Setting up new dosemu 1.3.3

Setting up new dosemu 1.3.3

[Larry Alkoff]

I used to run dosemu-1.2.2 and was able to get a very nice dosemu window 
under KDE with a large 12x21 font in an 80x25 window.

Most of my dos programs require 80x25 and my tired old eyes really need 
a large font.

How can I get the large font with dosemu-1.3.3?

Background:

To run dosemu-1.2.2 I had a KDE icon with the command line:
kstart /usr/X11R6/bin/xterm -geometry 80x25 -font 12x24 -e godos -x

The xterm produced had a nice large font and 80x25 screen
with white background and,
godos is a script that runs dosemu after a two second delay
to give a large font white letter on black screen exactly the same size 
and location as the xterm (convers it up).

When the same setup runs now, it produces the large xterm, but when 
dosemu runs it creates a separate small white letter on black window.
The window is 80x25 but the fonts are too small to comfortably read.

How can I increase the larger fonts?

Larry

-- 
Larry Alkoff N2LA - Austin TX
Using Thunderbird on Slackware Linux

Re: Setting up new dosemu 1.3.3

[Claudia Neumann]

Am Montag, 10. April 2006 19:05 schrieben Sie:
> I used to run dosemu-1.2.2 and was able to get a very nice dosemu window
> under KDE with a large 12x21 font in an 80x25 window.
>
> Most of my dos programs require 80x25 and my tired old eyes really need
> a large font.
>
> How can I get the large font with dosemu-1.3.3?
>
> Background:
>
> To run dosemu-1.2.2 I had a KDE icon with the command line:
> kstart /usr/X11R6/bin/xterm -geometry 80x25 -font 12x24 -e godos -x
>
> The xterm produced had a nice large font and 80x25 screen
> with white background and,
> godos is a script that runs dosemu after a two second delay
> to give a large font white letter on black screen exactly the same size
> and location as the xterm (convers it up).
>
> When the same setup runs now, it produces the large xterm, but when
> dosemu runs it creates a separate small white letter on black window.
> The window is 80x25 but the fonts are too small to comfortably read.
>
> How can I increase the larger fonts?

http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=linux-msdos&m=114374588406598&w=2

Claudia 

Re: Setting up new dosemu 1.3.3

[Larry Alkoff]

Claudia Neumann wrote:
> Am Montag, 10. April 2006 19:05 schrieben Sie:
>> I used to run dosemu-1.2.2 and was able to get a very nice dosemu window
>> under KDE with a large 12x21 font in an 80x25 window.
>>
>> Most of my dos programs require 80x25 and my tired old eyes really need
>> a large font.
>>
>> How can I get the large font with dosemu-1.3.3?
>>
>> Background:
>>
>> To run dosemu-1.2.2 I had a KDE icon with the command line:
>> kstart /usr/X11R6/bin/xterm -geometry 80x25 -font 12x24 -e godos -x
>>
>> The xterm produced had a nice large font and 80x25 screen
>> with white background and,
>> godos is a script that runs dosemu after a two second delay
>> to give a large font white letter on black screen exactly the same size
>> and location as the xterm (convers it up).
>>
>> When the same setup runs now, it produces the large xterm, but when
>> dosemu runs it creates a separate small white letter on black window.
>> The window is 80x25 but the fonts are too small to comfortably read.
>>
>> How can I increase the larger fonts?
> 
> http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=linux-msdos&m=114374588406598&w=2
> 
> Claudia 
> 

Thank you very very much Claudia.  I copied your web page into my 
dosemu.nfo file.

After experimenting with the fonts installed by dosemu, I simply entered 
the 12x24 font I liked from with 1.2.2 from /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc
(not in /usr/local/share/dosemu/Xfonts) and it worked perfectly!
This makes my life a lot easier.

Finally I'm going to be able to use my old favorite dos programs (WS 
SuperCalc and Q&A) without eyestrain.

