Safe way to start DOSBox with config

DOSBox is great, but for general use on Linux, having to type “-conf /path/to/my/config” with every single load sucks.

If you want to make it automatically load your config file in addition to any other commands you pass, crease a shell script like the one in the following example:

#!/bin/sh dosbox -conf ~/.dosbox/dosbox.conf "$@"

Save this as something like /usr/local/bin/dos and CHMOD it to 755.

Now, from anywhere on your system, you can run any dosbox command line you want, substituting “dos” for the initial “dosbox.” Your flags will pass perfectly, and your config file will always be loaded automatically.

Using the ~ in the script is great for keeping per-user settings for DOSBox.

About this entry

You’re currently reading “Safe way to start DOSBox with config,” an entry on CinnamonPirate.com

Published:: Tuesday, October 16th, 2007 at 3:35 pm

Author:: Derrick Sobodash

Category:: Ubuntu

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My name is Derrick Sobodash.

I live in Beijing, China, where I work as a professional copy editor and freelance journalist. My articles have appeared in The Oakland Press, Beijing Today and PiQ.

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tvtoon

November 12th, 2007
5:24 EST

Pretty strange, why are you doing it that way if DOSBOX automatically loads at the start? :S
It never failed with me.

Derrick Sobodash

November 14th, 2007
5:12 EST

Sure, dosbox loads fine, but with the default configuration. I want it to load my configuration, and I didn’t want to have to specify -conf every single time while being able to pass more arguments.

Fran

November 25th, 2007
8:52 EST

It should load automatically if you have
dosbox.conf
or
.dosboxrc

In your home folder (not under a subdir like .dosbox)

Also, I just right click on the game and go open with dosbox. That works as of version .72 ^_^