How can I run a DOS program in custom size window?

[WillyW]

It sounds to me like WinXP does not allow you to make .pif files in the same manner as Win98 does.    
Yet it allows you to edit and use one,  if you have one.
2k_dummy:  is that the idea?

Right on, Willy.

Google found his game for me.   But of course until I hear back from him with his link, I can't be sure I've found the same thing as he is working on.
D/l'd it.
Unzipped and tried the batch file to run it.
Sure enough,  it went right to full screen.   Alt+Enter and it went right to minimized in the task bar.    I believe that is exactly how the  original poster described it.

Right clicked on that batch file, and changed Properties->Screen->Usage    to    Window.

Next time it ran in a window.    

But get this:    changed that setting back to full screen.    Ran it again.   It started full screen,  but this time  Alt+Enter  would toggle it to windowed and full screen.   Not minimized to the task bar.
hmmm..

Ran out of time to play around with it.    Might have overlooked something.  

For now,   will just wait to hear back from the original poster with the link and a pm with his email.

[simonchin]

Maybe i am out of topic but what i understand so far is MODE
Try MODE/?
Display Mode:

Provided you can access to the .bat for your program.
Hope it does =)

[neljan]

"just"  ?   "just" ??  
<sniff>  So that's what you think of my computer, eh?

I suddenly think your W98 is a like a sweet little old wise man, full of proverbs & wisdom... who chuckles at how us modern day XP users struggle with simple problems he already solved nyon 10 year ago!

I also think that you, Willy, are a god amongst computing solutioning (I know, but solutioning sounded better) You have put the 'hope' in computerhope.com.

Now, tell me the bloody solution before I come round there & stick that rusty old W98 where there's no hope at all!    

[WillyW]

I suddenly think your W98 is a like a sweet little old wise man, full of proverbs & wisdom... who chuckles at how us modern day XP users struggle with simple problems he already solved nyon 10 year ago!

Then I won't even go into how nice OS/2 was.    

I also think that you, Willy, are a god amongst computing solutioning (I know, but solutioning sounded better) You have put the 'hope' in computerhope.com.

Yep -  a litte hope -  that's about it.  
It was 2k_dummy's idea,  I just made a little .pif file is all.

Now, tell me the bloody solution before I come round there & stick that rusty old W98 where there's no hope at all!    

Got your PM, with your email address.
Replied already.

Unzipped a copy of that game, and made a .pif  (shortcut) file to launch the batch file that comes with the game.
     (By the way,  any idea what that  "a" switch on the command    
       line in that batch file does?  )

Zipped up that .pif file,  and attached the zip file to that email.
It should be there waiting for you now.

Note:  in that email I commented about the  paths, etc.,  in that .pif file,  and where to look to find them.   You'll have to edit them.
For now,  that's about it from me.    Edit those paths and try it.
If your computer blows up,  you're on your own.  
If it doesn't allow you to toggle from windowed to full screen,   then perhaps 2k_dummy will have something more to add.

I hope this helps.

[neljan]

Recieved the .pif file Willy thanks...

Ok, I put the .pif file in the directory of my games files (C:\program files\games\CM93)

Then, I right clicked the .pif file, chose properties, then the 'program' tab.

Under 'program' tab, I have options to change:

Cmd line: (this line had > D:\TEST\CM93\CM.BAT)

Working: (this line had > D:\TEST\CM93)

Batch file: (this line was empty)

So, I right clicked the MS-DOS Batch file already present in the games directory, which is named 'Cm'.

I then Selected properties & copied the location (C:\program files\games\CM93) & entered this into the .pif 'Cmd line' adding '\Cm' on the end, thus replacing 'D:\TEST\CM93\CM.BAT' with 'C:\Program Files\Games\CM93\Cm'.

I then right clicked the 'application' file already present in the games directory, which is named 'Cmexe'.

Entered the location of the application file into the 'working' section, thus replacing 'D:\TEST\CM93' with 'C:\Program files\Games\CM93\Cmexe'

Then, I double clicked the .pif file which resulted in a DOS window appearing, but with the following error message:

C:\PROGR~1\Games\CM93\SHORTC~1.PIF
Invalid startup directory, please check your pif file. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

I tried swapping the games application & Batch targets in the .pif cmd line, working & Batch file sections with the same result no matter which way round I try.

Any suggestions boys?

