Using QuickBooks dos version 2 in Vdos

[Jos]

It’s of course up to you to switch between 25 and 43 lines. But it seems rather confusing to me.

To QB quitting: Periodically it creates a backup, probably for rolling back transactions. Doesn’t check if the directory BACKUP is present under QBDATA, but simply tries to create that directory.
Then tests if that fails with a specific error code returned. The catch: vDos will of course also fail to let Windows create that directory. But in the situation of a directory already present, Windows returns another error code then that QB tests for.
Not that special, many Windows error codes don’t have a corresponding DOS error code, so there are already a lot of error code translations. Just not for code 183h to 5 with a MKDIR operation, while QB tests for the latter.
Seemingly it’s the only program that tests explicit for this error code, not just a failure.

I’ll send you a vDos.exe with that error code translation.

Jos

[caminomick]

Thanks for emailing me the vDos program, but it was the one I had installed and was using. I deleted my QBdata files and reinstalled the older ones, and program is working fine again. I guess my problem has something to do with Quickbooks' record keeping methodologies, and I will just back up the data files from time to time while I am using it so that if it quits again I can reinstall operating data; at least until I figure out exactly what I do that makes it quit.

[Jos]

The vDos.exe I sent you definitely isn’t the same as that before.
Make sure you’re actually using that last one.
A pity you reinstalled the old data, since that last one would have worked correctly with the new modified data. See my previous message.

Jos

[caminomick]

I did use the new vDos.exe file you sent. Same problem happened after I entered six or seven items in the check registry, so I again reloaded a previous version of data files. When it did this, the program said not to worry, they would reconstruct the data files. After doing that the program quit again the first time I clicked on the checkbook. So, I deleted the S.000 file in backup and reconstructed the data files using setup, 7, 1, and clicking on ZZ as instructed and this time everything seems to work ok. In looking in the backup folder now the S.000 file is gone, but the program seems to work ok. I guess the revised vDos.exe program you sent me prevents that backup from occurring. I haven't tried to add any more data yet. So perhaps I don't need the S.000 file? I'm going to enter some more data in a while and see what happens.

Earl

[caminomick]

Well, that didn't work. The program quit again upon trying to enter the fifth item into the check register. The QB backup folder is still empty, no S.000 file, and going by the time, the problem appears to be with something in the SDT file - all other files have times earlier than that one. I also had reinstalled the vDos.exe program you sent me, just to be sure I had the correct one. Any other ideas?

Thanks, Earl

[Jos]

My bad, at consolidation the fix, I mixed up 183 hex with decimal.
I'll send you a new vDos.exe. Run that with the 'old' data to confirm it works.

Jos

[caminomick]

Thanks, Jos; that last iteration seems to have done the trick. It works ok now, I've entered a lot of data without a hiccup, and with this computer everything works a lot faster than with my older ones. I haven't tried my DOS surveying or structural programs yet, but they are much simpler and I really don't anticipate any problems. And, I really don't use them much anymore. I'm really grateful for all your help with this, you've solved a lot of problems for me. I'm impressed with how much you know about this old version of quickbooks, I've been using it for twenty-five years now and you have given me some new insights.

Earl

[Jos]

I actually don’t know more about QB than it is a little brother of Quicken. Although more used in vDos, I am neither familiar with that.

Your problem was quite easy to spot. The MKDIR DOS API function shouldn’t return error code 183: While Windows has hundreds, those of DOS are limited to some 70.
I at first just messed up consolidating the fix (translating the Windows to the DOS error code QB expects) and seemingly didn’t test that.

vDos by itself is real slower than Windows 32/NTVDM. I guess your new PC has a SSD drive, that would then (over)compensate Windows 32 faster speed on the old PC .

Jos