DOS program runs then locks up

[pc]

I installed the latest vDOS for the first time (Windows 10 64 bit) today, successfully completed the WP installation test, and erased the contents of the autoexec.bat file. vDOS is located at C:\vDOS. I copied the DOS program I would like to run to a folder under vDOS and started it by typing its name (GENLAM) on the vDOS command line. The program starts. It is intended to operate by first prompting for a number of inputs. The first input prompt is displayed but at that point vDOS locks up. For this first prompt the acceptable inputs are Y, N, or [CR] (for the default N), but no keyboard input is registered by vDOS which has to be closed with its kill button. I tried running GENLAM from folder C:\vDOS\GENLAM90 and from C:\vDOS but the result is the same. In case it helps following is an excerpt from GENLAM's Readme.txt describing its use:

" The files you need to perform a laminate analysis is listed below.


File GENLAM.EXE : General laminate program

File MATFIX.EXE : Material data handling program

File MATRSI.SYM : Material data in readable form (SI units)
File MATRAM.SYM : Material data in readable form (American units)



N O T E ! ! ! The material data files must be on the default directory. [All files are in the same directory-PC]


To quickly get started, place one of the work disks in the

right hand side disk drive, drive B, and make the B drive the

default directory by entering B:. If you use a hard disk,

make the directory containing the programs the default

directory by entering CD C:\(directory name). To get a

listing of the available materials enter TYPE MATRSI.SYM or

TYPE MATRAM.SYM. If you want the data to be printed on the

printer, enter TYPE MATRSI.SYM >PRN. This will redirect the

output from the screen to the printer. To run a program,

enter the file name of the program you want to run, for

example GENLAM. Note that the extension .EXE may be omitted.

All the files created by the program will be placed on the

default directory."

Incidentally calling MATRSI.SYM does work correctly, the data in the file is printed to the vDOS window and the vDOS command line reappears. The behavior of the program MATFIX is similar to GENLAM: its opening screen is displayed with prompts for a number of inputs including (E) for exit but vDOS registers no keyboard input and must be closed with its kill button.

Can you recommend something else I can try to get GENLAM and MATFIX working?

Thanks!

[Jos]

I’m afraid you’re out of luck with vDos.

Seems your programs rely on INT 9 to communicate with the keyboard, vDos doesn’t emulate that low level hardware keyboard access.

If there’s no option to switch to BIOS or DOS functions, you’ll have to use DOSBox or one of its mods instead.

Jos

[pc]

Thanks for the quick replay!