[Dixonary] OT: DOS in Windows 7

[Guerri Stevens]

Replying to Tim B, but changing to OT title:

How does DOSBox work? I have two DOS applications that I use now. Or two
that I know of. One is a database, which I could probably convert to
something else, given enough desire.

The other is a calendar, and I could probably switch to whatever
calendar comes with Windows.

Continuing to use the DOS calendar is more of a problem because I want
it to load upon boot so that I am FORCED to look at it. I do refer to it
at other times, adding stuff, etc. But I definitely want important
tasks/appointments to stare me in the face when I boot up. Will DOSBox
allow that?


--
Guerri
========


Tim B's message:
My business involves selling games, most of which were developed years
ago and require DOS. I use DOSBox, either with or without a front-end
called DFend-Reloaded, and it does the job very well. It runs with
Windows 7, Vista and XP, also with Linux, and I believe there's also a
version for the Mac.

[Tim Bourne]

> How does DOSBox work? I have two DOS applications that I use now. Or two
> that I know of. One is a database, which I could probably convert to
> something else, given enough desire.
>
It's a long time since I used a DOS database, but I think it would work OK.

> The other is a calendar, and I could probably switch to whatever
> calendar comes with Windows.
>
> Continuing to use the DOS calendar is more of a problem because I want
> it to load upon boot so that I am FORCED to look at it. I do refer to it
> at other times, adding stuff, etc. But I definitely want important
> tasks/appointments to stare me in the face when I boot up. Will DOSBox
> allow that?

I'm sure it's possible to get Windows to run a program when it starts, but I'm not sure that doing
that with DOSBox would do what you want. You might do better to switch to a Windows calendar
program; it's probably possible to transfer any data from your existing one.

Best wishes,
Tim B.

[Guerri Stevens]

Vista will definitely run a specified program at boot, so I am assuming
that Windows 7 will also do so.

I should look into Windows calendars. Mine has features I like, such as
handling repetitive things such as "task for every Friday" or "first
Friday of the month" or "every X days". I'll have to review what I've
got and start investigating. And I should do that now, before I am
forced to a new machine and Windows 7. (sigh)

Guerri

Tim Bourne wrote:
>
>> How does DOSBox work? I have two DOS applications that I use now. Or two
>> that I know of. One is a database, which I could probably convert to
>> something else, given enough desire.
>>
> It's a long time since I used a DOS database, but I think it would work OK.
>
>> The other is a calendar, and I could probably switch to whatever
>> calendar comes with Windows.
>>
>> Continuing to use the DOS calendar is more of a problem because I want
>> it to load upon boot so that I am FORCED to look at it. I do refer to it
>> at other times, adding stuff, etc. But I definitely want important
>> tasks/appointments to stare me in the face when I boot up. Will DOSBox
>> allow that?
>
> I'm sure it's possible to get Windows to run a program when it starts,
> but I'm not sure that doing that with DOSBox would do what you want. You
> might do better to switch to a Windows calendar program; it's probably
> possible to transfer any data from your existing one.
>
> Best wishes,
> Tim B.
>

[Dodi Schultz]

Further on this subject: The trouble I've had appears NOT to be with
running AutoDealer in DOSBox (I think that would actually work perfectly
well) but with the DOS-based wordprocessor that has to feed initial
information to AD. That seems to work to an extent but to be partially
impaired. I'm in the process of trying to figure out the exact extent of
the impairment.

I don't use any other DOS software, so I can't comment, Guerri, on database
and calendar questions (for the latter purpose, I use the old-fashioned
dead-tree kind).

Dodi

[Jim Hart]

Dodi - IIRC Autodealer likes to be fed with a plain Ascii text file.
If W7 won't play nicely with your original word processor you could
try Notepad which makes .txt files that should be acceptable to
Autodealer.

I wouldn't suggest Notepad for anything other than plain text like a
list of definitions. I assume you've already transitioned to a non-DOS
full-featured word processor for your memoirs.

These days when I get caught with the deal I do it semi-manually with
the aid of a simple Excel spreadsheet - each to their own.

