DOS (DOSBox)¶

Background¶

DOSBox is a multiplatform DOS-emulator

The DOSBox core has been authored by

DOSBox Team

The DOSBox core is licensed under

GPLv2

A summary of the licenses behind RetroArch and its cores can be found here.

Extensions¶

Content that can be loaded by the DOSBox core have the following file extensions:

.exe
.com
.bat
.conf

RetroArch database(s) that are associated with the DOSBox core:

DOS

Features¶

Frontend-level settings or features that the DOSBox core respects.

Feature	Supported
Restart	✔
Screenshots	✔
Saves	-
States	✕
Rewind	✕
Netplay	✕
Core Options	✔
Memory Monitoring (achievements)	✕
RetroArch Cheats	✕
Native Cheats	✕
Controls	✔
Remapping	✔
Multi-Mouse	✕
Rumble	✕
Sensors	✕
Camera	✕
Location	✕
Subsystem	✕
Softpatching	✕
Disk Control	✕
Username	✕
Language	✕
Crop Overscan	✕
LEDs	✕

Directories¶

The DOSBox core's library name is 'DOSBox'

Geometry and timing¶

The DOSBox core's core provided FPS is 60.0
The DOSBox core's core provided sample rate is (Rate)
The DOSBox core's base width is 320
The DOSBox core's base height is 200
The DOSBox core's max width is 1024
The DOSBox core's max height is 768
The DOSBox core's core provided aspect ratio is 4/3

Loading content¶

To use you can either load an exe/com/bat file or a *.conf file.
If loading exe/com/bat the system directory will be searched for a 'dosbox.conf' file to load. If one isn't available default values will be used. This mode is equivalent to running a DOSBox binary with the specified file as the command line argument.
If loading a conf file DOSBox will be loaded with the options in the config file. This mode is useful if you just want to be dumped at a command prompt, but can also be used to load a game by putting commands in the autoexec section.
To be useful the frontend will need to have keyboard+mouse support, and all keyboard shortcuts need to be remapped.

Usage¶

DOSBox can load DOS executables or custom config files. To get started you can generate a config file by creating the DOSbox folder in your libretro SYSTEM directory, and then loading any DOS application, exit back to the command interpreter and then run config -wcd, Configuration files allow you far better control than core options so far. Eventually every single useable option will be exposed but in the meantime combining both is the best alternative.

If you generate a default config it will always be loaded by default, but you can override it by saving your custom settings, preferably in the game folder. You can create a config like this:

[autoexec]
@echo off
mount d "/storage/roms/dos/game"
d:
game.exe

Then you can store this config in the game folder (or any other directory) and just the config instead of the exe file. Once you change a setting using the config command or via core options, you can always update the config file by using config -wc

MIDI¶

To use MIDI you need MT32_CONTROL.ROM and MT32_PCM.ROM in the system directory of RetroArch.Then set:

[midi]
mpu401=intelligent
mididevice=mt32

Core options¶

The DOSBox core has the following option(s) that can be tweaked from the core options menu. The default setting is bolded.

The options below Enable advanced core-options are only shown when it is enabled. CPU cycles are set as CPU cycles × CPU cycle multiplier, plus CPU fine cycles × CPU fine cycles multiplier in the advanced options.

Enable core-options [dosbox_use_options] (true|false)

Apply the core options below. Disable it to leave the settings to a loaded .conf file.
Enable advanced core-options [dosbox_adv_options] (false|true)
Emulated machine [dosbox_machine_type] (svga_s3|svga_et3000|svga_et4000|svga_paradise|vesa_nolfb|vesa_oldvbe|hercules|cga|tandy|pcjr|ega|vgaonly)
Scaler [dosbox_scaler] (none|normal2x|normal3x)
Gamepad emulated mouse [dosbox_emulated_mouse] (enable|disable)
Gamepad emulated deadzone [dosbox_emulated_mouse_deadzone] (5%|10%|15%|20%|25%|30%|0%)
CPU core [dosbox_cpu_core] (auto|dynamic|normal|simple)

dynamic is only offered by builds that have a dynamic recompiler for their CPU.
CPU type [dosbox_cpu_type] (auto|386|386_slow|486|486_slow|pentium_slow|386_prefetch)
CPU cycle mode [dosbox_cpu_cycles_mode] (fixed)
CPU cycle multiplier [dosbox_cpu_cycles_multiplier] (1000|10000|100000|100)
CPU cycles [dosbox_cpu_cycles] (1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9)
CPU fine cycles multiplier [dosbox_cpu_cycles_multiplier_fine] (100|1|10) - advanced
CPU fine cycles [dosbox_cpu_cycles_fine] (1|2|3|4|5|6|7|9) - advanced
Sound Blaster type [dosbox_sblaster_type] (sb16|sb1|sb2|sbpro1|sbpro2|gb|none)
Sound Blaster base address [dosbox_sblaster_base] (220|240|260|280|2a0|2c0|2e0|300) - advanced
Sound Blaster IRQ [dosbox_sblaster_irq] (5|7|9|10|11|12|3) - advanced
Sound Blaster DMA [dosbox_sblaster_dma] (1|3|5|6|7|0) - advanced
Sound Blaster High DMA [dosbox_sblaster_hdma] (7|0|1|3|5|6) - advanced
Sound Blaster OPL Mode [dosbox_sblaster_opl_mode] (auto|cms|op12|dualop12|op13|op13gold|none) - advanced
Sound Blaster OPL Provider [dosbox_sblaster_opl_emu] (default|compat|fast|mame) - advanced
Enable PC-Speaker [dosbox_pcspeaker] (false|true)
Enable Tandy Sound System [dosbox_tandy] (auto|on|off) - advanced
Enable Disney Sound Source [dosbox_disney] (false|true) - advanced
Enable IPX over UDP [dosbox_ipx] (false|true)

Only in builds with IPX networking.

