Is there any possibility to add auto as a machine value?

[BridgeHeadland]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

Not exactly, just that I, and probably some others, would prefer to play the games in their best possible glory, both in terms of sound and graphics, without having to reconfigure the DOSBox between each game you start via the commando prompt (like in the good old days), even though we know we don't need to exit DOSBox-X between every time.

What you want

I know I've mentioned something about this before, not too long ago, but this time I'll go into a bit more detail. I want an auto value for the machine setting. A value that automatically behaves like other machine values, depending on what games or software you are running. That is, auto will automatically behave like cga if you run a CGA game or software, although newer machine types, even VESA 2.0, are compatible with CGA software, and even MDA software, it does not necessarily mean that those software behave as perfectly as they did in their time with the CGA machine types. As I've mentioned before, I don't think it matters if the VESA software works best with either VESA 1.0, VESA 1.3 or VESA 2.0, and then I think it's just as well that auto behaves like vesa_nolfb anyway, if you run a VESA software (such as Duke Nukem 3D (any version)), or even the DOSBox-X commando prompt. I understand that adding new sections, settings and values ​​to the configuration files can take time, so please take the time you need. In addition to auto, I've also, as I said, thought about auto_composite, auto_composite2 and, as I've recently thought about, auto_rgb, but for me it doesn't matter. If anyone wants to say what you think of my suggestion, whether it's stupid or brilliant, necessary or unnecessary, and why, I'd appreciate it, as long as it's said in a polite way, perhaps there is something you would like to ask about it. It feels like my idea doesn't really make sense, or it's lame, I just don't get it somehow.

Describe alternatives you've considered

No response

Additional information

No response

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• [X] I have searched and didn't find any similar feature request.

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[Torinde]

If possible may be nice, but I some issues:

• chicken and egg: some games/programs automatically adapt depending on the hardware present. So if DOSbox-X autodetection relies on what the game "attempts" to use... we get in a circle
• hard-coding profiles for every "game" (or every EXE/COM/... file or what?) gets you in the "DOSbox Frontend" territory (and there are such programs already)... and having that integrated into DOSbox-X, including at the prompt level without restarting, may be nice, but I wouldn't consider a priority... in front of sorting out bugs, emulating more devices, adding other features

[BridgeHeadland]

@Torinde I kind of understand what you mean. You say that some software automatically adapts depending on the hardware present. Then you mean that as long as Tandy, EGA, VGA, SVGA, VESA and the like are backwards compatible with CGA software, for example, the autodetection (I guess I learned a new word) doesn't know whether to behave as CGA or the backwards compatible machine types , you know? Am I right? You probably realize that I know little about PC and DOS, which is why I ask such questions. :) I'm wondering if it's possible to get an autodetection, or some other kind of detection, to force certain, specific machine values ​​to games, which were made for specific graphics adapters and such. I know that DOSBoxes are generally "intelligent" enough to distinguish between Hercules, MDA, CGA, Tandy, EGA, VGA, SVGA and VESA software and such, and that maybe they know when games such as Commander Keen 4-6, Catacomb 3D and Bio Menace 1-3 are set to VGA compatibility or not. As I said, I know that this kind of thing takes time (and I understand that), if it can be done at all, which I mean it can be done, theoretically speaking. As for a regular detection, or a regular autodetection, I think it should avoid cga_rgb, cga_composite, cga_composite2, pcjr, pcjr_composite, pcjr_composite2, ega200, mcga and vgaonly, as I see them as unnecessary, unless someone prefers RGB mode, composite modes, PC junior graphics and the like.

[Torinde]

Try https://www.dosbox.com/wiki/DOSBoxFrontends and eXoDOS

[BridgeHeadland]

@Torinde Any DOSBox Frontends you would recommend? I find it difficult to decide.

[rderooy]

D-Fend is dead. I only have experience with DBGL.

[BridgeHeadland]

I doubt if any of the current versions of DOSBox Frontends are specifically adapted to DOSBox-X. I haven't tried any of them since I haven't decided which one to try first and I don't have enough hard drive space. If I'm right that there are no Frontends specifically adapted to DOSBox-X, maybe someone could create one today. A DOSBox-X Frontend for HX-DOS (if possible) might be a good idea, if you want to be able to run the specific software in the specific configurations for each software. I expect that an HX-DOS based Frontend can run specific Tandy software with autodetect logic with Tandy sound enabled, even if the machine value in DOSBox-X for Windows, Linux or MacOS is set to vesa_nolfb, in the same way that one can run Tandy software with Tandy sound in Windows-based DOSBox-X (with machine value set to tandy, and Tandy value set to on) in Windows 1x. Same with CGA software with full color mode, for example, if available.

@rderooy How do you get DBGL to work? I get the message that I need Java. I've installed Java, but DBGL still doesn't work. For all I know, DBGL can be 100% compatible with DOSBox-X anyway.

[rderooy]

@BridgeHeadland you follow the instructions on the DBGL website. It is not dificult to install. Also, DBGL does support dosbox forks, such as DOSBox-X or -Staging. But again, look at the website and there is also a forum thread on Vogons where you can ask questions about it.