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  Perfect Sync Software

is very pleased to announce the release of

DOSBox

Version 1.12

What Is DOSBox?

DOSBox is Perfect Sync Software's new Development Tool for programmers who work with DOS and Console Applications, including legacy programs.

DOSBox makes it possible to:

  • "Ghost Control" DOS and Console Applications from other applications
  • Add Windows-oriented functions to DOS and Console Applications
  • Tightly integrate existing DOS/Console Applications with Windows Applications

DOSBox is a "wrapper" program that can link itself to virtually any DOS or Console Application -- even if you didn't write it -- through a "Control File".  By placing commands in the Control File, a DOS or Console Application can tell DOSBox to do things like:

  • Change the title bar text and icon
  • Maximize, Minimize, Restore, Hide, or Show the application
  • Switch to the fullscreen or window mode
  • Play WAV Sound Files
  • Display Windows "message boxes"

...and MUCH, MUCH MORE!

Perhaps even more importantly, any program can open the Control File and tell DOSBox what to do!
  • Read the console screen
  • Simulate keystrokes, including extended and Alt-key combinations

For example, you could use the DOSBox package with any programming language -- from the free QBasic interpreter to tomorrow's super-compiler -- to write a program that can launch any DOS or console application and "ghost control" it by reading its screen (in real time) and sending simulated keystrokes to it.

Imagine being able to take that old DOS program and write a Windows program to "drive" it the way it needs to be driven today!  Or take an existing DOS program that somebody else wrote, and write a new DOS program to "fly" it!

DOSBox can also add professional features to any DOS or Console Application.  Programmers that have used Perfect Sync's popular Console Tools package have told us how valuable features like these are:

  • Remove items from the Window Menu (to keep a user from doing things like Closing your program with Alt-F4 or the "x" button)
  • Center the console on the Desktop, or move it off the screen, or (if your system supports it) move it to a "virtual desktop"
  • Obtain complete Windows Version information
  • Obtain console window State and Mode information
  • Place your program in the Windows Foreground (even on Windows 98 and 2000 systems where this is usually not allowed)
  • Hide and Show the Windows 95/98 Toolbar
  • Give your program "topmost" status

DOSBox can do all of those things, and more! (By the way, Console Tools provides an even larger set of functions, but it can’t be used with DOS programs.  DOSBox can be used with DOS and console applications.)

Imagine a DOS program that can do things like these:

  • Use Long File Names
  • Place text in, and remove text from, the Windows clipboard
  • Display Windows Help Files
  • SHELL to any DOS, console, or Windows program asynchronously ("in the background") while your DOS program continues running. You can even shell-to and control other DOS and Console Applications, using a second instance of DOSBox.

DOSBox even provides "Instance Control" features so your users can't start two copies of your program at the same time (unless you want them to).

And DOSBox works as a command line utility, so your batch files can do things like...

    DOSBOX /USERYN  Do you want to Continue?
    DOSBOX /FULLSCRN

...to display a message box or switch the console to the fullscreen mode!

Best of all, DOSBox is

FREE!

DOSBox is available in a 95%-functional Shareware Version, or you can register the DOSBox software for just $35 and receive:

  • a 100%-functional version
  • a printable (PDF) version of the Help File
  • free DOSBox updates for a year
  • our Caps_Off utility program
  • technical support 

(The Shareware Version also displays copyright messages and is slower than the Registered Version, so it is not appropriate for "professional" applications.)

Even though the Shareware Version of DOSBox is available at no charge, the entire DOSBox package is Copyright © 2000 Perfect Sync, Inc., All Rights Reserved.  The use of DOSBox is limited by a Software License Agreement which is available for review before the package is downloaded.

 

The Shareware Version of DOSBox

You can download the Shareware Version of DOSBox right now! The Shareware Version is very similar to the Registered Version, except:

  • The Shareware Version displays a two-second copyright message when the program is started and stopped, and each time a DOSBox function is used the copyright message appears in the title bar for one second.
  • The Shareware Version cannot be used in the "fullscreen" (Alt-Enter) mode.
  • Because of the copyright message in the title bar, the Shareware Version's TITLE? function (which is used to obtain the current title bar text) is not very useful.

 

The Registered Version of DOSBox

The Registered Version does not display any copyright messages, and it operates significantly faster than the Shareware Version. It also allows your programs to operate in the Fullscreen Mode, which isn't possible with the Shareware Version.

Registering DOSBox also entitles you to at least one full year of DOSBox updates, and a printable (PDF) copy of the DOSBox documentation.

You will also receive technical support when you register DOSBox.

 

Technical Notes

DOSBox.EXE is a fully self-contained 32-bit Windows executable file (approx. 74k bytes).  No additional runtime modules are required.

DOSBox does not reduce the amount of memory or other resources that are available to DOS and Console Applications.

DOSBox is a 32-bit Windows application, so it can be used only on Microsoft Windows systems.  DOSBox cannot add Windows features to DOS programs that are run on DOS systems.  DOSBox works with all currently-available 32-bit versions of Microsoft Windows, including 95, 95b, 98, 98SE, ME, NT4, and 2000.

When two programs occupy the same console window, such as when a DOS or Console Application is "ghost controlling" another DOS or Console Application,  only the program that is being controlled can  1) PRINT or otherwise access the screen, and  2) access the keyboard. The controlling program can do those things before the controlled program has started,  and after it has stopped,   but while the controlled program is running the controller program cannot access the console (except via DOSBox).  If necessary, this limitation can be bypassed by running the two programs in separate console windows.

Because of a limitation in Windows 95/98, it is not possible for DOSBox to read the screen of an application while it is operating in the fullscreen (Alt-Enter) mode. So DOSBox automatically detects Windows 95/98 and switches a controlled application to the window mode before reading its screen. (This limitation does not apply to applications that are run on Windows NT and 2000 systems.)

While DOSBox can allow DOS programs to use Long File Names, the Universal Naming Convention (UNC) is not supported.  Windows cannot reliably convert UNC names to 8.3-format names that can be used by DOS programs.  This means that DOSBox can only be used on local drives, and on "mapped" network drives.


Before ordering, please review Perfect Sync's

DOSBox Software License Agreement
and
Technical Support Policy



Technical Support for this product is provided by Perfect Sync, Inc.
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