Controllers¶

The DOSBox core supports 6 ports. Ports 1 and 2 can be set to one of the following device types:

Keyboard + Mouse
Gamepad
Joystick
Disconnected

Ports 3 to 6 can be set to Keyboard + Mouse or Disconnected.

Joypad¶

Input descriptors for Gamepad 2 Button	RetroPad Inputs
Button 2
Button 1
D-Pad Up
D-Pad Down
D-Pad Left
D-Pad Right

Input descriptors for Gamepad 4 Button	RetroPad Inputs
Button 3
Button 1
D-Pad Up
D-Pad Down
D-Pad Left
D-Pad Right
Button 4
Button 2

Input descriptors for Joystick 2 Button	RetroPad Inputs
Button 2
Button 1
Left Analog X	X
Left Analog Y	Y

Input descriptors for Joystick 4 Button	RetroPad Inputs
Button 3
Button 1
Button 4
Button 2
Left Analog X	X
Left Analog Y	Y
Right Analog X	X
Right Analog Y	Y

Input descriptors for Keyboard	RetroPad Inputs
Esc
Enter
Kbd Up
Kbd Down
Kbd Left
Kbd Right

Input descriptors for Emulated mouse	RetroPad Inputs
Emulated Mouse Right Click
Emulated Mouse Left Click
Emulated Mouse X Axis	X
Emulated Mouse Y Axis	Y

Keyboard¶

RetroKeyboard Inputs	Keyboard
Keyboard Backspace	Backspace
Keyboard Tab	Tab
Keyboard Return	Enter
Keyboard Pause	Pause
Keyboard Escape	Escape
Keyboard Space	Space
Keyboard '	'
Keyboard ,	,
Keyboard .	.
Keyboard /	/
Keyboard 0	0
Keyboard 1	1
Keyboard 2	2
Keyboard 3	3
Keyboard 4	4
Keyboard 5	5
Keyboard 6	6
Keyboard 7	7
Keyboard 8	8
Keyboard 9	9
Keyboard ;	;
Keyboard -	-
Keyboard =	=
Keyboard [	[
Keyboard \	\
Keyboard ]	]
Keyboard `\|`
Keyboard a	a
Keyboard b	b
Keyboard c	c
Keyboard d	d
Keyboard e	e
Keyboard f	f
Keyboard g	g
Keyboard h	h
Keyboard i	i
Keyboard j	j
Keyboard k	k
Keyboard l	l
Keyboard m	m
Keyboard n	n
Keyboard o	o
Keyboard p	p
Keyboard q	q
Keyboard r	r
Keyboard s	s
Keyboard t	t
Keyboard u	u
Keyboard v	v
Keyboard w	w
Keyboard x	x
Keyboard y	y
Keyboard z	z
Keyboard Delete	Delete
Keyboard Numpad 0	Numpad 0
Keyboard Numpad 1	Numpad 1
Keyboard Numpad 2	Numpad 2
Keyboard Numpad 3	Numpad 3
Keyboard Numpad 4	Numpad 4
Keyboard Numpad 5	Numpad 5
Keyboard Numpad 6	Numpad 6
Keyboard Numpad 7	Numpad 7
Keyboard Numpad 8	Numpad 8
Keyboard Numpad 9	Numpad 9
Keyboard Numpad .	Numpad .
Keyboard Numpad /	Numpad /
Keyboard Numpad *	Numpad *
Keyboard Numpad -	Numpad -
Keyboard Numpad +	Numpad +
Keyboard Numpad Enter	Numpad Enter
Keyboard Up	Up
Keyboard Down	Down
Keyboard Right	Left
Keyboard Left	Right
Keyboard Insert	Insert
Keyboard Home	Home
Keyboard End	End
Keyboard Page Up	Page Up
Keyboard Page Down	Page Down
Keyboard F1	F1
Keyboard F2	F2
Keyboard F3	F3
Keyboard F4	F4
Keyboard F5	F5
Keyboard F6	F6
Keyboard F7	F7
Keyboard F8	F8
Keyboard F9	F9
Keyboard F10	F10
Keyboard F11	F11
Keyboard F12	F12
Keyboard Num Lock	Num Lock
Keyboard Caps Lock	Caps Lock
Keyboard Scroll Lock	Scroll Lock
Keyboard Right Shift	Right Shift
Keyboard Left Shift	Left Shift
Keyboard Right Control	Right Control
Keyboard Left Control	Left Control
Keyboard Right Alt	Right Alt
Keyboard Left Alt	Left Alt
Keyboard Sys Req	Print Screen