Confused Over Dos Games
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Hi all
I have Recalbox 4.1 and looking to get Dos games installed but i'm not understanding the readme file and just need a basic step by step guide as to create a directory for a .pc extnesion and also the dosbox.bat command line how do I do this?
Thanks
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Hi,
what game file format do you have?
Is it an image file or a folder with many files inside?
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It's a folder with many files
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@kaz69
I have running a lot of old dos games on 4.1. So perhaps can help.
you must create a folder .pc for every game, in general because also assignement of keys and mouse are different from one game to next.
And important, no names bigger as 8 characters in the names, this is dos6.1 clone.
And believe me, the flexibility of the key/mouse mapper in dosbox is far beyond retroarch. You can as example define second joystick as mouse for player 1 and so on....
When your gamefolder xxx.pc is installed under the dos rom folder, 2 files are first important. dosbox.bat and dosbox.cfg.
Under Dosbox.bat, you define in general the same as in the original dos bat-file.
If he just have inside game.exe, it will also work as simple with dosbox.bat. If you have VESA call before, also put it in dosbox.bat.
For dosbox.cfg, you just copy the file dosbox.conf to your game folder and rename it dosbox.cfg. Very important because without you can also not define different joystick/button layout for a specific game. You must edit some datas inside (depending also sometimes on the game) and before all "mapperfile=yourgame.map"
Thats it in general.
You can find a copy of one dosbox.cfg here
https://forum.recalbox.com/topic/8795/dosbox-duke-nukem-i-simple-selection-menu
To call the keymapper, works with Ctrl+F1 after game is started, I also edit manually the file xxx.map
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@dragu said in Confused Over Dos Games:
dosbox.bat and dosbox.cfg.
Thanks, i'm still new to this so i may get something wrong here. I have created my folder horde.pc (game is called horde), now with the dosbox.bat and dosbox.cfg files are these files I need to download from a website and then copy to every .pc folder I have?
and with Under Dosbox.bat, you define in general the same as in the original dos bat-file, what does this mean?
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You will need an editor to create the files, or copy them from elsewhere, like dosbox.cfg from the above link, and the black frame. And modify.
The original dosbox.conf is found under
\recalbox\share\system\configs\dosbox\dosbox.conf
In the example from the link you have already some important modifications inside. Also change name of keymapfile to horde.map.
And create a text file dosbox.bat with (horde.exe?) inside, or if existed in old game directory horde.bat, the content of it.
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I think im getting it, but im needing to break it down. so the below is about the .pc file and the dosbox.bat file.
So I have created a folder named horde.pc in the dos rom folder (recalbox/roms/dos)
in the horde.pc folder I have extracted all the game data (see image for files extracted) and created a dosbox.bat file which has the command line
:horde.pc/horde.pc/horde.EXEis this all correct? I want to make sure this is before I attempt creating the dosbox.conf part.
thanks
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Just "horde.exe" under the bat file, no directory because at the moment that dosbox start, we are already in horde.pc, and anyway linux.
Now, also necessary to look into install.bat and install2.bat, depending what he make there, you need first installation ...
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install.bat reads
@echo off if %1!==! goto USAGE set COLON= :VALIDDRIVE if %1 == c: goto INSTALL1 if %1 == d: goto INSTALL1 if %1 == e: goto INSTALL1 if %1 == f: goto INSTALL1 if %1 == g: goto INSTALL1 if %1 == C: goto INSTALL1 if %1 == D: goto INSTALL1 if %1 == E: goto INSTALL1 if %1 == F: goto INSTALL1 if %1 == G: goto INSTALL1 if %1 == c goto NEEDCOLON if %1 == d goto NEEDCOLON if %1 == e goto NEEDCOLON if %1 == f goto NEEDCOLON if %1 == g goto NEEDCOLON if %1 == C goto NEEDCOLON if %1 == D goto NEEDCOLON if %1 == E goto NEEDCOLON if %1 == F goto NEEDCOLON if %1 == G goto NEEDCOLON goto USAGE :NEEDCOLON set COLON=: :INSTALL1 diskfree %1%COLON% 14200000 if ERRORLEVEL==5 goto USAGE if ERRORLEVEL==4 goto DIRPROBLEM if ERRORLEVEL==3 goto NEEDSPACE if ERRORLEVEL==2 goto INSTALL2 if ERRORLEVEL==1 goto USAGE goto end :INSTALL2 cls echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» echo º The Horde(tm) Hard Drive Installation Utility º echo ÌÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ͹ echo º º echo º This utility will decompress files from the º echo º Horde floppy disks to to your hard drive. º echo º º echo º If you don't want to install The Horde º echo º on your hard drive, press CTRL-C now. º echo º º echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ pause echo making directory %1%COLON%\HORDE... md %1%COLON%\HORDE :BEGIN snoop if ERRORLEVEL 66 GOTO LOGB :LOGA SET DRIVE=A goto INSTALL3 :LOGB SET DRIVE=B :INSTALL3 copy install2.bat %1%COLON%\HORDE %1%COLON% cd \HORDE call install2.bat del install2.bat set COLON= set DRIVE= goto end :USAGE echo echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» echo º PROBLEM: Valid hard drive not specified. º echo ÌÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ͹ echo º Please specify the drive (C-G) to which you º echo º would like the Horde copied. For example: º echo º º echo º install C: º echo º or º echo º install d º echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ echo goto END :DIRPROBLEM echo echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» echo º PROBLEM: Couldn't make HORDE directory º echo ÌÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ͹ echo º Please check that you specified a valid drive. º echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ echo goto END :NEEDSPACE echo echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» echo º PROBLEM: Not enough disk space on selected drive. º echo ÌÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ͹ echo º To install the Horde you will need º echo º 14,200,000 bytes free on your hard drive. º echo º º echo º Try deleting unnecessary files on your hard º echo º drive and then run INSTALL again. º echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ echo goto END :ENDinstall2.bat reads