Do you have any advice for changing the white letters on black to 
something nicer like black letters on light background?

Larry

-- 
Larry Alkoff N2LA - Austin TX
Using Thunderbird on Slackware Linux

Re: Setting up new dosemu 1.3.3

[Bart Oldeman]

On Mon, 10 Apr 2006, Larry Alkoff wrote:

> Thank you very very much Claudia.  I copied your web page into my dosemu.nfo 
> file.
>
> After experimenting with the fonts installed by dosemu, I simply entered the 
> 12x24 font I liked from with 1.2.2 from /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc
> (not in /usr/local/share/dosemu/Xfonts) and it worked perfectly!
> This makes my life a lot easier.
>
> Finally I'm going to be able to use my old favorite dos programs (WS 
> SuperCalc and Q&A) without eyestrain.
>
> Do you have any advice for changing the white letters on black to something 
> nicer like black letters on light background?

Just to elaborate: the default for DOSEMU changed to use its own X window 
by default, where it used to be inside the xterm. If you want the terminal 
behaviour you need to use the -t option as in "dosemu -t".

As far black on white: you can set $_term_color=(off) in combination with 
dosemu -t, which removes *all* colors; without the -t option the only way 
is to configure the DOS app itself to display black on white if it can 
be configured that way. You can also look for DOS palette change 
utilities, or set MENUCOLOR=0,15 (or 0,7) in config.sys but then it all 
depends on what the DOS app does with it.

Bart

Re: Setting up new dosemu 1.3.3

[Mike McCarty]

Larry Alkoff wrote:
> Claudia Neumann wrote:
> 
>> Am Montag, 10. April 2006 19:05 schrieben Sie:
>>
>>> I used to run dosemu-1.2.2 and was able to get a very nice dosemu window
>>> under KDE with a large 12x21 font in an 80x25 window.
>>>
>>> Most of my dos programs require 80x25 and my tired old eyes really need
>>> a large font.
>>>
>>> How can I get the large font with dosemu-1.3.3?
>>>
>>> Background:
>>>
>>> To run dosemu-1.2.2 I had a KDE icon with the command line:
>>> kstart /usr/X11R6/bin/xterm -geometry 80x25 -font 12x24 -e godos -x
>>>
>>> The xterm produced had a nice large font and 80x25 screen
>>> with white background and,
>>> godos is a script that runs dosemu after a two second delay
>>> to give a large font white letter on black screen exactly the same size
>>> and location as the xterm (convers it up).
>>>
>>> When the same setup runs now, it produces the large xterm, but when
>>> dosemu runs it creates a separate small white letter on black window.
>>> The window is 80x25 but the fonts are too small to comfortably read.
>>>
>>> How can I increase the larger fonts?
>>
>>
>> http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=linux-msdos&m=114374588406598&w=2
>>
>> Claudia
> 
> 
> Thank you very very much Claudia.  I copied your web page into my 
> dosemu.nfo file.
> 
> After experimenting with the fonts installed by dosemu, I simply entered 
> the 12x24 font I liked from with 1.2.2 from /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc
> (not in /usr/local/share/dosemu/Xfonts) and it worked perfectly!
> This makes my life a lot easier.
> 
> Finally I'm going to be able to use my old favorite dos programs (WS 
> SuperCalc and Q&A) without eyestrain.
> 
> Do you have any advice for changing the white letters on black to 
> something nicer like black letters on light background?
> 
> Larry
> 

I have the same problem, along with the lower contrast.

Here's what I do, using the GNOME descktop manager:

(1) Start a text window
(2) $ xterm -pc -fg white -bg black -geometry 80x25
(3) When the window opens, in the text area...
	CTRL-RightMouseButton->Font->HUGE

You may prefer to switch the bg/fg colors, but anyway this gives a
nice large font with intense contrasty colors.

