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DOSBox‐X’s Command‐Line Options

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Robert de Rooy edited this page Sep 12, 2022 · 14 revisions

DOSBox-X supports command-line options. You can start DOSBox-X without any option, or with any of the following options. Options like -c and -set can be used multiple times in the command line.

  • -?, -h or -help

    Shows DOSBox-X’s help message.

  • -editconf [program]

    Calls program with as first parameter the configuration file. You can specify this command more than once. In this case it will move to second program if the first one fails to start.

  • -opencaptures [program]

    Calls program with as first parameter the location of the captures folder.

  • -opensaves [program]

    Calls program with as first parameter the location of the saves folder.

  • -eraseconf or -resetconf

    Erases DOSBox-X’s default config file.

  • -printconf

    Generates DOSBox-X’s config file in the user directory and prints its location.

  • -erasemapper or -resetmapper

    Erases the mapper file used by the default clean configuration file.

  • -nogui

    Starts DOSBox-X without showing its GUI menu.

  • -nomenu

    Starts DOSBox-X without showing its GUI menu.

  • -userconf

    Loads the configuration file from the user’s profile or home directory.

  • -conf [file]

    Uses the specified file as DOSBox-X’s config file. For example, -conf test.conf will let DOSBox-X use test.conf as its config file.

  • -startui or -startgui

    Starts DOSBox-X with its graphical configuration tool, where you can review or change its settings.

  • -startmapper

    Starts DOSBox-X and enters to the mapper editor directly, where you can change DOSBox-X’s key mappings.

  • -showcycles

    Shows cycle count (FPS) on the DOSBox-X title bar.

  • -showrt

    Shows emulation speed relative to realtime on the DOSBox-X title bar.

  • -fullscreen or -fs

    Starts DOSBox-X in full-screen mode.

  • -savedir [path]

    Uses the specified path as DOSBox-X’s save path, including the location for the saved states.

  • -defaultdir [path]

    Uses the specified path as DOSBox-X’s default path (instead of the current directory which is usually the DOSBox-X program directory), the location for files including the dosbox-x.conf config file. If no path is specified, and it is the only/last command-line option, then the directory of the primary config file (if any) will be used as DOSBox-X’s default path.

  • -defaultconf

    Uses the default config settings of DOSBox-X (do not try to load default config files such as dosbox-x.conf).

  • -defaultmapper

    Uses the default key mappings for DOSBox-X (do not try to load a mapper file such as mapper-dosbox-x.map).

  • -promptfolder

    Prompts for a folder which will become DOSBox-X’s working directory when it starts.

  • -nopromptfolder

    Do not prompt for a folder to become the DOSBox-X working directory when it starts.

  • -prerun

    If a program is provided in the command line, run it before (instead of after) the AUTOEXEC.BAT config section.

  • -hostrun

    Enables launching Windows programs to run on the Windows host, and for all systems the addition of START command, long filenames support and shared clipboard communications via the CLIP$ device.

  • -display2 <color>

    Enables standard (VGA/EGA/CGA) and monochrome dual-screen mode with the specified color: white, green, amber.

  • -disable-numlock-check

    Disables check of the NumLock key (Windows version only).

  • -date-host-forced

    Forces synchronization of date with the host system.

  • -lang [message file] or -langcp [message file]

    Uses the specified language file instead of language= setting. For example, -lang C:\message.txt will use the file "C:\message.txt" as the language file. The -langcp option will also force the embedded code page if specified by the language file for the TrueType font (TTF) output or Chinese/Japanese/Korean languages.

  • -machine [type]

    Starts DOSBox-X with the specified machine type.

  • -nodpiaware

    Ignores (don’t signal) Windows DPI awareness. May be useful if DOSBox-X starts in a very small window on some computers.

  • -securemode

    Enables DOSBox-X’s secure mode. The [config] and [autoexec] sections of the loaded configuration file will be skipped, and commands such as MOUNT and IMGMOUNT are disabled.

  • -noconfig

    Skips the [config] section of the loaded configuration file.

  • -noautoexec

    Skips the [autoexec] section of the loaded configuration file.

  • -exit

    Exits after executing the [autoexec] section of the loaded configuration file.

  • -o [option string]

    Provides command-line option(s)/argument(s) to pass to program(s), if specified in the command line. Make sure to surround the arguments in quotes to cover spaces. For example, dosbox-x myapp.exe -o myopt provides the “myopt” argument for the myapp.exe program.

  • -c [command string]

    Executes the specified command in addition to the [autoexec] section of the loaded configuration file. Make sure to surround the command in quotes to cover spaces. For example, -c "MOUNT C C:\\DOS" will cause DOSBox-X to execute the command MOUNT C C:\DOS at start.

  • -set <section property=value>

    Sets the specified config option, overriding such option (if exists) in the loaded configuration file. Make sure to surround the string in quotes to cover spaces. For example, -set machine=pc98 will force DOSBox-X to start in PC-98 mode.

  • -time-limit [n]

    Starts and terminates DOSBox-X after 'n' seconds.

  • -fastlaunch

    Enables fast launch mode by skipping the BIOS pause and welcome banner when DOSBox-X starts. Especially use for launching a specific program or game at start.

  • -silent

    Runs DOSBox-X silently without showing the DOSBox-X window and then automatically exits after executing AUTOEXEC.BAT. Useful for batch operations.

  • -helpdebug

    Shows debug-related command-line options.

The following are debug-related options:

  • -debug

    Sets all logging levels to debug.

  • -early-debug

    Logs early initialization messages in DOSBox-X (this option implies -console).

  • -keydbg

    Logs all SDL key events (debugging).

  • -break-start

    Starts DOSBox-X and breaks into its debugger directly.

  • -console

    Starts DOSBox-X with the console window (Windows builds only).

  • -noconsole

    Starts DOSBox-X without showing the console window (Windows debug builds only).

  • -log-con

    Logs CON output to a log file.

  • -log-int21

    Logs calls to INT 21h (debug level).

  • -log-fileio

    Logs file I/O through INT 21h (debug level).

  • -nolog

    Disables logging output.

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