[WillyW]

I then Selected properties & copied the location (C:\program files\games\CM93) & entered this into the .pif 'Cmd line' adding '\Cm' on the end, thus replacing 'D:\TEST\CM93\CM.BAT' with 'C:\Program Files\Games\CM93\Cm'.

I doubt it will make any difference, but I'd make that    \Cm.bat   ,  not just    \Cm    .

I then right clicked the 'application' file already present in the games directory, which is named 'Cmexe'.

Entered the location of the application file into the 'working' section, thus replacing 'D:\TEST\CM93' with 'C:\Program files\Games\CM93\Cmexe'

!!DING!!

Read that again.  
Looks like you have entered a filename in a place where a location is needed.
Shouldn't that be     C:\Program files\Games\CM93     ?

Then, I double clicked the .pif file which resulted in a DOS window appearing, but with the following error message:

C:\PROGR~1\Games\CM93\SHORTC~1.PIF
Invalid startup directory, please check your pif file. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

Thought so.  

[neljan]

Tried \Cm.bat which made no difference (as you presumed)

Also changed Cmexe to Cmexe.exe (not sure if I should even be using this?)

And 'working' as the directory target not the file target, no change to the result either I'm afraid.

So what's the difference between the .bat & the .exe files then? I removed the .bat file from the directory just to see if the .exe could live without it & it could. Vice versa, the .bat file just seems to load into the systems memory with no visible results. Is the .bat file for using dos? Trying to find out exactly what I need to tinker with in the .pif file options...

[WillyW]

Also changed Cmexe to Cmexe.exe

Why?

(not sure if I should even be using this?)

Right.



How about my suggestion in my previous post?    Tried that yet?

[neljan]

The previous post where you advised me to change the working directory target from the file name target to the directory target? yes, I tried that.

I changed the cmexe target name to cmexe.exe, as I thought after you advised me to change cm to cm.bat, we are now being understandably causiously specific? (cmexe.exe is the full name of the file).

Don't know if your aware (as you said you mentioned you don't use XP) but the application file within the game's directory (cmexe.exe) when right clicked, has the exact same option tabs available as the .pif file. The .pif file (as you ARE aware) is showing on my system as shortcut file. Now, the application file (cmexe.exe) cmd line target is itself??? The other entries (Working/Bat file) are empty. Whether this is relevant or not I don't know, just thought I'd mention it...

[WillyW]

The previous post where you advised me to change the working directory target from the file name target to the directory target? yes, I tried that.

In   Properties->Program->Command line      what is in there now?

In Properties->Program->Working     what is in there now?

[neljan]

Cmd line = C:\Program Files\Games\Championship Manager 93\Cm.bat

Working = C:\Program Files\Games\Championship Manager 93

[WillyW]

Cmd line = C:\Program Files\Games\Championship Manager 93\Cm.bat

Working = C:\Program Files\Games\Championship Manager 93

hmm...   maybe I'm misunderstanding you then -  but in your post #19 in this thread,  you said:

I then Selected properties & copied the location (C:\program files\games\CM93) & entered this into the .pif 'Cmd line' adding '\Cm' on the end, thus replacing 'D:\TEST\CM93\CM.BAT' with 'C:\Program Files\Games\CM93\Cm'.

That's telling me that your game is in:
C:\program files\games\CM93
thus that is what should be on the   "Working"  line.

Have you moved your game since you made that post?

[neljan]

Yes, I thought you'd pull me on that... I was just using CM93 as an abreviation for Championship Manager 93 for the purpose of these posts.

The directory is and has always been called 'Championship Manager 93'.

[WillyW]

Yes, I thought you'd pull me on that...

No - not "pulling" anything.   You wrote that you copied it, and I read what you wrote.    It seems that I did understand it correctly too.

I was just using CM93 as an abreviation for Championship Manager 93 for the purpose of these posts.

That wasted a lot of time and posts.

The directory is and has always been called 'Championship Manager 93'.

Ok -  if you've got the  Command Line entry  so that it points to the batch file that launches your game,   and you've got the   Working entry so that it points to the directory where your game resides,   then that is what you need to do.
That's all I've been trying to ascertain.        If it won't run now,  then you need to examine everything closely, looking for the error.

Perhaps 2K_dummy has been following along and will have some advice.

[WillyW]

 I removed the .bat file from the directory  ...

You have restored this,  right?