HTH

Mike
-- 
p="p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}";main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}
This message made from 100% recycled bits.
You have found the bank of Larn.
I can explain it for you, but I can't understand it for you.
I speak only for myself, and I am unanimous in that!

Re: Setting up new dosemu 1.3.3

[Larry Alkoff]

Mike McCarty wrote:
> Larry Alkoff wrote:
>> Claudia Neumann wrote:
>>
>>> Am Montag, 10. April 2006 19:05 schrieben Sie:
>>>
>>>> I used to run dosemu-1.2.2 and was able to get a very nice dosemu 
>>>> window
>>>> under KDE with a large 12x21 font in an 80x25 window.
>>>>
>>>> Most of my dos programs require 80x25 and my tired old eyes really need
>>>> a large font.
>>>>
>>>> How can I get the large font with dosemu-1.3.3?
>>>>
>>>> Background:
>>>>
>>>> To run dosemu-1.2.2 I had a KDE icon with the command line:
>>>> kstart /usr/X11R6/bin/xterm -geometry 80x25 -font 12x24 -e godos -x
>>>>
>>>> The xterm produced had a nice large font and 80x25 screen
>>>> with white background and,
>>>> godos is a script that runs dosemu after a two second delay
>>>> to give a large font white letter on black screen exactly the same size
>>>> and location as the xterm (convers it up).
>>>>
>>>> When the same setup runs now, it produces the large xterm, but when
>>>> dosemu runs it creates a separate small white letter on black window.
>>>> The window is 80x25 but the fonts are too small to comfortably read.
>>>>
>>>> How can I increase the larger fonts?
>>>
>>>
>>> http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=linux-msdos&m=114374588406598&w=2
>>>
>>> Claudia
>>
>>
>> Thank you very very much Claudia.  I copied your web page into my 
>> dosemu.nfo file.
>>
>> After experimenting with the fonts installed by dosemu, I simply 
>> entered the 12x24 font I liked from with 1.2.2 from 
>> /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc
>> (not in /usr/local/share/dosemu/Xfonts) and it worked perfectly!
>> This makes my life a lot easier.
>>
>> Finally I'm going to be able to use my old favorite dos programs (WS 
>> SuperCalc and Q&A) without eyestrain.
>>
>> Do you have any advice for changing the white letters on black to 
>> something nicer like black letters on light background?
>>
>> Larry
>>
> 
> I have the same problem, along with the lower contrast.
> 
> Here's what I do, using the GNOME descktop manager:
> 
> (1) Start a text window
> (2) $ xterm -pc -fg white -bg black -geometry 80x25
> (3) When the window opens, in the text area...
>     CTRL-RightMouseButton->Font->HUGE
> 
> You may prefer to switch the bg/fg colors, but anyway this gives a
> nice large font with intense contrasty colors.
> 
> HTH
> 
> Mike


Mike are you using dosemu 1.2.2?
The behavior has changed.

I used to use the same method before changing to 1.3.3 with either the 
HUGE font or selecting a font in .dosemurc.

The latest version 1.3.3 does not take on the geometry and font from the 
xterm - it sets up it's own window.

The 80x25 seems to be a default - don't know it it can be changed or not 
but 80x25 works well for me.  The font selected in .dosemurc determines 
the actual window size.
I'm currently using the biggest font I can find:
$_X_font = "vga12x30"           # The biggest 11" wide x 8.5"high on 19" 
1280x1024 screen.

Larry

-- 
Larry Alkoff N2LA - Austin TX
Using Thunderbird on Slackware Linux

Re: Setting up new dosemu 1.3.3

[Karl.]

On Tue, Apr 11, 2006 at 05:12:43PM -0500, Larry Alkoff wrote:
> The 80x25 seems to be a default - don't know it it can be changed or 
> not but 80x25 works well for me.