echo Decompressing files from Disk #1... %DRIVE%:part1.exe > nul :DISK2 echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» echo º Please Insert The Horde Disk #2 º echo º and then press any key. º echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ echo pause if not exist %DRIVE%:part2.exe goto DISK2 echo Decompressing files from Disk #2... %DRIVE%:part2.exe > nul :DISK3 echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» echo º Please Insert The Horde Disk #3 º echo º and then press any key. º echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ echo pause if not exist %DRIVE%:part3.exe goto DISK3 echo Decompressing files from Disk #3... %DRIVE%:part3.exe > nul :DISK4 echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» echo º Please Insert The Horde Disk #4 º echo º and then press any key. º echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ echo pause if not exist %DRIVE%:part4.exe goto DISK4 echo Decompressing files from Disk #4... %DRIVE%:part4.exe > nul :DISK5 echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» echo º Please Insert The Horde Disk #5 º echo º and then press any key. º echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ echo pause if not exist %DRIVE%:part5.exe goto DISK5 echo Decompressing files from Disk #5... %DRIVE%:part5.exe > nul :DISK6 echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» echo º Please Insert The Horde Disk #6 º echo º and then press any key. º echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ echo pause if not exist %DRIVE%:part6.exe goto DISK6 echo Decompressing files from Disk #6... %DRIVE%:part6.exe > nul cls echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» echo º The Horde has been installed! º echo ÌÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ͹ echo º To start the game, type HORDE º echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ
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@dragu how do you escape dos games ? i tried a very simple one but htokey+start didn't exit the game ? do you need a keyboard ?
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@voljega said in Confused Over Dos Games:
@dragu how do you escape dos games ? i tried a very simple one but htokey+start didn't exit the game ? do you need a keyboard ?
Try Control + F9 thats what it says on the read me folder, you may need to plug in a keyboard
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@kaz69 ok thanks didn't see it in the readme although i read it
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@voljega said in Confused Over Dos Games:
@kaz69 ok thanks didn't see it in the readme although i read it
Yeah i missed it before but was right at the end
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Manage to run a quick test for the game and when I select the game Dosbox comes up and the dos screen shows it found the horse.exe file but then stops and goes back to recalbox screen. So I'm guessing it's something on the install.bat command line then?
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@voljega said in Confused Over Dos Games:
@dragu how do you escape dos games ? i tried a very simple one but htokey+start didn't exit the game ? do you need a keyboard ?
Hi, voljega,
The Hotkey is under Dosbox nothing that a normal key. As long as you are not back into ES (game title display), your buttons and joysticks function after the definition in the keymap file.
So as example, I put directionnel keys on joystick 1, mouse on joystick 2, select as ESC, Enter on player buttons and so on. So I even definded Shooting in Nukem 1+2 on hotkey button from player 2, because on my bartop, you keep hand lying on the table, very suitable.
But as you are back in ES, again you are in the ES button definition.
Now, for Save Games or special actions, it is sometime tricky, but you arrive.
I just put you an example about Nukem I
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@dragu so there is no quick way to quit a game ? you have to escape through the menu of the game ?
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@kaz69 said in Confused Over Dos Games:
Manage to run a quick test for the game and when I select the game Dosbox comes up and the dos screen shows it found the horse.exe file but then stops and goes back to recalbox screen. So I'm guessing it's something on the install.bat command line then?
HI kaz69,do you already define the dosbox.cfg file in the horde.pc directory. Compare with the description that I made in the link before. There can be memory issues that are defined in the cfg file, not in the bat.
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Should I just copy the command line from the two install.bat files and create them as dosbox.cfg?
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@kaz69
You mean dosbox.bat, I suppose.
I am not sure, because I dont know what is Snoop?In general it seems that it is necessary to unpack part1.exe to part6.exe.
Ok, I think you can make this in a first version of dosbox.bat, putting all part1-6.exe, seems they are just auto-decompressing.
I would try to unpack before by 7zip or something like 7zip on my pc and just copy the result on horde.pc. I guess, its just zip files.
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I have seen an 8MB file (1993) and a 500MB file from 1994.
Are you sure you have a good one?
This part1.exe etc..... does not look normal for "me personally".
I have not the time at the moment to check your problem, i try to test this weekend.
