can I run 2 dosbox ?

[allthumbs]

I have added mount commands to the end of the config file to speed up starting my games, and it has worked wonderfully. I have run into some games that call for specific commands to run them, such as the new CD version of Lands of Lore. Can I download and use a second dosbox program to run the oddball games where I don't use the auto mount commands I have in place on the first version I normally use? Thanks

[Expack2]

I have added mount commands to the end of the config file to speed up starting my games, and it has worked wonderfully. I have run into some games that call for specific commands to run them, such as the new CD version of Lands of Lore. Can I download and use a second dosbox program to run the oddball games where I don't use the auto mount commands I have in place on the first version I normally use? ThanksYes you can! :D Just make sure when you install the second copy of DOSBox that it doesn't install to the same folder as the first copy - it will overwrite the first copy, thus defeating the purpose of having two.

[allthumbs]

Yes you can! :D Just make sure when you install the second copy of DOSBox that it doesn't install to the same folder as the first copy - it will overwrite the first copy, thus defeating the purpose of having two.


Good point! Thanks!

[zirkoni]

You don't have to install another DOSBox for that, just use a different configuration file. Create a new shortcut for DOSBox and use the -conf parameter to tell dosbox.exe which conf file to use.

[The Fifth Horseman]

You don't need a second copy of DOSBox for that.
Make a duplicate of your normal DOSBox shortcut, then move the [autoexec] portion of your config file to a new config file (it doesn't have to contain anything else).
Now, edit one of the shortcuts and in the "target element" field, add -conf "<location and name of the new config file here>" at the end, after the normal config file.
Now that shortcut will run your automatic mounting, and the other will not.

[allthumbs]

You don't need a second copy of DOSBox for that.
Make a duplicate of your normal DOSBox shortcut, then move the [autoexec] portion of your config file to a new config file (it doesn't have to contain anything else).
Now, edit one of the shortcuts and in the "target element" field, add -conf "<location and name of the new config file here>" at the end, after the normal config file.
Now that shortcut will run your automatic mounting, and the other will not.


so I make an additional conf file? I don't understand the "it doesn't have to contain anything else" part

my current shortcut target line end in (-userconf) Base on what you said, then one of the two should end this way (-userconf-conf")?

not sure about the quotations placement

[The Fifth Horseman]

so I make an additional conf file?Yes.
I don't understand the "it doesn't have to contain anything else" partOpen your original config and cut the part from [autoexec] to the end. Paste that into the new config. Save both files. Done.
-userconf -conf
(space is important) And then after another space, you need the quotation marks (") enclosing the full path and name of your new config file.

[allthumbs]

Thanks for helping!

[allthumbs]

I can't seem to make another config file. Do I copy and paste the file "DOSBox 0.74 Options.bat" ? That doesn't work as I have to name it something else.

Or do I make a vanilla file named "conf" and dump everything from autoexec down into that file? But I can't seem to get that to paste.

Help!!

[The Fifth Horseman]

I'll post a detailed example later.

[allthumbs]

thanks for your patience, although I can't seem to get the new cd version of Lands of Lore running either way anyway

[dosraider]

Also keep in mind, as it seems this is about mount lines and prompt command options for specific games, that you can simply write a batch file.
Most dosbox options/mounts/umounts/etcetera can be executed in a simple batch stored on the virtual C: root.

Just saying, not meant to confuse the OP.

[The Fifth Horseman]

Assume this is your basic config file:
[sdl]
# fullscreen -- Start dosbox directly in fullscreen.
# fulldouble -- Use double buffering in fullscreen.
# fullresolution -- What resolution to use for fullscreen: original or fixed size (e.g. 1024x768).
# windowresolution -- Scale the window to this size IF the output device supports hardware scaling.
# output -- What to use for output: surface,overlay,opengl,openglnb,ddraw.
# autolock -- Mouse will automatically lock, if you click on the screen.
# sensitiviy -- Mouse sensitivity.
# waitonerror -- Wait before closing the console if dosbox has an error.
# priority -- Priority levels for dosbox: lowest,lower,normal,higher,highest,pause (when not focussed).
# Second entry behind the comma is for when dosbox is not focused/minimized.
# mapperfile -- File used to load/save the key/event mappings from.
# usescancodes -- Avoid usage of symkeys, might not work on all operating systems.
fullscreen=true
fulldouble=false
fullresolution=1024x768
windowresolution=800x600
output=ddraw
autolock=true
sensitivity=150
#sensitivity=200
waitonerror=true
priority=higher,lowest
mapperfile=mapper.txt
usescancodes=true

[dosbox]
# language -- Select another language file.
# memsize -- Amount of memory dosbox has in megabytes.
# machine -- The type of machine tries to emulate:hercules,cga,tandy,pcjr,vga.
# captures -- Directory where things like wave,midi,screenshot get captured.

language=
machine=vga
captures=capture
memsize=16

[render]
# frameskip -- How many frames dosbox skips before drawing one.
# aspect -- Do aspect correction, if your output method doesn't support scaling this can slow things down!.
# scaler -- Scaler used to enlarge/enhance low resolution modes.
# Supported are none,normal2x,normal3x,advmame2x,advmame3x,hq2x,hq 3x,
# 2xsai,super2xsai,supereagle,advinterp2x,advinterp3 x,
# tv2x,tv3x,rgb2x,rgb3x,scan2x,scan3x.

