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DosBox batches

TheGreatGodPan

Arbiter
Joined
Jul 21, 2005
Messages
1,762
I haven't been much into games for a while, especially after my harddrive (which I had not backed up) crashed, taking all my abandonware with it. That changed recently when I read that Bethesda was freely releasing Daggerfall, which I had previously been unable to get working properly (intellectual property crime doesn't pay, kids). It all seems to be working properly (although I don't know how to maximize the game screen), but I'm a lazy bastard and not satisfied with having to execute a bunch of commands in DosBox every time I want to start it. I'd like to create a batch file to execute the lines
Code:
mount c "C:\Program Files\Daggerfall" -freesize 1000 
mount d "C:\Program Files\Daggerfall\DFCD" -t cdrom -label Daggerfall
c: 
cd \dagger 
dagger
DosBox starts out in a Z:\ directory, with an AUTOEXEC.BAT file and a bunch of COM files, but I can't find those files anywhere on my machine. I'd like to just be able to type DAGGERFALL.BAT as soon as I started DosBox, but I don't know where to put the file, and can't seem to create it from within DosBox. I've heard you can add some lines to AUTOEXEC to do that, but that seems like a lame solution which can only be done for one game at a time. Anyone know how to create such a batch? Also, if I could write a batch that started DosBox and then fed it those commands, that would be even better.
 

Zomg

Arbiter
Joined
Oct 21, 2005
Messages
6,984
There should be a file called dosbox.conf in the home directory of the DOSBox install, you can put in commands you want entered automatically when you start DOSBox under the [autoexec] line. I think there's ways to make it complicated with multiple profiles and so on but I've never bothered. I mount the C drive to a master dosgames directory from the autoexec, then "cd foo" "foo" (or "start" or "sierra" or whatever the game uses) just like 1992. You could stick .bat files in the root directory you mount and switch to from autoexec I guess to do stuff like mount relevant CD drives.

Looking at your command sample you wouldn't even have to cd \dagger, you mounted the c:\program files\daggerfall directory as the root c directory in DOSBox.

Edit - hmm, latest version of DOSBox doesn't seem to have the .conf file by default, but the previous version did. If I copy/paste my .72 conf file into the .73 directory the autoexec stuff still works.

I ninja edited this post like five times, jesus
 

MisterStone

Arcane
Joined
Apr 1, 2006
Messages
9,422
I usually just create a shortcut for each individual game, using a shortcut from dos box, which I edit to include filename/location of the folder with the dos game in it. It's basically just a simple copypasta job, piece of cake. Perhaps not exactly what you wanted tho...

Example:

(in the target form)
"C:\Program Files\DOSBox-0.72\dosbox.exe" -conf "C:\Program Files\DOSBox-0.72\dosbox.conf" "C:\Users\Crapmachine\Desktop\fun\Dos Box Gamez\dark_sun_shattered_lands_dos" -fullscreen

Just add the location of the folder in "" to the target form in the shortcut you make from the dosbox .exe, this mounts the disk and starts in the folder of the game. I believe that you can include also use the name of the executable and it will just launch right off the bat, no need to even type anything. (ll typgs 4 nrds)
 

TheGreatGodPan

Arbiter
Joined
Jul 21, 2005
Messages
1,762
Okay, now I've got it broken into two parts. I've got a shortcut in the Daggerfall folder titled startdosbox, which mounts the folder to C (but doesn't follow through on setting the freesize). Then I've got a batch file in the same folder titled playdaggerfall.bat, which does all the other steps in the code segment I posted. The one missing thing is setting the freesize to 1000. I don't know how important it is, I only did it because Bethesda said to. Is that step inherently part of mounting, or can it be set after mounting?
 

Zomg

Arbiter
Joined
Oct 21, 2005
Messages
6,984
No idea, never used it. Daggerfall would probably be one of the youngest games you'd play in DosBox before everything went Win95/98, so it might be special somehow. I've never had to do much more than mount and run with stuff from 95ish and earlier.
 

Multi-headed Cow

Guest
I think you can just make an easy shortcut, unless Dagerfall requires special fiddling beyond just running in Dosbox. You take a shortcut to the dosbox program itself, then at the end add the path in quotes for Daggerfall. Like "c:\program files\dosbox\dosbox.exe" "c:\program files\daggerfall\daggerfall.exe" or whatever your paths are. Dosbox will mount it and start it automatically if you have a Windows shortcut set up like that.
 

Multi-headed Cow

Guest
I guess I should read threads before posting, shouldn't I.
 

deuxhero

Arcane
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Messages
11,328
Location
Flowery Land
change the CD path in the dagger directory's z.cfg file to the dagger/arena2 folder instead of dfcd/arena2 and then copy the files in DFCD's arena2 to Dagger/arena2. Now you only need to type
mount c c:/dosgames -freesize 1000
cd dagger
fall z.cfg
 

Gragt

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
1,864,860
Location
Dans Ton Cul
Serpent in the Staglands Divinity: Original Sin
If you are lazy, use a front-end like Frau Bishop said. My front-end of choice is DBGL. In the case of Daggerfall, you can use DFInstall to install the game somewhere, like the C:\ drive, and then copy it to your dosbox games folder; it can even modify the Z.CFG file for you.
 

Multi-headed Cow

Guest
poocolator said:
I can't believe how much version 0.73 improved my performance. I can actually play Redneck Rampage now.
Same. I've been playing Blood, Dominus, and One Must Fall. All of which I had an ass of a time trying to get working on Dosbox previously. It's heavan.
 

FeelTheRads

Arcane
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
13,716
What batch file? Just type those lines at the end of the config file where it says "# Lines in this section will be run at startup." and the game will start whenever you launch DOSBox. Yes, you can edit the configuration in the last version, from a shortcut in the start menu.
I assume you first installed the game from inside DOSBox and then the patch, right?

So, just in case. First of all add the first two lines in the config file. Then launch dosbox, go to D: and type install. Install to C:\dagger, set up the sound, exit setup. Go to C:\daggerfall and type DAG213 to install the patch. Just chose Yes to everything.
After all this, exit DOSBox and add the rest of the lines to the config file.
 

Quilty

Magister
Joined
Apr 11, 2008
Messages
2,406
I read "DosBox babes".

I am now disappointed.
 

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