• MBSE, Linux + Dosbox

    From Niels Haedecke@2:240/8002 to All on Monday, November 05, 2018 17:47:30
    I'm still preparing my mbse bbs system for the planned relaunch of my bbs and have a question regarding dosbox. Since I'm using a Raspberry Pi 3 as the hardware for that system, dosemu is not an option as it requires a x86 cpu to work (and even compile). But there is dosbox which runs on any hardware platform and a few bbs programs can make use of that. Would it be possible to have mbse work with dosbox?

    Kind regards,
    Niels


    Greetings, Niels Haedecke

    --- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.8 (GNU/Linux-ARM)
    * Origin: Wintermute BBS (2:240/8002 2:240/1895 75:49/1895) (2:240/8002)
  • From Alan Ianson@1:153/757 to Niels Haedecke on Monday, November 05, 2018 11:19:25
    Re: MBSE, Linux + Dosbox
    By: Niels Haedecke to All on Mon Nov 05 2018 05:47 pm

    I'm still preparing my mbse bbs system for the planned relaunch of my bbs and have a question regarding dosbox. Since I'm using a Raspberry Pi 3 as the hardware for that system, dosemu is not an option as it requires a x86 cpu to work (and even compile). But there is dosbox which runs on any hardware platform and a few bbs programs can make use of that. Would it be possible to have mbse work with dosbox?

    I don't have a RPi but I have read that some use QEMU there where dosemu is used on linux. You may have some success with that.

    Ttyl :-),
    Al

    ... Put on your seatbelt - I'm gonna try something new!
    --- SBBSecho 3.06-Linux
    * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)
  • From Niels Haedecke@2:240/8002 to Alan Ianson on Tuesday, November 06, 2018 18:05:52
    Alan Ianson wrote to Niels Haedecke:
    possible to have mbse work with dosbox?

    I don't have a RPi but I have read that some use QEMU there where dosemu is
    used on linux. You may have some success with that.

    Ttyl :-),
    Al

    ... Put on your seatbelt - I'm gonna try something new!
    --- SBBSecho 3.06-Linux
    * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)


    Well, I'll give it a try. Maybe some of the folks here already make use of QEMU?

    Thanks!


    Greetings, Niels Haedecke

    --- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.8 (GNU/Linux-ARM)
    * Origin: Wintermute BBS (2:240/8002 2:240/1895 75:49/1895) (2:240/8002)
  • From Deon George@3:633/509 to Alan Ianson on Thursday, November 08, 2018 17:05:10

    Hello Alan!

    05 Nov 18 11:19, you wrote to Niels Haedecke:

    I don't have a RPi but I have read that some use QEMU there where
    dosemu is used on linux. You may have some success with that.

    I use QEMU on a Pi - but not to run any doors - to run an old 1995 BBS using FreeDos, works a treat :)
    ...deon

    --- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5--b20180707
    * Origin: Chinwag | MBSE in Docker on Pi (3:633/509)
  • From Niels Haedecke@2:240/8002 to Deon George on Wednesday, November 21, 2018 18:42:21
    Deon George wrote to Alan Ianson:

    Hello Alan!

    05 Nov 18 11:19, you wrote to Niels Haedecke:

    I don't have a RPi but I have read that some use QEMU there where dosemu is used on linux. You may have some success with that.

    I use QEMU on a Pi - but not to run any doors - to run an old 1995 BBS using
    FreeDos, works a treat :)
    ...deon

    --- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5--b20180707
    * Origin: Chinwag | MBSE in Docker on Pi (3:633/509)


    Well, looks like I have sorted this one out. I got "pimpwars" running in QEMU and it works real nice. I will have to do some more testing with other doorgames but at least this one (which I picked randomly) works.

    If anyone is interested in the configuration details (door.sh script and FreeDOS config), feel free to send me a netmail.


    Greetings, Niels Haedecke

    --- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.8 (GNU/Linux-ARM)
    * Origin: Wintermute BBS (2:240/8002 2:240/1895 75:49/1895) (2:240/8002)
  • From Deon George@3:633/509.1 to Niels Haedecke on Wednesday, November 21, 2018 20:14:35
    On 11/21/18, Niels Haedecke said the following...
    Well, looks like I have sorted this one out. I got "pimpwars" running in QEMU and it works real nice. I will have to do some more testing with other doorgames but at least this one (which I picked randomly) works.

