Ubuntu Manpage: dosemu.bin, dosdebug - run DOS and DOS programs under Linux

Provided by: dosemu_1.4.0.7+20130105+b028d3f-2_amd64

NAME

       dosemu.bin, dosdebug - run DOS and DOS programs under Linux

SYNOPSIS

       dosemu.bin  [  -234ABCcdKkmNnOpSstVwX  ]  [  -h  level  ]  [ -F file ] [ --Fusers file ] [
       --Flibdir directory ] [ --Fimagedir directory ] [ -f file ] [ -L dexefile ] [ -u confvar ]
       [  -D flags ] [ -M size ] [ -e size ] [ -x size ] [ -P file ] [ -o file ] [ 2> debugfile ]
       [ -I config-options ] [ -i[bootdir] ] [ -U inpipe[:outpipe] ] [ [-E] dos-command ]

       dosdebug

DESCRIPTION

       dosemu.bin is the binary wrapped by the script dosemu (1)  which  invokes  the  Linux  dos
       emulator, also known as DOSEMU.
       debugfile is an optional file into which all debugging output will be redirected.

       dosdebug is used to control or debug an already running DOSEMU.

       Although  this  program is known as the DOS emulator, it is actually a virtual machine for
       DOS, allowing DOS and programs written for DOS to operate in an environment similar  to  a
       standard  IBM  PC/AT  or  compatible  with  an Intel 80x86 processor in real mode.  DOSEMU
       provides emulation of such services as BIOS video, disk, keyboard,  serial,  and  printer;
       CMOS  memory  for  configuration information; a real time clock; memory allocation through
       the XMS 3.0 specification, EMS 4.0 and DPMI 0.9.

       Because DOSEMU is not really a DOS emulator, a copy of FreeDos is required, which  now  is
       pre-configured  and  part  of  the  official  DOSEMU binary distribution.  In addition any
       currently available proprietary DOS (such as MS-DOS, PC-DOS, DR-DOS) can be  booted,  when
       properly configured.

KERNEL REQUIREMENTS

       At  present, you will need Linux 2.0.28 or above with the SYSV IPC option (System V Inter-
       Process Communication facilities, see ipc(2)) compiled. SYSV  IPC  is  an  option  in  the
       configuration setup during a Linux kernel compile.

OPTIONS

-2,3,4,5
choose 286, 386, 486 or 586 processor to simulate.

-A boot from floppy disk A (does not need to be a real floppy disk, see below)

-B boot from floppy disk B (does not need to be a real floppy disk, see below)

-C boot from hard disk C (does not need to be a real hard disk or even an msdos
filesystem, see below)

-c use direct Console video (must be at the console, requires special privileges, and
-s ).

-d detach from current virtual console or tty and attach to the first free virtual
console

[-E] dos-command
Run DOS command when starting DOSEMU, and, if '-E' is not given, exit DOSEMU after
running the command. The command can also be given with a Linux path (for example
/home/joeuser/dosemu/freedos/bin/xcopy.exe). Note: this only works if your
autoexec.bat contains a "unix -e" command.

-k use RAW console Keyboard (must be at the console)

-F Parse this config-script instead of the built-in global.conf file (you need to run
as root on suid DOSEMU for this)

--Fusers
Bypass dosemu.users and take this file instead (only accepted when dosemu.bin is
not suid-root).

--Flibdir
Bypass the default DOSEMU_LIB_DIR (as maybe defined in dosemu.users) and use this
directory instead.

--Fimagedir
Bypass the default directory for bootdirectory and hdimages (DOSEMU_HDIMAGE_DIR)
and use this directory instead.

-f Parse this config-file instead of .dosemurc

-n Bypass (don't use) dosemu.users and dosemu.conf (only accepted when dosemu.bin is
not suid-root).

-u set a user configuration variable. An u_ is prefixed to the name to avoid name
clashes. This variable then can be checked in dosemu.conf or global.conf to do some
special configuration.

