dn-dosnav - DOS Navigator for Windows

A Chocolatey package that installs DOS Navigator 1.51 with a launcher that automatically starts it in DOSBox-X.

Installation

choco install dn-dosnav

Usage

Navigate to any directory and run:

dn

DOS Navigator will launch in DOSBox-X with:

C: mounted to your current working directory
D: mounted to the DN installation directory

Requirements

DOSBox-X (automatically installed as a dependency)

Features

Dual-pane file manager
Full DOS Navigator 1.51 functionality
Automatic directory mounting
Portable - works from any location

Development and Testing

Building from Source

choco pack
choco install dn-dosnav -s "." -y

Testing with Sandboxie-Plus

When testing Chocolatey packages in Sandboxie-Plus, be aware that Chocolatey caches installed packages. To ensure you're testing the latest version after making changes:

On the host machine, delete the cached package directory:

Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "C:\Sandbox\<User>\<BoxName>\user\all\chocolatey\lib\dn-dosnav" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Inside the sandbox, rebuild and reinstall:

choco uninstall dn-dosnav -y
choco pack
choco install dn-dosnav -s "." -y --force

Helper script - Create test-install.ps1 for faster iteration:

# Clean up completely
choco uninstall dn-dosnav -y 2>$null
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:ChocolateyInstall\lib\dn-dosnav" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

# Build fresh package
choco pack

# Install from local source
choco install dn-dosnav -s "." -y --force

Why this is necessary: Chocolatey's --force flag reinstalls the package but doesn't always clear the cached files, especially in sandboxed environments. Changes to chocolateyinstall.ps1 won't take effect until the cache is manually cleared.

Testing in Sandboxie-Plus (Safe Environment)

To avoid modifying your host system during testing, you can use Sandboxie-Plus to install and run the Chocolatey package in an isolated sandbox.

Steps

Create a new sandbox (example: DNTest) from the Sandboxie-Plus GUI or command line.
```
"C:\Program Files\Sandboxie-Plus\Start.exe" /box:DNTest powershell.exe
```

Inside the sandboxed PowerShell, install your local package:

cd C:\path\to\repo
choco pack
choco install dn-dosnav -s "." -y

Run DN:
```
dn
```
This will launch DOS Navigator inside DOSBox-X, with your working directory mounted as C:.

Why use Sandboxie-Plus?

Prevents unwanted changes to your host Chocolatey installation or PATH.
Allows repeatable, disposable test environments.
Lets you validate installation scripts, dependencies, and shims as if on a fresh Windows system.

💡 Tip: If you change chocolateyinstall.ps1, remember Chocolatey caches package files. Clear the sandbox cache (C:\Sandbox\<User>\<BoxName>\user\all\chocolatey\lib\dn-dosnav) or use --force to ensure updates take effect.

License

DOS Navigator is created by RITLabs. Package maintained by Foadsf.

Foadsf/dn-dosnav-chocolatey