    If anyone is interested in the configuration details (door.sh script and FreeDOS config), feel free to send me a netmail.

    Awesome, I would be interested. Could you share the details?

    ...deon

    _--_|\ | Deon George
    / \ | Chinwag BBS - A BBS on a PI in Docker!
    \_.__.*/ |
    V | Coming from the 'burbs of Melbourne, Australia

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A39 2018/04/21 (Raspberry Pi/32)
    * Origin: Chinwag | MysticBBS in Docker! (3:633/509.1)
  • From Niels Haedecke@2:240/8002 to Deon George on Thursday, November 22, 2018 13:08:07
    Deon George wrote to Niels Haedecke:
    On 11/21/18, Niels Haedecke said the following...
    Well, looks like I have sorted this one out. I got "pimpwars" running
    in
    QEMU and it works real nice. I will have to do some more testing with other doorgames but at least this one (which I picked randomly)
    works.

    If anyone is interested in the configuration details (door.sh script
    and
    FreeDOS config), feel free to send me a netmail.

    Awesome, I would be interested. Could you share the details?

    ...deon

    _--_|\ | Deon George
    / \ | Chinwag BBS - A BBS on a PI in Docker!
    \_.__.*/ |
    V | Coming from the 'burbs of Melbourne, Australia

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A39 2018/04/21 (Raspberry Pi/32)
    * Origin: Chinwag | MysticBBS in Docker! (3:633/509.1)


    Well, there once was a howto on cyberia.darktech.org but this domain is long gone. Fortunately, I did save a copy of the howto back then and build up on this. I'll upload a "qemu-dos-door-kit" to my bbs once it is ready to open to the public. This "kit" will contain the original howto and the scripts and DOS configurations I have created to make things work.

    With regards to MBSE on debian/raspbian Linux you need the following prerequisites:

    1. socat tool installed on your Linux box

    2. qemu-system-i386 installed on your Linux box

    3. a small disk image about (25 Megabyte in size) where a basic installation of
    FreeDOS resides

    4. The BNU.COM FOSSIL driver installed within the FreeDOS image mentioned
    above and loaded by AUTOEXEC.BAT during QEMU startup.

    5. a directory within MBSE's installation directory that contains the doorgame and which will be mapped into QEMU as DOS drive D:

    6. The script below which will be executed from the MBSE .mnu file. It basically maps the MBSE user home directory into the DOS system as drive D: (letting me access the door.sys dropfile) and it maps the respective door game directory into the DOS system as drive E: - then it creates a temporary go.bat file that will be executed and run the door. With QEMU running in the background, acces from MBSE to the running door game is done through the virtual serial port of the QEMU system via the "socat" command.

    --- script ---

    #!/bin/bash
    # set -x
    trap '' INT TSTP

    # get number of running QEMU procs and exit if load too high
    # (this is needed for Raspberry Pi's)
    Q_COUNT=$(ps ax | grep 'qemu-system-i386' | grep -v grep | wc -l)

    if [ "${Q_COUNT}" -ge 3 ]
    then
    echo "There are currently too many QEMU sessions running."
    echo "Please try again later."
    sleep 5
    fi

    # get random tcp port and re-shuffle if already in use
    Q_PORT=`shuf -i 1025-65536 -n 1`

    while $(nc -z localhost ${Q_PORT} )
    do
    Q_PORT=`shuf -i 1024-65536 -n 1`
    done

    # define virtual serial port on QEMU system
    Q_SERIAL="-serial tcp::${Q_PORT},server,nowait,nodelay"

    # attach user home directory to drive D:
    D_DRIVE="-drive format=raw,file=fat:rw:${HOME}"

    # attach door game directory to drive E:
    E_DRIVE="-drive format=raw,file=fat:rw:/opt/mbse/doors/qemu/doors/pimpwars"

    # ...while we're at it, get the user's node number from door.sys
    U_NODE=$(head -n 4 $HOME/door.sys | tail -n 1 | awk '{ print $1}' | tr -d '\r')
  • From Niels Haedecke@2:240/8002 to Niels Haedecke on Thursday, November 22, 2018 13:21:15
    Niels Haedecke wrote to Deon George:
    4. The BNU.COM FOSSIL driver installed within the FreeDOS image mentioned above and loaded by AUTOEXEC.BAT during QEMU startup.