-L Load and start a DEXE file (special preconfigured bootable hdimage containing just
one DOS application)

-I Parse the string behind -I with the same syntax as global.conf or .dosemurc such as

dos ... -I 'video { mda }'

This is useful if you just want to override a given configuration parameter
temporary. You also may have a generic configuration by executing a script such as

dos ... -I "`myconf.sh`"

where myconf.sh is a script writing the configuration to stdout. If you have an
alternate configuration file besides .dosrc,

dos ... -I "`cat myother.conf`"

will do the job. Note however, that you have to quote the parameter behind -I
because it is expected to be one argument.

-i[bootdir]
launched as part of a systemwide installation, this option (re-)installs a DOS that
is used in DOSEMU (this can be the DOSEMU distributed FreeDOS or any proprietary
DOS, which is bootable via fatfs). bootdir is the base name of a directory. The
symbolic link ~/.dosemu/drives/c will be changed to point to this directory. Re-
installing is only rarely necessary, since in practise the symbolic link(s) will
automatically point to updated files.

-D specify which Debugging messages to allow/suppress

-h dump configuration to stderr and exit (implicit sets -D+c). This is useful for
debugging configuration files, you should use -O too to direct the +c type messages
to stderr. `level' can be 0, 1 or 2 and controls the amount of configuration parser
debug output: No parser debug (0), parser loop debug (1), if_else_endif debug (2).

-H specify the dosdebug support flags, currently only `1' is is reasonable. with -H1
you force dosemu to wait until the dosdebug terminal has connected. Hence to debug
a DOS session from the very beginning you first start dosemu with -H1 and then
start dosdebug. DOSEMU will then lock before jumping into the loaded bootsector
waiting for dosdebug to connect. Once connected you are in `stopped' state and can
set breakpoints or single-step through the bootstrap code.

-M set base memory to SIZE Kilobytes

-m toggle internal mouse-support

-O use stderr for output of Debugging messages

-o use this file for output of Debugging messages

-P copy debugging output to FILE

-p stop for prompting if a non-fatal configuration problem is detected

-S run using SDL

-s super-user/full feature mode: enable direct hardware access. Use this switch if
you wish to use graphics on the console, need direct port access, hardware
interrupts or raw network access. Implies -V and -k by default.

WARNING: THIS SWITCH NEEDS ROOT, SUID-ROOT, OR SUDO. GIVING DIRECT HARDWARE ACCESS
TO DOS PROGRAMS MAY GIVE THESE THE ABILITY TO LOCK YOUR COMPUTER, OR (IN RARE
CASES) EVEN DAMAGE HARDWARE. ONLY TRUSTED LOCAL USERS SHOULD BE GIVEN THIS TYPE OF
ACCESS.

-t terminal mode: run using the S-Lang library

-U define inpipe and outpipe for asynchronous control of DOSEMU from another process.
The format is (without whitespace in between)

inpipe:outpipe

where `:outpipe' can be omitted. In the latter case no feedback from DOSEMU can be
expected.

For security reasons DOSEMU does not create the named pipes itself, so the user is
responsible to set the permissions of the pipes correctly. Note that when using
this options, the foreign process can control your DOSEMU session (such as entering
keystrokes). This option should therefor only used by frontends (such as kdos),
which first create the proper named pipes and then launch DOSEMU. A special
control command ( ack on ) can be used to force DOSEMU returning handshake tags via
`outpipe' such that the frontend knows when the control command has started or
finished and whether it was successful. The format of this tagging is

SYN: <commandname>

ACK: code=n

where n is 0 for success. A tiny control terminal, which can serve as example, is
the supplied dosctrl program. It takes just the two pipes as arguments and you may
then enter control commands, which of them `help' is the most important one;-) Note
that dosctrl does not launch DOSEMU, you have to do it yourself.

-V use direct console video with VGA graphics and use the native graphics card's BIOS
(must be at the console, requires special privileges, and -s ).

-w toggle windowed/fullscreen mode in X

-X run in an X Window

HARD DISKS

       DOSEMU supports four methods of supplying DOS with hard disks:

       1.     a virtual disk file residing on a Linux filesystem which emulates a hard drive.

       2.     direct  access  to  a  DOS  partition  through  a  raw  disk device (i.e. /dev/hda,
              /dev/hdb, /dev/sdX).

       3.     direct access to an DOS partition through single partition access (i.e.  /dev/hda1,
              /dev/hdb2, /dev/sdxx).

