This repository attempts to modernize the DOSBox codebase by using current development practices and tools, fixing issues, and adding features that better support today's systems.
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| DOSBox Staging | DOSBox | |
|---|---|---|
| Version control | Git | SVN |
| Language | C++17 | C++031 |
| SDL | >= 2.0.5 | 1.2＊ |
| Buildsystem | Meson or Visual Studio 2019 | Autotools or Visual Studio 2003 |
| CI | Yes | No |
| Static analysis | Yes2,3,4,5 | No |
| Dynamic analysis | Yes | No |
| clang-format | Yes | No |
| Development builds | Yes | No |
| Unit tests | Yes6 | No |
| Automated regression tests | WIP | No |
DOSBox Staging does not support audio playback using physical CDs. Using CD Digital Audio emulation (loading CD music via cue sheets or mounting ISO images) is preferred instead.
Codecs supported for CD-DA emulation:
| DOSBox Staging† | DOSBox SVN‡ | |
|---|---|---|
| Opus | Yes (libopus) | No |
| OGG/Vorbis | Yes (built-in) | Yes - SDL_sound 1.2 (libvorbis)6,＊ |
| MP3 | Yes (built-in) | Yes - SDL_sound 1.2 (libmpg123)6,＊,§ |
| FLAC | Yes (built-in) | No§ |
| WAV | Yes (built-in) | Yes - SDL_sound 1.2 (built-in)7,＊ |
| AIFF | No | Yes - SDL_sound 1.2 (built-in)7,＊ |
＊- SDL 1.2 was last updated 2013-08-17 and SDL_sound 2008-04-20
† - 8/16/24 bit-depth, 22.05/44.1/48 kHz, and mono or stereo
‡ - 44.1 kHz stereo only
§ - Broken or unsupported in either SDL_sound or DOSBox
Feature differences between release binaries (or unpatched sources):
| Feature | DOSBox Staging | DOSBox SVN |
|---|---|---|
| Pixel-perfect mode | Yes (output=openglpp or output=texturepp) |
N/A |
| Resizable window | Yes (for all output=opengl modes) |
N/A |
| Relative window size | Yes (windowresolution=small, medium, or large) |
windowresolution=X% |
| OPL emulators | compat, fast, mame, nuked8 | compat, fast, mame |
| CGA/mono support | Yes (machine=cga_mono)9 |
Only CGA with colour |
| CGA composite modes | Yes (machine=pcjr/tandy/cga with hotkeys) |
N/A |
| Wayland support | Experimental (use SDL_VIDEODRIVER=wayland) |
N/A |
| Modem phonebook file | Yes (phonebookfile=<name>) |
N/A |
| Autotype command | Yes10 | N/A |
| Startup verbosity | Yes11 | N/A |
| GUS enhancements | Yes12 | N/A |
| Raw mouse input | Yes (raw_mouse_input=true) |
N/A |
| FluidSynth MIDI | Yes13 (FluidSynth 2.x) | Only external synths |
| MT-32 emulator | Yes＊ (libmt32emu 2.4.2) | N/A |
＊- Requires original ROM files
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First, ensure git always updates your submodules when you pull (one-time step):
git config --global submodule.recurse true -
Clone the repository (one-time step):
git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/dosbox-staging/dosbox-staging.git
Read BUILD.md for the comprehensive compilation guide.
Install build dependencies appropriate for your OS:
# Fedora
sudo dnf install ccache gcc-c++ meson alsa-lib-devel libpng-devel \
SDL2-devel SDL2_net-devel opusfile-devel fluidsynth-devel \
mt32emu-devel# Debian, Ubuntu
sudo apt install ccache build-essential libasound2-dev libpng-dev \
libsdl2-dev libsdl2-net-dev libopusfile-dev libfluidsynth-dev
# Install Meson on Debian-10 "Buster" or Ubuntu-20.04 and older
sudo apt install python3-setuptools python3-pip
sudo pip3 install --upgrade meson ninja
# Install Meson on Debian-11 "Bullseye" or Ubuntu-21.04 and newer
sudo apt install meson# Arch, Manjaro
sudo pacman -S ccache gcc meson alsa-lib libpng sdl2 sdl2_net opusfile \
fluidsynth# openSUSE
sudo zypper install ccache gcc gcc-c++ meson alsa-devel libpng-devel \
libSDL2-devel libSDL2_net-devel opusfile-devel \
fluidsynth-devel libmt32emu-devel# macOS
xcode-select --install
brew install ccache meson libpng sdl2 sdl2_net opusfile fluid-synth-
Checkout the master branch, which will include the submodules:
# commit or stash any personal code changes git checkout master -f -
Pull the latest updates. This is necessary every time you want a new build:
git pull
-
Optionally, you can clean your ccache and working directories. This is only advised if you have unexpected build failures:
ccache -C git clean -fdx
-
Setup the build. This is a one-time step either after cloning the repo or cleaning your working directories:
meson setup \ -Dbuildtype=release \ -Ddefault_library=static \ -Db_asneeded=true \ -Dtry_static_libs=png \ -Dfluidsynth:enable-floats=true \ -Dfluidsynth:try-static-deps=true \ build/releaseThe above enables all of DOSBox Staging's functional features. If you're interested in seeing all of Meson's setup options, run:
meson configure. -
Compile the sources. This is necessary every time you want a new build:
meson compile -C build/release
Your binary is:
build/release/dosbox-- have fun!
First, you need to setup vcpkg to install build dependencies. Once vcpkg is bootstrapped, open PowerShell and run:
PS:\> .\vcpkg integrate install
PS:\> .\vcpkg install --triplet x64-windows libpng sdl2 sdl2-net libmt32emu opusfile fluidsynth gtestThese two steps will ensure that MSVC finds and links all dependencies.
Start Visual Studio and open file: vs\dosbox.sln. Make sure you have x64
selected as the solution platform. Use Ctrl+Shift+B to build all projects.
Instructions for other build systems and operating systems are documented in BUILD.md. Links to OS-specific instructions: MSYS2, MacPorts, Haiku.
Commits landing in SVN upstream are imported to this repo in a timely manner,
see branch svn/trunk.
svn/*- branches from SVNforks/*- code for various abandoned DOSBox forksvogons/*- community patches posted on the Vogons forum
Git tags matching pattern svn/* are pointing to the commits referenced by SVN
"tag" paths at the time of creation.
Additionally, we attach some optional metadata to the commits in the form of Git notes. To fetch them, run:
git fetch origin "refs/notes/*:refs/notes/*"For some historical context of why this repo exists you can read Vogons thread, (1, 2)