DOS program starts then freezes

p000c commented 2 years ago

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Question

I installed the latest DOSBox-X for the first time (Windows 10 64 bit) today. I copied the DOS program I would like to run to a folder C:\vDOS\GENLAM90, mounted the folder, and started the program named GENLAM. GENLAM starts. It is intended to operate by first prompting for a number of inputs. The first input prompt is displayed but at that point GENLAM freezes. For this first prompt the acceptable inputs are Y, N, or [CR] (for the default N), but no keyboard input has any effect. At this point DOSBox-X has to be closed or restarted. In case it helps the following is an excerpt from GENLAM's Readme.txt describing its use:

"The files you need to perform a laminate analysis are listed below.

File GENLAM.EXE: General laminate program File MATFIX.EXE: Material data handling program File MATRSI.SYM: Material data in readable form (SI units) File MATRAM.SYM: Material data in readable form (American units)

N O T E ! ! ! The material data files must be on the default directory. [All files are in the same directory-P000C]

To quickly get started, place one of the work disks in the right hand side disk drive, drive B, and make the B drive the default directory by entering B:. If you use a hard disk, make the directory containing the programs the default directory by entering CD C:(directory name). To get a listing of the available materials enter TYPE MATRSI.SYM or TYPE MATRAM.SYM. If you want the data to be printed on the printer, enter TYPE MATRSI.SYM >PRN. This will redirect the output from the screen to the printer. To run a program, enter the file name of the program you want to run, for example GENLAM. Note that the extension .EXE may be omitted. All the files created by the program will be placed on the default directory."

Incidentally the command TYPE MATRSI.SYM does work correctly, the data in the file is printed to the DOSBox-X window and the DOSBox-X command line then reappears. The behavior of the program MATFIX is similar to GENLAM: its opening screen is displayed with prompts for a number of inputs including (E) for exit but DOSBox-X registers no keyboard input and must be closed or restarted.

I previously tried running GENLAM in vDOS with similar results. The vDOS forum moderator had this comment:

"I’m afraid you’re out of luck with vDos. Seems your programs rely on INT 9 to communicate with the keyboard, vDos doesn’t emulate that low level hardware keyboard access. If there’s no option to switch to BIOS or DOS functions, you’ll have to use DOSBox or one of its mods instead."

Can you recommend something I can try to get GENLAM and MATFIX working?

maron2000 commented 2 years ago

There was once a suggestion to try keyb command from FreeDOS, but I don't know it will work in your case. May be worth trying on vDOS as well. Refer to #2567 for details.

rderooy commented 2 years ago

Are you using the SDL1 or SDL2 version?
Which machine= setting are you using?
Are you using a US or non-US keyboard layout?
Did you try booting real DOS in DOSBox-X?

You can also try setting some options in the dosbox-x config file such as

[dosbox]
int16 keyboard polling undocumented cf behavior = true

[keyboard]
controllertype = xt

p000c commented 2 years ago

In case it matters the DOS programs I want to run GENLAM and MATFIX are executable FORTRAN programs. The GENLAM splash screen states it is "Vers 5.1 April 1990". With regard to your questions:

I am using SDL1 64 bit
machine = svga_s3
The keyboard should be US it is an HP KB38211 purchased in the US.
I did not yet try loading real DOS in DOSBox-X, Would FreeDOS be worth trying? (I do not have a copy of DOS.)

In the dosbox-x.conf file I added "int16 keyboard polling undocumented cf behavior = true" to the [dosbox] section, and "controllertype = xt" to the [keyboard] section; this did not solve the problem.

Thanks!

On Fri, Feb 18, 2022 at 2:18 AM Robert @.***> wrote:

Are you using the SDL1 or SDL2 version?

Which machine= setting are you using?

Are you using a US or non-US keyboard layout?

Did you try booting real DOS in DOSBox-X?

You can also try setting some options in the dosbox-x config file such as

[dosbox] int16 keyboard polling undocumented cf behavior = true [keyboard]controllertype = xt

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rderooy commented 2 years ago

MS or IBM PC DOS would be better for maximum compatibility, but sure you can give FreeDOS a try.

joncampbell123 / dosbox-x