Jim


On Dec 20, 2:19*pm, Dodi Schultz <DodiSchu... (AT) nasw (DOT) org> wrote:
> Further on this subject: The trouble I've had appears NOT to be with
> running AutoDealer in DOSBox (I think that would actually work perfectly
> well) but with the DOS-based wordprocessor that has to feed initial
> information to AD. That seems to work to an extent but to be partially
> impaired. I'm in the process of trying to figure out the exact extent of
> the impairment.
>
> I don't use any other DOS software, so I can't comment, Guerri, on database
> and calendar questions (for the latter purpose, I use the old-fashioned
> dead-tree kind).
>
> Dodi

[Paul Keating]

Jim,

Unless I am much mistaken, Dodi is a member of the WordPerfect generation.
Even programmers are not so fiercely loyal to text editors as they. From
hints Dodi has dropped I gather that DosBox can't cope with WordPerfect, or
vice versa. I have asked around, and I have been told that VirtualBox might
work better.

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Hart
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2011 12:38 AM
To: Dixonary
Subject: [Dixonary] Re: OT: DOS in Windows 7

Dodi - IIRC Autodealer likes to be fed with a plain Ascii text file.
If W7 won't play nicely with your original word processor you could
try Notepad which makes .txt files that should be acceptable to
Autodealer.

[Dodi Schultz]

Thanks to you both for your thoughts. You're quite right, Paul: I'm indeed
a WP devotee. I'm not sure yet what solution(s) may work, because I'm not
yet certain of the nature and extent of the problem. I need to do some more
fooling around to find out exactly what WP can do (and it can still do a
great deal) and which of its functions have become impaired. I'm working on it.

—Dodi



On 12/21/2011 5:55 PM, Paul Keating wrote:
> Jim,
>
> Unless I am much mistaken, Dodi is a member of the WordPerfect
> generation. Even programmers are not so fiercely loyal to text editors as
> they. From hints Dodi has dropped I gather that DosBox can't cope with
> WordPerfect, or vice versa. I have asked around, and I have been told
> that VirtualBox might work better.
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Jim Hart
> Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2011 12:38 AM
> To: Dixonary
> Subject: [Dixonary] Re: OT: DOS in Windows 7
>
> Dodi - IIRC Autodealer likes to be fed with a plain Ascii text file.
> If W7 won't play nicely with your original word processor you could
> try Notepad which makes .txt files that should be acceptable to
> Autodealer.
>
>
>

[Guerri Stevens]

One option would be to see whether WP has an option to save as text. I
know later DOS versions had that feature (6.x), but I no longer remember
the earlier versions.

Guerri

Dodi Schultz wrote:
> Thanks to you both for your thoughts. You're quite right, Paul: I'm
> indeed a WP devotee. I'm not sure yet what solution(s) may work, because
> I'm not yet certain of the nature and extent of the problem. I need to
> do some more fooling around to find out exactly what WP can do (and it
> can still do a great deal) and which of its functions have become
> impaired. I'm working on it.
>
> —Dodi
>
>
>
> On 12/21/2011 5:55 PM, Paul Keating wrote:
>> Jim,
>>
>> Unless I am much mistaken, Dodi is a member of the WordPerfect
>> generation. Even programmers are not so fiercely loyal to text editors
>> as they. From hints Dodi has dropped I gather that DosBox can't cope
>> with WordPerfect, or vice versa. I have asked around, and I have been
>> told that VirtualBox might work better.
>>
>> -----Original Message----- From: Jim Hart
>> Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2011 12:38 AM
>> To: Dixonary
>> Subject: [Dixonary] Re: OT: DOS in Windows 7
>>
>> Dodi - IIRC Autodealer likes to be fed with a plain Ascii text file.
>> If W7 won't play nicely with your original word processor you could
>> try Notepad which makes .txt files that should be acceptable to
>> Autodealer.
>>
>>
>>
>
>

[Steve Graham]

This discussion about keeping old software running reminds me of a joke some
technical colleagues south of the U.S. border told a while back while we
were discussion the company's reluctance to upgrade software.

It seems that one fellow berated a friend for using his poor old burro to
carry immense loads of firewood. "You can afford a pickup," said he.

Sure enough, a few days later the fellow saw a pickup driven by his friend
coming down the road ... with the burro in the back -- loaded down with
firewood.

Steve Graham
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too
dark to read. Groucho Marx

[Dodi Schultz]

On 12/22/2011 6:04 AM, Guerri Stevens wrote:
> One option would be to see whether WP has an option to save as text. I
> know later DOS versions had that feature (6.x), but I no longer remember
> the earlier versions.

Guerri, that appears to be one of the problems. My WP does indeed have that
feature, but that's one of the things that doesn't seem to be functioning
properly. Among others. < sigh >

I'm in the process of figuring out just which features work and which
don't; I'll then confer again with my tech consultant about possible
solutions, including those offered here.

D