       4.     access  to  a  Linux  filesystem  as  a  "network" drive using the driver emufs.sys
              supplied with DOSEMU in commands/emufs.sys or lredir.exe.

       Configuration of DOSEMU's hard disk resources is done by editing dosemu.conf or  .dosemurc
       before running DOSEMU.  Look at /usr/share/doc/dosemu/README.txt.

FLOPPY DISKS

       DOSEMU supports two methods of supplying DOS with floppy disks:

       1.     a virtual disk file residing on a Linux filesystem which emulates a floppy drive

       2.     direct  access  to  a  physical  floppy  through  a raw disk device (i.e. /dev/fd0,
              /dev/fd1).

       This is also explained more thoroughly in README.txt.

       Configuration of DOSEMU's floppy disk resources is done by editing the dosemu.conf  before
       running DOSEMU.

VIDEO

       DOSEMU may be run on any tty device.  However, increased performance and functionality may
       be had by taking advantage of special features of the Linux console.  Those running DOSEMU
       on  the  console  may  wish  to  investigate  the  -c, -k, and -V switches, explained more
       thoroughly in README.txt.  There is  also  some  very  brief  documentation  in  the  file
       dosemu.conf, which can be edited for your needs.

       In  brief, proper use of the console device and the corresponding switches allows the user
       to view a DOS program in its original color and font, with none  of  the  periodic  screen
       update problems with the generic tty output code.

KEYBOARD

       Those  using  DOSEMU  on  the Linux console may also wish to use the RAW keyboard support.
       This mode of operation, selected by the -k switch, provides the user with  access  to  the
       entire keyboard accessible under DOS.  Any combination of ALT, CTRL, and SHIFT keys may be
       used to generate the odd keycodes expected by many DOS programs.

PRINTING

       The BIOS printer services are emulated through standard UNIX  file  I/O  though  temporary
       files  which  are then periodically spooled by LPR or a different print client, as defined
       by $_printer_commands in dosemu.conf.

DEBUG MESSAGES

Debug messages can be controlled either at the command line or in the configuration file.
Take a look at the documentation inside the config.dist file included with DOSEMU in the
examples subdirectory, for debugging options. At the command line, you may specify which
classes of messages you wish dos to allow. The syntax of this is DOSEMU takes an option
"-D FLAGS", where FLAGS is a string of letters which specify which options to print or
suppress. DOSEMU parses this string from left to right.

+ turns the following options on (initial state)
- turns the following options off
a turns all the options on/off, depending on flag
0 turns all options off
1-9 sets the debug level, the higher, the more output
# where # is a letter from the valid class list,
turns that option off/on depending on the
+/- state.

Message Classes:

d disk R disk read W disk write
D int 21h C cdrom v video
X X support k keyboard i port I/O
s serial m mouse # default ints
p printer g general c configuration
w warning h hardware I IPC
E EMS x XMS M DPMI
n IPX network P Pkt-driver S SOUND
r PIC T IO-tracing Z PCI-BIOS
A ASPI driver Q mapping driver

Any debugging classes following a + character, up to a - character, will be turned on
(non-suppressed). Any after a - character, up to a + character, will be suppressed. The
character a acts like a string of all possible debugging classes, so +a turns on all
debugging messages, and -a turns off all debugging messages. The characters 0 and 1-9 are
also special: 0 turns off all debugging messages, and 1-9 turns on all debugging messages,
but set the debug level too.

There is an assumed + at the beginning of the FLAGS string. Some classes, such as error,
can not be turned off. In case you didn't redirect stderr, nearly all output to stderr
goes to /dev/null.

Some examples:
"-D+a-v" or "-D1-v" : all messages but video
"-D+kd" : default + keyboard and disk
"-D0+RW" : only disk READ and WRITE

Any option letter can occur in any place. Even pointless combinations, such as
-D01-a-1+0, will be parsed without error, so be careful. Some options are set by default,
some are clear. This is subject to my whim, and will probably change between releases.
You can ensure which are set by always explicitly specifying them.

