the game is controlled by the arrows on the keyboard): - 1) Start the mapper, then click on one of the arrows in the middle + 1. Start the mapper, then click on one of the arrows in the middle of the left part of the screen (right above the Mod1/Mod2 buttons). EVENT should be key_left. Now click on Add and move your joystick in the respective direction, this should add an event to the BIND. - 2) Repeat the above for the missing three directions, additionally + 2. Repeat the above for the missing three directions, additionally the buttons of the joystick can be remapped as well (fire/jump). - 3) Click on Save, then on Exit and test it with some game. + 3. Click on Save, then on Exit and test it with some game. You want to swap the y-axis of the joystick because some flightsim uses the up/down joystick movement in a way you don't like, and it is not configurable in the game itself: - 1) Start the mapper and click on Y- in the upper joystick field (this + 1. Start the mapper and click on Y- in the upper joystick field (this is for the first joystick if you have two joysticks attached) or the lower joystick field (second joystick or, if you have only one joystick attached, the second axes cross). EVENT should be jaxis_0_1- (or jaxis_1_1-). - 2) Click on Del to remove the current binding, then click Add and move + 2. Click on Del to remove the current binding, then click Add and move your joystick downwards. A new bind should be created. - 3) Repeat this for Y+, save the layout and finally test it with some game. + 3. Repeat this for Y+, save the layout and finally test it with some game. If you change the default mapping, you can save your changes by clicking on -"Save". DOSBox will save the mapping to a location specified in the configfile -(mapperfile=mapper.txt). At startup, DOSBox will load your mapperfile, if it -is present in the configfile. +"Save". DOSBox will save the mapping to a location specified in the configuration +file (the mapperfile= entry). At startup, DOSBox will load your mapperfile, +if it is present in the DOSBox configuration file. @@ -912,39 +943,40 @@ is present in the configfile. =================== To switch to a different keyboard layout, either the entry "keyboardlayout" -in the [dos] section in dosbox.conf can be used, or the internal DOSBox -program keyb.com. Both accept DOS conforming language codes (see below), but -only by using keyb.com a custom codepage can be specified. +in the [dos] section of the DOSBox configuration file can be used, or the +internal DOSBox program keyb.com. Both accept DOS conforming language codes +(see below), but only by using keyb.com a custom codepage can be specified. Layout switching DOSBox supports a number of keyboard layouts and codepages by default, in this case just the layout identifier needs to be specified (like - keyboardlayout=sv in the DOSBox config file, or using "keyb sv" at - the DOSBox command prompt). + keyboardlayout=sv in the DOSBox configuration file, or using "keyb sv" + at the DOSBox command prompt). Some keyboard layouts (for example layout GK codepage 869 and layout RU codepage 808) have support for dual layouts that can be activated by pressing LEFT-ALT+RIGHT-SHIFT and deactivated by LEFT-ALT+LEFT-SHIFT. Supported external files - The freedos .kl files are supported (freedos keyb2 keyboard layoutfiles) as - well as the freedos keyboard.sys/keybrd2.sys/keybrd3.sys libraries which + The FreeDOS .kl files are supported (FreeDOS keyb2 keyboard layoutfiles) as + well as the FreeDOS keyboard.sys/keybrd2.sys/keybrd3.sys libraries which consist of all available .kl files. See http://projects.freedos.net/keyb/ for precompiled keyboard layouts if - the DOSBox-integrated layouts don't work for some reason, or updated or + the DOSBox-integrated layouts don't work for some reason, or if updated or new layouts become available. - Both .CPI (MSDOS/compatible codepage files) and .CPX (freedos UPX-compressed - codepage files) can be used. Some codepages are compiled into DOSBox, so it - is mostly not needed to care about external codepage files. If you need - a different (or custom) codepage file, copy it into the directory of the - DOSBox configuration file so it is accessible for DOSBox. + Both .CPI (MS-DOS and compatible codepage files) and .CPX (FreeDOS + UPX-compressed codepage files) can be used. Some codepages are compiled + into DOSBox, so it is mostly not needed to care about external codepage + files. If you need a different (or custom) codepage file, copy it into + the directory of the DOSBox configuration file so it is accessible for + DOSBox. Additional layouts can be added by copying the corresponding .kl file into - the directory of dosbox.conf and using the first part of the filename as - language code. + the directory of the DOSBox configuration file and using the first part of + the filename as language code. Example: For the file UZ.KL (keyboard layout for Uzbekistan) specify - "keyboardlayout=uz" in dosbox.conf. + "keyboardlayout=uz" in the DOSBox configuration file. The integration of keyboard layout packages (like keybrd2.sys) works similar. @@ -1023,7 +1055,7 @@ CPU Cycles in the DOSBox configuration file specify for example cycles=30000. When running some DOS application you can raise the cycles with CTRL-F12 even more, but you will be limited by the power of your actual CPU. You can see - how much free time your true CPU has by looking at the Task Manager in + how much free time your real CPU has by looking at the Task Manager in Windows 2000/XP and the System Monitor in Windows 95/98/ME. Once 100% of your real CPU time is used there is no further way to speed up DOSBox unless you reduce the load generated by the non-CPU parts of DOSBox. @@ -1047,7 +1079,7 @@ Graphics emulation Sound emulation You can also try to disable the sound through the setup utility of the game to reduce load on your CPU further. Setting nosound=true does NOT disable - the emulation of sound devices, just the sound output will be disabled. + the emulation of sound devices, just the output of sound will be disabled. Also try to close every program but DOSBox to reserve as much resources as possible for DOSBox. @@ -1116,14 +1148,15 @@ You can edit the generated configfile to customize DOSBox. The file is divided into several sections (the names have [] around it). Some sections have options you can set. # and % indicate comment-lines. -The generated configfile contains the current settings. You can alter them and -start DOSBox with the -conf switch to load the file and use these settings. +The DOSBox configuration file contains the current settings. You can +alter them and start DOSBox with the -conf switch to load the file and +use these settings. DOSBox will first parse the settings in ~/.dosboxrc (Linux), ~\dosbox.conf (Win32) or "~/Library/Preferences/DOSBox Preferences" (MACOSX). Afterwards DOSBox will parse all configfiles specified with the -conf switch. If no configfile is specified with the -conf switch, DOSBox will -look in the current directory for dosbox.conf. +look in the current directory for the DOSBox configuration file. @@ -1160,5 +1193,5 @@ See the THANKS file. ============ See the site: -http://dosbox.sourceforge.net +http://www.dosbox.com for an email address (The Crew-page).