Foxpro for dos on windows 10

[Cybermens]

Hi ,

I see many people saying they have installed foxpro for dos on windows 10 , 32 but .

Please help me to setup the same without using virtual environment .

 

[Joe Crescenzi]

It's doesn't matter whether you use a virtual environment or not, it's just a matter of using the installer media image for 32-bit instead of the default 64-bit.

I can't say for sure where you can download it, but from what I understand, Microsoft still makes 3 versions of the installer, one for Intel x86 / 32-bit, one for Intel 64-bit, and one for ARM.

 

[Chriss Miller]

Reference? If you have one, I think they first must have installed DOS itself. Windows isn't DOS based since Win98 and so that's about 30 years. DOS simply is a separate Installation and you'll need an original MS DOS. And then compatibility isn't an issue, you install FP DOS or an FP DOS application on DOS. It may be impossible to install DOS on a modern Laptop or PC, though. If you can, it's separate, you'll boot into DOS for FP DOS applications or to Windows for Windows applications.

If you want a user to run a FPDOS applications from within a Windows 10 desktop, you need a virtual PC environment that can be embedded into Windows, a real MSDOS can't. MSDOS isn't multitasking capable and will run standalone. On a Virtual PC you can also install a real MSDOS and it runs virtually standalone in there. As a virtual PC is capable to run within the Windows Desktop, no matter what runs within it, that's how DOS apps on actual MSDOS can run within Windows 10, by not running on Windows 10 itself, but within a virtual PC.

And the alternative of a virtual DOS is nothing but a virtual PC with a some preinstalled DOS, where other versions than the original MSDOS are used, which may have some more features that are aware of running in virtual mode and thus allow cooperation with Windows, like sharing the clipboard. MSDOS won't. So that's the plus of using other DOS systems than MSDOS.

PS: "Virtual PC" as name of a hardware emulator is discontinued, MS has Hyper-V integrated into Windows, which you might need to turn on in Windows Features, first.

 

[wOOdy-Soft]

You need to install DOSBOX-X from (you guessed it?) www.dosbox-x.com
Without that: no chance.
I still maintain a 2.6 FoxPro/Dos App with that, and it works great even with resolutions of 60 lines and 132 columns.
You have full access to all drives and folders of your PC, even long filenames etc.

 

[Cybermens]

Hi I installed Dosbox x and set the files and buffer variables in confit.sys .

Now foxpro is running but my foxpro application is unable to load .

Pls tell me is there any other changes in need to do .

I believe the key lies in writing the write autoexe and config.sys

 

[Joe Crescenzi]

Can you give us some details about what you see when you try to run it?

If your program was compiled to an EXE in FoxPro 2.6 for DOS, it will run, provided you have the runtimes in the path or in the execution folder, otherwise you can run it by using the old FOXR.EXE by running FOXR (FXP or APP filename).

 

[Cybermens]

Well the screen just freezes and I need to restart dos box x . It seems the program is unable to load .

 

[Cybermens]

No

Can you give us some details about what you see when you try to run it?

If your program was compiled to an EXE in FoxPro 2.6 for DOS, it will run, provided you have the runtimes in the path or in the execution folder, otherwise you can run it by using the old FOXR.EXE by running FOXR (FXP or APP filename).

the program is in fxp .

 

[Cybermens]

I am running the Fco file from within the foxpro for dos environment .

 

[Chriss Miller]

Autoexec.bat would define what starts automatically, not autoexe, nor autoexec alone. And it has to be in the start drive, that's still the same when it comes to a DOS emulator like DOSBOX-X, doesn't it?

Well, and otherwise you get to the command prompt. You're as free to start what you want to start like when Windows started to the desktop, you just don't have icons to click on but need to type. I mean, that should be clear. You make me wonder if you ever used a DOS PC.

Joe has some hints on how the runtime environment for an FPDOS app works, but in general, once you're at the command prompt the rest of your problems are just DOS and FPDOS problems. Nobody can help you with what you need for a specific app to let it run, but generally entering SOME.EXE or START SOME.EXE would start an application from a DOS prompt. Be it FPDOS itself or an FPDOS application. You may need to CD into the correct directory, first - and maybe parameters or command line switches are necessary, depends on what you programmed, nobody can tell you that.

 

[Chriss Miller]

without using virtual environment .