You can change it within dosemu using the dos 'mode' command (perhaps 
add it to your autoexec.bat)

"mode co80,50" gets you colour, 80 columns, 50 rows.
               number of rows can be 25, 28, 43, or 50

"mode /?"      gets you help on other options

A lot of software makes assumptions and only uses half the screen, but 
there's a lot of software which works properly as well.  I just don't 
feel right if my dos box is not 50 rows  :-)

Karl.

Re: Setting up new dosemu 1.3.3

[Larry Alkoff]

Karl. wrote:
> On Tue, Apr 11, 2006 at 05:12:43PM -0500, Larry Alkoff wrote:
>> The 80x25 seems to be a default - don't know it it can be changed or 
>> not but 80x25 works well for me.
> 
> You can change it within dosemu using the dos 'mode' command (perhaps 
> add it to your autoexec.bat)
> 
> "mode co80,50" gets you colour, 80 columns, 50 rows.
>                number of rows can be 25, 28, 43, or 50
> 
> "mode /?"      gets you help on other options
> 
> A lot of software makes assumptions and only uses half the screen, but 
> there's a lot of software which works properly as well.  I just don't 
> feel right if my dos box is not 50 rows  :-)
> 
> Karl.

Thanks for the tip on mode Karl.  I had forgotten how handy that was in 
the good old DOS days.

Do you know any way of changing the really ugly white on black background?

What does 'codepage' mean wrt mode?  Are these fonts or characters like 
Cyrillic?

Larry

-- 
Larry Alkoff N2LA - Austin TX
Using Thunderbird on Slackware Linux

Re: Setting up new dosemu 1.3.3

[Karl.]

On Tue, Apr 11, 2006 at 09:02:12PM -0500, Larry Alkoff wrote:
> Do you know any way of changing the really ugly white on black background?

Try "help nansi" in dosemu.  The ansi driver used to be the main way to 
achieve this in the old days, although I never used it because it was 
noted for slowing down the computer.  I think the nansi driver is a lot 
faster.  

IIRC, the technique was to insert colour-setting escape-codes in the 
prompt string (a little help here: "prompt /?").  Try a google search.


> What does 'codepage' mean wrt mode?  Are these fonts or characters 
> like Cyrillic?

I believe so.

Karl.

Re: Setting up new dosemu 1.3.3

[jegunn]

Hi, Karl.

I wrote a little dos C program many years ago to set the screen colors.
usage is

Usage: ansicolo fg bg i
Colors: blk 0 red 1 grn 2 yell 3 blu 4 mag 5 cya 6 wht 7
i is 0 for normal foreground, 1 for intensified        

You need to load ansi.c or vansi.c in your config.sys.

I tried to attach the executable, but the list will not accept it. If
you want it, it is on our ftp site:

ftp://astro.princeton.edu/jeg/ansicolo/ansicolo.exe

--jim gunn

****************************************************************************

If you have a c compiler, the (almost trivial) source is

#include <stdio.h>


main(argc,argv)
int argc;
char **argv;
{
    if(argc < 3){
        printf("\nUsage: ansicolor fg bg i");
        printf("\nColors: blk 0 red 1 grn 2 yell 3 blu 4 mag 5 cya 6 wht 7");
        printf("\ni is 0 for normal foreground, 1 for intensified");
        printf("\n");
    }else{
        printf("\033[0;3%s;4%sm",argv[1],argv[2]);
        if(argc == 4 && *argv[3] == '1') printf("\033[1m");
        printf("\033[2J");
    }
}


***************************************************************************

On Wed, 12 Apr 2006, Karl. wrote:

> On Tue, Apr 11, 2006 at 05:12:43PM -0500, Larry Alkoff wrote:
> > The 80x25 seems to be a default - don't know it it can be changed or 
> > not but 80x25 works well for me.
> 
> You can change it within dosemu using the dos 'mode' command (perhaps 
> add it to your autoexec.bat)
> 
> "mode co80,50" gets you colour, 80 columns, 50 rows.
>                number of rows can be 25, 28, 43, or 50
> 
> "mode /?"      gets you help on other options
> 
> A lot of software makes assumptions and only uses half the screen, but 
> there's a lot of software which works properly as well.  I just don't 
> feel right if my dos box is not 50 rows  :-)
> 
> Karl.
> -
> To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-msdos" in
> the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
> More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
> 

