A macOS "wrapper" for vDos

[emendelson]

vDos is tightly integrated with Windows, so there will never be a "native" macOS version of vDos. However, it is possible to run vDos in a Wineskin "wrapper" on a Mac, and it works reasonably well.

To run vDosMac, download the ZIP archive:

www.columbia.edu/~em36/vDosMac.zip

Depending on your security settings, macOS will probably tell you that the ZIP file is damaged and should be sent to the trash. It is not damaged, and you will only waste your time by sending it to the trash. Instead, right-click on the ZIP file and choose Open in order to open the archive.

Then macOS will probably tell you that the executable inside is damaged and should be sent to trash. It is not damaged. To run it, right-click on the vDosMac application and choose Open. After doing this once, you won't be prompted again.

If you see an error message with the string "translocation" in it, that means simply that you need to move the application into another folder (and then, if you want, move it back again, or anywhere else). This is the effect of a new Apple security setting. Don't blame me; blame Apple.

You will probably see a message saying that the program is not optimized for your Mac. Click it once. Wineskin uses 32-bit software, so this application will run under current macOS versions and under the next version, macOS Mojave, but it will not run under the version of macOS that Apple will release in the autumn of 2019 (that's 2019, not the current year, 2018).

When you first run vDosMac will create folder named vDosDisk in your home folder. This will be drive C: in vDos. Other drive letters in vDos are listed and explained when vDos starts. You can print to LPT1, and vDos will try to print the output to your default OS X printer.

If you hold down the Option key for a few seconds while starting vDosMac, a menu of options will appear, including an option to switch to full-screen mode instead of running inside a window.

DOSBox has a native OS X version that works very well, but DOSBox does not have the built-in printing features that are in this system. I hope
someone finds it useful.

This uses the May 2018 version of vDos, specifically the custom vDos build used in my vDosWP system for running WordPerfect. Any questions specifically related to this build should be sent to me, not to Jos Schaars.

[gdmellott]

I can understand your statement that vDOS is tightly integrated with WINDOWS. And can grasp how that effects the challenge WINE has in exercising a valid interaction with a WINDOWS program. What is causing me a headache is the cut and paste incapacity of DOSBox. vDOS works it fine and in a bit simpler way than the old WINDOWS does. Anyway, what is the best version of vDOS that can run in WINE version 1.8.7-2 available on Debian at this time?

Sincerely, Gregory D. MELLOTT

[emendelson]

I don't think anyone knows the answer to your question. Could you experiment and let us know your results?

[sherwood]

I'm not able to start vDos under macOS Mojave 10.14.3 (vDos is damaged ...), even if I try to right click open it.
Should it work with the 10.14.3, or is that version the upcoming 2019 version you've mentioned?
Your vDosWP release works fine.


Do you have an updated vDos version available?

[emendelson]

I've been working on an updated version, and have now posted it, even though I haven't fully tested it yet. It should work under Mojave, though you will see some prompts from the operating system when it starts, and it may take a few seconds before the vDos window appears. Be patient.

[emendelson]

Now updated with vDos version 2019.05.01. Same download link as before.

[rfarnold]

Hello. VDosMac is great, thank you. Working fine on my Mac running High Sierra. In fact, I was able to swap VDos.exe with VDosPlus.exe for even better integration with WordStar. I am having one minor problem, however, that has been mentioned elsewhere (source forge I think). WordStar's directory display is not working properly. It appears that WordStar's default directory filter, "??." which is supposed to be the same as *.* is instead being interpreted by VDos literally to mean that a file must have an 8-character name and 3-character extension. Any file name with fewer characters will not appear in the directory. The problem seems to be related to the Wineskin wrapper, not VDos/VDosPlus as those using either with Windows do not see this issue. Is this something that can be modified in Wine/Wineskin? I am not very familiar with that program. Thanks.

[emendelson]

I'm afraid I have no idea of what the answer might be to those questions. I've never used WordStar in vDos. I wish I had a better answer, but I don't.

[rfarnold]

It seems that the issue is neither with VDosPlus nor WordStar but the Wine Wrapper.

May I ask another question?

In the VDosMac setup, is there a way to have either LPT1 or LPT2 function as LPT4 to bring up the printer selection dialog? WordStar 4 does not permit assigning the printer output port to LPT4. I have tried a few different "LPT1 = " options with no success yet. Thanks!

[emendelson]

Does WordStar allow you to "print" to a file? If so, tell it to print to a file named LPT4 and see what happens. If it doesn't work, let us know and I'll see what can be done.

[rfarnold]

Well, go figure. It's a bit confusing in WS4 -- there is no print to file option at print time. However, it is possible to select a default printer with an assigned port, and an alternate port if any other printer is selected. When assigning the printer port there is a LIST option and an AUX in addition to the usual LPT1-3 and COM 1-2, and another separate option to define a "redirection device (or file)" although it isn't clear which port this refers to.

As a test I assigned the default printer to LIST and the Alt printer top AUX, and defined the "redirection device (or file)" to "LPT4"

It would appear that the "redirection device" applies to the AUX printer, not LIST. When I select some other printer than the default printer, the printer selection dialogue does appear and works!

Depending on which printer I select however (dot matrix or laser) sometimes I get two printer selection dialogs, one that is Windows-looking and one that appears mac-like, and both work (I can send the same print job to 2 different devices). One seems to print dot-matrix and the other (Mac-like) postscript/pdf output.

It seems that selecting an HPLASER will trigger only the mac-looking dialog and print in postscript.

I imagine you might understand what is going on here under the hood, but the situation seems that I am able to print to the LPT4 output in this manner, so many thanks for that suggestion.

[rfarnold]

Trying other things, I have a PDF printer driver on my Mac, "PDFwriter." When I select this printer with LPT4 using a postscript/laser printer, I get an expected pdf file showing fonts etc. I have tried entering the DOS command "SETPORT LPT3 = "PDFwriter" and it works to redirect the output to that printer, but regardless of which printer I select, the output appears to be draft/dot-matrix. I have tried to add arguments like "#LPT3.PDF" but I get error messages. Any idea what that syntax might be?

Thanks again

[emendelson]

I didn't know there was a DOS command "SETPORT". (EDIT - wait, I see that that's part of vDosPlus, not vDos, and you say you're using vDos.) As for the rest, could you get in touch with me by private message (click on my name in the left-hand column and you'll eventually reach a "Send Message" button), because it might be best if you could send me a zipped-up copy of your entire WordStar folder to experiment with.

[mal]

Thank you for you hard work.  I used it to run my DOS application on my MacBook to provide support whilst I was away last year.

It's time to go away again and I've stuffed up - I've updated to the latest MacOS and now your wrapper won't work - which I read in your original post after it was too late.

Is it possible to rewrap vDos with a 64bit wrapper to make MacOS happy ?

Sorry to hassle

Mal

[emendelson]

I have been working on an experimental 64-bit version. I will test it over the weekend and try to send it to you, if you will get in touch with me at the address on the page below:

www.columbia.edu/~em36/wpdos/feedback.html