You are now using a virtual environment, just saying. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

[Joe Crescenzi]

You are now using a virtual environment, just saying. There's nothing wrong with that.

Very true.

If the OP wants to be in a non-virtual environment, the only modern non-virtual option that will allow a DOS program to is to install the 32-bit versions of Windows, which still allow DOS programs to run.

 

[Cybermens]

Autoexec.bat would define what starts automatically, not autoexe, nor autoexec alone. And it has to be in the start drive, that's still the same when it comes to a DOS emulator like DOSBOX-X, doesn't it?

Well, and otherwise you get to the command prompt. You're as free to start what you want to start like when Windows started to the desktop, you just don't have icons to click on but need to type. I mean, that should be clear. You make me wonder if you ever used a DOS PC.

Joe has some hints on how the runtime environment for an FPDOS app works, but in general, once you're at the command prompt the rest of your problems are just DOS and FPDOS problems. Nobody can help you with what you need for a specific app to let it run, but generally entering SOME.EXE or START SOME.EXE would start an application from a DOS prompt. Be it FPDOS itself or an FPDOS application. You may need to CD into the correct directory, first - and maybe parameters or command line switches are necessary, depends on what you programmed, nobody can tell you that.

Let’s not act like snobs . Let’s not get into whether I have used dos or not. If I am talking about dos , config.sys and foxpro for dos then that itself says enough about my past background .

If you do not have a solution to my question then better be silent .

 

[Chriss Miller]

I have posted a solution. I n fact the only solution that would work by your conditions to not virtualize. I mean, when you don't realize DOSBOX-X is a vitrtualization solution, you have not understood the sentence

DOSBox-X emulates a PC necessary for running many DOS games and applications

If I would overlook your condition, there's one more very frequently used other solution - TameDOS.

Besides all that, you didn't get back to my question about a reference for your statement:

I see many people saying they have installed foxpro for dos on windows 10

 

[Joe Crescenzi]

I also posted a solution, which is to simply install Windows 10 32-bit.

Windows 10 32-bit definitely allows DOS programs like FoxPro to run without emulation or virtualization.

Here's where you can get it.

Download Windows 10

Just create an installer for the 32-bit version. Windows 10 is the last version that is available in 32-bit versions.

 

[Cybermens]

Thanks . All this while I thought you cannot use windows 10 , 32 bit .

Just few questions . When we run out foxpro program under windows xp , we make some changes in windows.nt file . We change the buffer and files value and then under environment variables we set the path to for the foxpro directory .

We also use a ifix2000 . Now honestly I don’t know why we use that , but it I am not wrong , it deals with the y2k problem .

Let me make a fresh installation or windows 10 and see what problems I encounter .

I also posted a solution, which is to simply install Windows 10 32-bit.

Windows 10 32-bit definitely allows DOS programs like FoxPro to run without emulation or virtualization.

Here's where you can get it.

Download Windows 10

Just create an installer for the 32-bit version. Windows 10 is the last version that is available in 32-bit versions.

 

[Chriss Miller]

I wish you good luck with that. Windows 10 is phasing out of support in October this year, and I think this is not even the major problem you'll face.

Well the screen just freezes and I need to restart dos box x . It seems the program is unable to load

Do you have the prg or only the fxp file? (I assume FCO is a double typo on c for x and o for p - you can edit your posts, by the way, to correct such mistakes) With prg sources you could find out what fails exactly. If the problem is wihtin the code any other solution won't help you either and to get this working you'd need to decompile the FXP, likely much more than just that one FXP.

 

[Cybermens]

I

Thanks . All this while I thought you cannot use windows 10 , 32 bit .

Just few questions . When we run out foxpro program under windows xp , we make some changes in windows.nt file . We change the buffer and files value and then under environment variables we set the path to for the foxpro directory .

We also use a ifix2000 . Now honestly I don’t know why we use that , but it I am not wrong , it deals with the y2k problem .

Let me make a fresh installation or windows 10 and see what problems I encounter .

I installed windows 10 , 32 bit and after making some changes in the config.nt file , the program is now running .

The desktop connect to a file server via wifi . The program and the database files are stored in the file server .

One thing I noticed , it is slow when compared to a windows xp setup with 4 gb ram .

This desktop is a i5 4th gen with 8 gb ram . It has a hdd and I am booting the device on legacy mode .

Let me know if something can be done about it .