    Forget about this one, the BNU.COM driver is being loaded by the generated GO.BAT file.

    Also, make sure you have the "Use COMport" option set to "Yes" for the door menu
    item in mbsetup.

    Sorry, I just realised these two being not correct / missing from my explanation.

    Kind regards,
    Niels


    Greetings, Niels Haedecke

    --- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.8 (GNU/Linux-ARM)
    * Origin: Wintermute BBS (2:240/8002 2:240/1895 75:49/1895) (2:240/8002)
  • From Niels Haedecke@2:240/8002 to Niels Haedecke on Thursday, November 22, 2018 13:27:22
    Niels Haedecke wrote to Deon George:

    5. a directory within MBSE's installation directory that contains the doorgame
    and which will be mapped into QEMU as DOS drive D:

    Another correction: the door game will be mapped as drive E: and the MBSE user home directory will be mapped as drive D: - I should check my stuff before posting it ...

    I'm sorry. Please forgive me ... ;)

    Kind regards,
    Niels


    Greetings, Niels Haedecke

    --- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.8 (GNU/Linux-ARM)
    * Origin: Wintermute BBS (2:240/8002 2:240/1895 75:49/1895) (2:240/8002)
  • From Deon George@3:633/509.1 to Niels Haedecke on Thursday, November 22, 2018 21:31:34
    On 11/22/18, Niels Haedecke said the following...
    Another correction: the door game will be mapped as drive E: and the
    MBSE user home directory will be mapped as drive D: - I should check my stuff before posting it ...

    Awesome, thanks.

    I probably wont get a chance to play this weekend, then I'm off to Sweden for
    a week - but I'll have a play when I get home.

    Thanks.

    ...deon

    _--_|\ | Deon George
    / \ | Chinwag BBS - A BBS on a PI in Docker!
    \_.__.*/ |
    V | Coming from the 'burbs of Melbourne, Australia

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A39 2018/04/21 (Raspberry Pi/32)
    * Origin: Chinwag | MysticBBS in Docker! (3:633/509.1)
  • From Sean Dennis@1:18/200 to Niels Haedecke on Sunday, November 25, 2018 22:16:10
    Hello Niels,

    22 Nov 18 13:27 at you wrote to you:

    Another correction: the door game will be mapped as drive E: and the
    MBSE user home directory will be mapped as drive D: - I should check
    my stuff before posting it ...

    It would be great if you could create a document for this and submit it to the MBSE team. It would be great to have this for those running on RPis (and this is a major stumbling block that you've overcome)...

    I'm sorry. Please forgive me ... ;)

    Stream of consciousness.

    Later,
    Sean

    ... There's so much to say but your eyes keep interrupting me.
    --- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20170303
    * Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)
  • From Niels Haedecke@2:240/8002 to Sean Dennis on Tuesday, November 27, 2018 15:29:46
    Sean Dennis wrote to Niels Haedecke:

    It would be great if you could create a document for this and submit it to the
    MBSE team. It would be great to have this for those running on RPis (and this
    is a major stumbling block that you've overcome)...


    I will do that. However keep in mind that this method only works for single-player doors or a single-node configuration of a multiplayer game.

    Since each call of the door starts its own QEMU instance and each instance is isolated from the other, multiplayer via FOSSIL won't work since each player would reside in their own QEMU instance with their own FOSSIL / COM port set
    up that simply does not know anything about the other player in the other QEMU system.

    I'm still thinking about a way to work around this problem, but for now the solution of mine does not support multiple users within he same
    door.

    You still can run doors concurrently and games like Pimpwars, Gold Hunt
    and Super Plumber work very well.