SPECIAL KEYS

       In  RAW  keyboard  mode  (see  the -k option), DOSEMU responds to certain key sequences as
       control functions.

              ctrl-scrlock   =  show 0x32 int vectors
              alt-scrlock    =  show the vm86 registers
              rshift-scrlock =  generate an int8 (timer)
              lshift-scrlock =  generate an int9 (keyboard)
              ctrl-break     =  ctrl-break as under DOS.
              ctrl-alt-pgup  =  reboot DOS. Don't trust this!
              ctrl-alt-pgdn  =  exit the emulator

       Use  <LEFT CTRL>-<LEFT ALT>-<Function key> to switch to another virtual console.

MEMORY

       The XMS memory support in DOSEMU conforms  to  Lotus/Intel/Microsoft/AST  extended  memory
       specification  3.0.  I have implemented all XMS functions except function 0x12 (Reallocate
       Upper Memory Block).

       DOSEMU also supports EMS 4.0 and implements DPMI 0.9 (1.0 partially).

AUTHOR

       DOSEMU (comprised of the files dosemu.bin and dosemu ) is based  on  version  0.4  of  the
       original program written by Matthias Lautner (no current address that I know of).

       Robert Sanders <gt8134b@prism.gatech.edu> was maintaining and enhancing the incarnation of
       DOSEMU with which this man page was originally distributed. During about 4 years James  B.
       MacLean  <macleajb@ednet.ns.ca> was the restless leader of the dosemu team, implementation
       of DPMI (which  made  Windows-3.1,  dos4gw,  djgpp,  etc.  running)  happened  during  his
       'governement'  and  brought  the  project near to Beta-state. Hans Lermen <lermen@fgan.de>
       took over and released the first  1.0  version.  Now  Bart  Oldeman  <bart@dosemu.org>  is
       maintaining this funny software.

BUGS

       There are too many to count, much less list.

       Please  report  bugs  to  the author.  I'd also like to hear about which programs DO work.
       Just send me a note detailing what program (and what version) you are  using,  what  works
       and what doesn't, etc.

AVAILABILITY

       The  most  recent  public  version  of  DOSEMU can be obtained from www.dosemu.org; a fast
       mirror is at ibiblio.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/system/emulators/dosemu/.  If you want to keep  up
       on  private  developer  pre-releases,  join  the  DOSEMU  developer  team - even just good
       detailed debug reports are all you need!

FILES

/usr/bin/dosemu.bin
The binary
/usr/bin/dosemu
The wrapper script, it is recommended not to invoke dosemu.bin directly.
/usr/bin/xdosemu
Same, but invoking DOS in an X window.
$HOME/.dosemu
Per user DOSEMU local directory. This will be created silently, if not existing.
$HOME/.dosemu/tmp
All temporary file creation happens here, we do not use /tmp anymore.
/var/run/dosemu.*
or
$HOME/.dosemu/run
Various files used by DOSEMU including debugger pipes.
$HOME/dosemu/freedos
Bootdirectory containing the FreeDos part.
/etc/dosemu/dosemu.conf
or (only if /etc/dosemu.users exists) /etc/dosemu.conf Main configuration file for
DOSEMU. which is included by global.conf (global.conf is included in dosemu.bin by
default).
$HOME/.dosemurc
Per-user configuration file.
/etc/dosemu.users
or
/etc/dosemu/dosemu.users
For suid-root or sudo running binaries: Defines the access rights to DOSEMU on a
per user basis and sets some vital configuration. This is the only fix-location
configuration file, DOSEMU first looks for /etc/dosemu.users and, if this is not
found, for /etc/dosemu/dosemu.users . Via the keyword default_lib_dir= in
dosemu.users the systemwide DOSEMU_LIB_DIR directory may be moved elsewhere. For
more information see /usr/share/doc/dosemu/README.txt
/etc/dosemu/dos.ini
IPX configuration file.

doc/DANG.txt
To help you hack DOSEMU code.
/usr/share/doc/dosemu/README.*
Various documentation.
QuickStart, README and INSTALL
To set up DOSEMU quickly.
ChangeLog
Changes in DOSEMU since the last release.
/usr/share/doc/dosemu/README.bindist
Information on how to use the DOSEMU/FreeDos ready-to-use binary distribution.
MSDOS mailing list
For more information, mail to
linux-msdos@vger.kernel.org