dosbox-wii/docs/dosbox.1

.\"                                      Hey, EMACS: -*- nroff -*-
.TH DOSBOX 1 "October 5, 2003"
.\" Please adjust this date whenever revising the manpage.
.SH NAME
dosbox \- an x86/DOS emulator with sound/graphics
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B dosbox
.B [\-fullscreen]
.BI "[\-conf " configfile ]
.BI "[\-lang " langfile ]
.B [file]
.BI "[\-c " command ]
.B [\-exit]
.SH DESCRIPTION
This manual page briefly documents
.BR "dosbox" ", an x86/DOS emulator."
.TP
.RB "The optional " file " argument should be a DOS executable or a directory. If it is a dos executable (.com .exe .bat) the program will run automatically. If it is a directory, a DOS session will run with the directory mounted as C:."
.SH OPTIONS
A summary of options is included below.
.TP
.B \-fullscreen
.RB "Start " dosbox " in fullscreen mode."
.TP
.BI \-c  " command" 
.RI "Runs the specified " command " before running " 
.BR file . 
.RI "Multiple commands can be specified. Each " command " should start with "
.BR \-c " though."
.TP
.BI \-conf " configfile
.RB "Start " dosbox " with the options specified in "
.IR configfile .
.TP
.BI \-lang " langfile
.RB "Start " dosbox " with the language specified in "
.IR langfile .
.TP
.B \-exit
.BR dosbox " will exit after running the program specified by " file .
.SH "INTERNAL COMMANDS"
.B dosbox
supports most of the DOS commands found in command.com. In addition, the
following extra commands are available:
.HP
.BI "MOUNT [\-t " type "] [\-size " size ]
.I driveletter sourcedirectory 
.B [\-aspi] [\-ioctl]
.BI "[\-usecd " number "] [\-label " drivelabel ]
.LP
.B MOUNT \-cd
.LP
.RB "Program to mount local directories as drives inside " dosbox .
.RS
.TP
.I driveletter
The driveletter inside dosbox (eg. C).
.TP
.I sourcedirectory
The local directory you want to have inside dosbox.
.TP
.BI \-t " type"
Type of the mounted directory. Supported are: dir (standard), floppy, cdrom.
.TP 
.BI \-size " drivesize"
Sets the size of the drive.
.TP
.BI \-label " drivelabel"
.RI "Sets the name of the drive to " drivelabel ". Needed on some" 
systems if the cd label isn't read correctly. Useful when a 
program can't find its cdrom.
.TP
.B \-aspi
Forces to use the aspi layer. Only valid if mounting a cdrom under 
Windows systems with an ASPI-Layer.
.TP
.B \-ioctl   
Forces to use ioctl commands. Only valid if mounting a cdrom under 
windows which support them (Win2000/XP/NT).
.TP
.BI \-usecd " number"
Forces to use SDL cdrom support for drive number.
.IR Number " can be found by "
.BR \-cd ". Valid on all systems."
.TP
.B \-cd
.RB "Displays all detected cdrom drives and their numbers. Use with " \-usecd "."
.RE
.PP 
.B "Example:" 
.TP
.RB "To mount your /home/dos/dosgames directory as C drive in " dosbox :
.RS
mount c /home/dos/dosgames
.RE
.TP
.B MEM
.LP
Display the amount of free memory
.TP
.B CONFIG [\-writeconf] [\-writelang] file
.LP
.RB "Write the current configuration or language settings to " file ,
which is located on the local filesystem. Not a mounted drive in 
.BR dosbox .
.TP 
.B LOADFIX [\-size] [programname] [parameters]
.LP
.B LOADFIX \-f
.LP
Program to eat up memory, Useful for old programs which don't expect much memory to be free.
.RS
.TP
.B [programname]
The name of the program which is executed after loadfix eats up its memory.
.TP
.B [parameters]
.RB "Parameters given to the " programname " executable."
.TP
.B \-size
The amount of memory to eat up (in kb). Example -32, -64 or -128 
.TP
.B \-f
Frees all memory eaten up by loadfix.
.RE
.SH FILES
Configuration and language files use a format similar to Windows .ini files. If a file named
.BR dosbox.conf " is found in the current directory, it will be automatically loaded."
.SH "SPECIAL KEYS"
.TP 12m
.IP ALT\-ENTER
Go full screen and back.
.IP CTRL\-F5
Save a screenshot.
.IP CTRL\-F6
Start/Stop recording sound output to a wave file.
.IP CTRL\-F7
Decrease frameskip.
.IP CTRL\-F8
Increase frameskip.
.IP CTRL\-F9
Kill dosbox.
.IP CTRL\-F10
Capture/Release the mouse.
.IP CTRL\-F11
Slow down emulation (Increase DOSBox Cycles).
.IP CTRL\-F12
Speed up emulation (Decrease DOSBox Cycles).
.PP
.B "Note: "
Once you increase your DOSBox cycles beyond your computer's maximum
capacity, it will produce the same effect as slowing down the emulation.
This maximum will vary from computer to computer, there is no standard.
.SH "SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS"
Fast machine. My guess would be pentium\-2 400+ to get decent emulation
of games written for an 286 machine.
For protected mode games a 1 Ghz machine is recommended and don't expect
them to run fast though!! Be sure to read the next section on how to speed
it up somewhat.
.SS "To run resource\-demanding games"
.BR dosbox " emulates the CPU, the sound and graphic cards, and some other"
.RB " stuff, all at the same time. You can overclock " dosbox " by using CTRL\-F12, but"
you'll be limited by the power of your actual CPU. You can see how much free
time your true CPU has by various utils (top).  Once 100% of your real CPU time is
.RB "used there is no further way to speed up " dosbox " unless you reduce the load"
.RB "generated by the non\-CPU parts of " dosbox .
.PP
So:
.PP
.RB "Close every program but " dosbox .
.PP
.RB "Overclock  " dosbox " until 100% of your CPU is used.(CTR\-+F12)" 
.PP
.RB "Since VGA emulation is the most demanding part of " dosbox " in terms of actual"
CPU usage, we'll start here. Increase the number of frames skipped (in
increments of one) by pressing CRTL\-F8. Your CPU usage should decrease.
Go back one step and repeat this until the game runs fast enough for you.
Please note that this is a trade off: you lose in fluidity of video what you
gain in speed.
.SH NOTES
.RB "While we hope that, one day, " dosbox " will run virtually all programs ever made for the PC..."
.RB "we are not there yet. At present, " dosbox " run on a 1.7 Gigahertz PC is roughly the equivalent of a 25MHz 386 PC."
While the 0.60 release has added support for "protected mode" allowing for more complex and recent programs, 
but note that this support is early in development and nowhere near as complete as the support for 386 real\-mode 
games (or earlier). Also note that "protected mode" games need substantially more resources and may 
.RB "require a much faster processor for you to run it properly in " dosbox .
.SH BUGS
Not all DOS programs work properly.
.BR dosbox " will exit without warning if an error occured."
.SH "SEE ALSO"
The README in /usr/share/doc/dosbox
.SH AUTHOR
This manual page was written by Peter Veenstra <H.P.Veenstra@student.rug.nl> and James Oakley <jfunk@funktronics.ca>,
for the Debian system (but may be used by others).