frameskip=1
aspect=true
scaler=normal2x

[cpu]
# core -- CPU Core used in emulation: normal,simple,dynamic,auto.
# auto switches from normal to dynamic if appropriate.
# cycles -- Amount of instructions dosbox tries to emulate each millisecond.
# Setting this value too high results in sound dropouts and lags.
# You can also let DOSBox guess the correct value by setting it to max.
# The default setting (auto) switches to max if appropriate.
# cycleup -- Amount of cycles to increase/decrease with keycombo.
# cycledown Setting it lower than 100 will be a percentage.

core=dynamic
cycles=max
cycleup=1000
cycledown=1000

[mixer]
# nosound -- Enable silent mode, sound is still emulated though.
# rate -- Mixer sample rate, setting any devices higher than this will
# probably lower their sound quality.
# blocksize -- Mixer block size, larger blocks might help sound stuttering
# but sound will also be more lagged.
# prebuffer -- How many milliseconds of data to keep on top of the blocksize.

nosound=false
rate=44100
blocksize=2048
prebuffer=10

[midi]
# mpu401 -- Type of MPU-401 to emulate: none, uart or intelligent.
# device -- Device that will receive the MIDI data from MPU-401.
# This can be default,alsa,oss,win32,coreaudio,none.
# config -- Special configuration options for the device. In Windows put
# the id of the device you want to use. See README for details

mpu401=intelligent
device=default
config=

[sblaster]
# sbtype -- Type of sblaster to emulate:none,sb1,sb2,sbpro1,sbpro2,sb16.
# sbbase,irq,dma,hdma -- The IO/IRQ/DMA/High DMA address of the soundblaster.
# mixer -- Allow the soundblaster mixer to modify the dosbox mixer.
# oplmode -- Type of OPL emulation: auto,cms,opl2,dualopl2,opl3.
# On auto the mode is determined by sblaster type.
# All OPL modes are 'Adlib', except for CMS.
# oplrate -- Sample rate of OPL music emulation.

sbtype=sbpro2
sbbase=220
irq=7
dma=1
hdma=5
mixer=true
oplmode=auto
oplrate=44100

[gus]
# gus -- Enable the Gravis Ultrasound emulation.
# gusbase,irq1,irq2,dma1,dma2 -- The IO/IRQ/DMA addresses of the
# Gravis Ultrasound. (Same IRQ's and DMA's are OK.)
# gusrate -- Sample rate of Ultrasound emulation.
# ultradir -- Path to Ultrasound directory. In this directory
# there should be a MIDI directory that contains
# the patch files for GUS playback. Patch sets used
# with Timidity should work fine.

gus=true
gusrate=44100
gusbase=240
irq1=5
irq2=5
dma1=3
dma2=3
ultradir=C:\ULTRASND

[speaker]
# pcspeaker -- Enable PC-Speaker emulation.
# pcrate -- Sample rate of the PC-Speaker sound generation.
# tandy -- Enable Tandy Sound System emulation (off,on,auto).
# For auto Tandysound emulation is present only if machine is set to tandy.
# tandyrate -- Sample rate of the Tandy 3-Voice generation.
# disney -- Enable Disney Sound Source emulation.

pcspeaker=true
pcrate=44100
tandy=auto
tandyrate=44100
disney=true

[joystick]
# joysticktype -- Type of joystick to emulate: auto (default), none,
# 2axis (supports two joysticks), 4axis,
# fcs (Thrustmaster), ch (CH Flightstick).
# none disables joystick emulation.
# auto chooses emulation depending on real joystick(s).
# timed -- enable timed intervals for axis. (false is old style behaviour).
# autofire -- continuously fires as long as you keep the button pressed.
# swap34 -- swap the 3rd and the 4th axis. can be useful for certain joysticks.
# buttonwrap -- enable button wrapping at the number of emulated buttons.

joysticktype=auto
timed=true
autofire=false
swap34=false
buttonwrap=false

[serial]
# serial1-4 -- set type of device connected to com port.
# Can be disabled, dummy, modem, nullmodem, directserial.
# Additional parameters must be in the same line in the form of
# parameter:value. Parameter for all types is irq.
# for directserial: realport (required), rxdelay (optional).
# for modem: listenport (optional).
# for nullmodem: server, rxdelay, txdelay, telnet, usedtr,
# transparent, port, inhsocket (all optional).
# Example: serial1=modem listenport:5000

serial1=dummy
serial2=dummy
serial3=disabled
serial4=disabled

[dos]
# xms -- Enable XMS support.
# ems -- Enable EMS support.
# umb -- Enable UMB support.
# keyboardlayout -- Language code of the keyboard layout (or none).

xms=true
ems=true
umb=true

keyboardlayout=none

[ipx]
# ipx -- Enable ipx over UDP/IP emulation.

ipx=false

[autoexec]
# Lines in this section will be run at startup.

And the Target Element in the shortcut is this:
"C:\Program Files\DOSBox-0.74\dosbox.exe" -userconf

We want to have another shortcut that mounts f:\dosgames\ as our C drive. What we do is create a new text file with this in it:
[autoexec]
# Lines in this section will be run at startup.
mount c f:\dosgames\shorted
C:
And save it somewhere. In this example, the file was saved under C:\Program Files\DOSBox-0.74\default.conf

Now we copy the DOSBox shortcut and add -conf followed by the path to our new config file.
"C:\Program Files\DOSBox-0.74\dosbox.exe" -userconf -conf "C:\Program Files\DOSBox-0.74\default.conf"
This shortcut will, when run, execute the default config, and then whatever we put in the second config. Two config files, same base configuration, one copy of DOSBox.

[allthumbs]

Thanks for the detailed help!