Re: Setting up new dosemu 1.3.3

[Larry Alkoff]

jegunn wrote:
> Hi, Karl.
> 
> I wrote a little dos C program many years ago to set the screen colors.
> usage is
> 
> Usage: ansicolo fg bg i
> Colors: blk 0 red 1 grn 2 yell 3 blu 4 mag 5 cya 6 wht 7
> i is 0 for normal foreground, 1 for intensified        
> 
> You need to load ansi.c or vansi.c in your config.sys.
> 
> I tried to attach the executable, but the list will not accept it. If
> you want it, it is on our ftp site:
> 
> ftp://astro.princeton.edu/jeg/ansicolo/ansicolo.exe
> 
> --jim gunn
> 
> ****************************************************************************
> 
> If you have a c compiler, the (almost trivial) source is
> 
> #include <stdio.h>
> 
> 
> main(argc,argv)
> int argc;
> char **argv;
> {
>     if(argc < 3){
>         printf("\nUsage: ansicolor fg bg i");
>         printf("\nColors: blk 0 red 1 grn 2 yell 3 blu 4 mag 5 cya 6 wht 7");
>         printf("\ni is 0 for normal foreground, 1 for intensified");
>         printf("\n");
>     }else{
>         printf("\033[0;3%s;4%sm",argv[1],argv[2]);
>         if(argc == 4 && *argv[3] == '1') printf("\033[1m");
>         printf("\033[2J");
>     }
> }

Hello jim.

I compiled your script but forgot how to convert a.out to a .exe file. 
Not even sure gcc can do that.  It's been a long time since I used C in dos.

Also are you sure to use ansi.c and not ansi.sys in config.sys?

I solved the screen color problem in a different way by using 4dos which 
is a commmand.com replacement/enhancement I've used for 20 years.
It just recently became free of charge but I've paid them a lot over the 
years - very much worth it.

4dos can have aliases so I put the following alias in the alias file:
setcolor=color black on white	(Black is fg and white is bg)

and the following line in autoexec.bat:
prompt=`%@exec[@setcolor]$P$G`		( note backticks)

This gives me an easy to read black letters on grey screen in a KDE 
konsole.  Since it's refreshed every time time a prompt appears the 
screen comes back to the proper color after an application executes.
Another good color choice is bright white on blue.

Hope this helps.  It's sure better for me ;-)

Larry

-- 
Larry Alkoff N2LA - Austin TX
Using Thunderbird on Slackware Linux

Re: Setting up new dosemu 1.3.3

[Mike McCarty]

Larry Alkoff wrote:
> Mike McCarty wrote:
> 
>>
>> I have the same problem, along with the lower contrast.
>>
>> Here's what I do, using the GNOME descktop manager:
>>
>> (1) Start a text window
>> (2) $ xterm -pc -fg white -bg black -geometry 80x25
>> (3) When the window opens, in the text area...
>>     CTRL-RightMouseButton->Font->HUGE
>>
>> You may prefer to switch the bg/fg colors, but anyway this gives a
>> nice large font with intense contrasty colors.
>>
>> HTH
>>
>> Mike
> 
> 
> 
> Mike are you using dosemu 1.2.2?

1.3.2.0

> The behavior has changed.
> 
> I used to use the same method before changing to 1.3.3 with either the 
> HUGE font or selecting a font in .dosemurc.

Yes, I select the HUGE font.

> The latest version 1.3.3 does not take on the geometry and font from the 
> xterm - it sets up it's own window.

Hmm. Are you using dosemu or are you using xdosemu? I don't use
xdosemu, since its behavior is as you describe. But if I start
an xterm -pc -geometry 80x25 & and then set the font to HUGE
before starting dosemu, it works for me.