    Greetings, Niels Haedecke

    --- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.8 (GNU/Linux-ARM)
    * Origin: Wintermute BBS (2:240/8002 2:240/1895 75:49/1895) (2:240/8002)
  • From Sean Dennis@1:18/200 to Niels Haedecke on Wednesday, November 28, 2018 13:51:29
    Hello Niels,

    27 Nov 18 15:29 at you wrote to me:

    You still can run doors concurrently and games like Pimpwars, Gold
    Hunt and Super Plumber work very well.

    I have been developing DOS doors under my Cheepware name since 1998. I recently updated several of the doors to a more modern codebase. If you want, I can send you the ones I have updated (they're extremely easy to set up) and see if they work on your system. Feel free to netmail me or email me at sysop@outpostbbs.net if you'd be interested. My doors work just fine with MBSE and DOSemu under Slackware Linux.

    Later,
    Sean

    ... He who puts his nose to the grindstone is a bloody fool.
    --- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20170303
    * Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)
  • From Niels Haedecke@2:240/8002 to Sean Dennis on Wednesday, December 05, 2018 16:20:54
    Sean Dennis wrote to Niels Haedecke:
    Hello Niels,

    27 Nov 18 15:29 at you wrote to me:

    You still can run doors concurrently and games like Pimpwars, Gold Hunt and Super Plumber work very well.

    I have been developing DOS doors under my Cheepware name since 1998. I recently updated several of the doors to a more modern codebase. If you want,
    I can send you the ones I have updated (they're extremely easy to set up) and
    see if they work on your system. Feel free to netmail me or email me at sysop@outpostbbs.net if you'd be interested. My doors work just fine with MBSE and DOSemu under Slackware Linux.

    Later,
    Sean

    ... He who puts his nose to the grindstone is a bloody fool.
    --- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20170303
    * Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)


    I'd be happy to check out these doors (I think I saw the name Cheepware on some
    archive site lately). I'll get in touch via netmail and we can sort things out.

    Kind regards,
    Niels


    Greetings, Niels Haedecke

    --- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.8 (GNU/Linux-ARM)
    * Origin: Wintermute BBS (2:240/8002 2:240/1895 75:49/1895) (2:240/8002)
  • From Sean Dennis@1:18/200 to Niels Haedecke on Saturday, December 08, 2018 22:36:55
    Hello Niels,

    05 Dec 18 16:20 at you wrote to me:

    I'd be happy to check out these doors (I think I saw the name
    Cheepware on some archive site lately). I'll get in touch via netmail
    and we can sort things out.

    I've been creating Cheepware since 1998 so that makes sense you'd see it on an archive site. :)

    You can netmail me or contact me in BBS_CARNIVAL since we've gone off-topic here. I appreciate it!

    Later,
    Sean

    ... Exercise your right to arm and keep bears!
    --- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20170303
    * Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)
  • From Vince Coen@2:250/1 to Sean Dennis on Monday, December 10, 2018 15:38:01
    Hello Sean!

    Saturday December 08 2018 22:36, you wrote to Niels Haedecke:



    Hello Niels,

    05 Dec 18 16:20 at you wrote to me:

    I'd be happy to check out these doors (I think I saw the name
    Cheepware on some archive site lately). I'll get in touch via
    netmail and we can sort things out.

    I've been creating Cheepware since 1998 so that makes sense you'd see
    it on an archive site. :)

    You can netmail me or contact me in BBS_CARNIVAL since we've gone
    off-topic here. I appreciate it!

    Later,
    Sean

    ... Exercise your right to arm and keep bears!

    Just so you know, Doors used with mbse is NOT off topic.


    Vince

    --- Mageia Linux v6 X64/Mbse v1.0.7.11/GoldED+/LNX 1.1.501-b20150715
    * Origin: Air Applewood, The Linux Gateway to the UK & Eire (2:250/1)
  • From Sean Dennis@1:18/200 to Vince Coen on Saturday, December 22, 2018 19:32:26
    Hello Vince,

    10 Dec 18 15:38 at you wrote to me:

    Just so you know, Doors used with mbse is NOT off topic.

    Okay, thanks for letting me know. I don't want to clutter up echoes with stuff that should be elsewhere.

    Later,
    Sean

    ... 2 + 2 = 5 for extremely large values of 2.
    --- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20170303
    * Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)