> The 80x25 seems to be a default - don't know it it can be changed or not 
> but 80x25 works well for me.  The font selected in .dosemurc determines 
> the actual window size.

I don't have a .dosemurc anywhere in my $HOME tree.

> I'm currently using the biggest font I can find:
> $_X_font = "vga12x30"           # The biggest 11" wide x 8.5"high on 19" 
> 1280x1024 screen.

Well, if it works for you, then I guess you are ok. But I find that
starting my own xterm, setting font size, and then using dosemu
works for me. I don't use xdosemu for the reasons you give.

Mike
-- 
p="p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}";main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}
This message made from 100% recycled bits.
You have found the bank of Larn.
I can explain it for you, but I can't understand it for you.
I speak only for myself, and I am unanimous in that!

Re: Setting up new dosemu 1.3.3

[Larry Alkoff]

Mike McCarty wrote:
> Larry Alkoff wrote:
>> Mike McCarty wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> I have the same problem, along with the lower contrast.
>>>
>>> Here's what I do, using the GNOME descktop manager:
>>>
>>> (1) Start a text window
>>> (2) $ xterm -pc -fg white -bg black -geometry 80x25
>>> (3) When the window opens, in the text area...
>>>     CTRL-RightMouseButton->Font->HUGE
>>>
>>> You may prefer to switch the bg/fg colors, but anyway this gives a
>>> nice large font with intense contrasty colors.
>>>
>>> HTH
>>>
>>> Mike
>>
>>
>>
>> Mike are you using dosemu 1.2.2?
> 
> 1.3.2.0
> 
>> The behavior has changed.
>>
>> I used to use the same method before changing to 1.3.3 with either the 
>> HUGE font or selecting a font in .dosemurc.
> 
> Yes, I select the HUGE font.
> 
>> The latest version 1.3.3 does not take on the geometry and font from 
>> the xterm - it sets up it's own window.
> 
> Hmm. Are you using dosemu or are you using xdosemu? I don't use
> xdosemu, since its behavior is as you describe. But if I start
> an xterm -pc -geometry 80x25 & and then set the font to HUGE
> before starting dosemu, it works for me.


I've just tried both dosemu and xdosemu.  Actually xdosemu is a soft 
link to dosemu.

 From an xterm you can start dosemu which appears in a window that 
covers up your original xterm.  You can see this by moving the dosemu 
window out of the way.  Unless there was a change between 1.3.2 and 
1.3.3 which causes the action to be different.


>> The 80x25 seems to be a default - don't know it it can be changed or 
>> not but 80x25 works well for me.  The font selected in .dosemurc 
>> determines the actual window size.
> 
> I don't have a .dosemurc anywhere in my $HOME tree.

For some strange reason, dosemu does not put install a ~/.dosemu by 
default.  I got mine by
cp /etc/dosemu/dosemu.conf ~/.dosemurc.
It's supposed to be the same file unless user customizes it as I did.
Having ~/.dosemurc allows you to customize dosemu on a user basis
instead of just a universal /etc/dosemu/dosemu.conf which I have kept 
pristine.


My customizations are to add to ~/dosemurc:

## Printer settings
$_printer = "Deskjet500"

## Setting specific to the X Window System (xdosemu, dosemu -X)
$_X_font = "vga12x30"           # The biggest 11" wide x 8.5"high


> 
>> I'm currently using the biggest font I can find:
>> $_X_font = "vga12x30"           # The biggest 11" wide x 8.5"high on 
>> 19" 1280x1024 screen.
> 
> Well, if it works for you, then I guess you are ok. But I find that
> starting my own xterm, setting font size, and then using dosemu
> works for me. I don't use xdosemu for the reasons you give.

Just be aware that might not work when you upgrade dosemu.
> 
> Mike


-- 
Larry Alkoff N2LA - Austin TX
Using Thunderbird on Slackware Linux