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WordStar 2000 Under DOSBox in Windows XP

Started by Gene Wirchenko, September 29, 2006, 08:47:51 PM

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Gene Wirchenko

I am using WordStar 2000 under DOSBox 0.65 under Windows XP.  I have run into a peculiarity and am wondering if anyone knows what is going on.  I was formerly running WordStar 2000 under DOSBox 0.65 under Windows 98, and the peculiarity was not happening then.

If I start WordStar with a filename specified on the command line, and the file already exists, it will not work.  I get a message "Can't open another window for editing or printing-- the current disk or directory is full.  Press Escape."  If I then try to open the file from within WordStar, I get the normal editing display with no contents showing and WordStar locked up.  I have to restart DOSBox.

If I start WordStar with a filename specified on the command line, and the file does not already exist, it works fine.

If I start WordStar, then try to open a file from within WordStar, it works fine.

This behaviour is consistent.

It is not a case of having disk space free that appears negative when considering only the lowest 32 bits.  I adjusted mine so that it was not to no result.

I am concerned about this, because it is just one little bit more how WordStar is not quite working on newer systems.  WordStar is a good editor.  I have tried others, and they do not do what I need.  (In particular, GUI editors that I have tried are garbage for serious work.  That is another story/rant.)

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko

PGAGA

Friday, September 29, 2006

Hi Gene!

My best guest would be formatting of the hard drive or size of the partition.  WS2000 was abandoned before WS7, and if I remember correctly was produced before a major change in drive formatting.

Phil

polsbr

Gene,
  I have much the same problem as this. Did you ever get a response to your query?
Jim

Gene Wirchenko

Quote from: polsbr on December 08, 2006, 03:33:28 AMI have much the same problem as this. Did you ever get a response to your query?

No, I did not.  Thanks to you, I now know it is not just my system though.

I have considered installing MS-DOS 3.3 under DOSBox to see what that would do for the problem.  I may try that in the new year when I have some other things dealt with.  If I do this, I will post here.

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko

Henry Bartlett

Quote from: polsbr on December 08, 2006, 03:33:28 AM
Gene,
  I have much the same problem as this. Did you ever get a response to your query?
Jim


Long filenames can screw up programs designed to run under DOS.

Have you made sure that the directory (folder) containing your WS2000 documents has no long filenames (or blank spaces) in its path?

Henry

Forum Admin

I know this is a bit late, but I've just been asked about this perennial problem again, so I dug out a DOSBox installer that I intended to test months ago and just tried this for myself - and it works fine either way! I'm using Windows XP, and DOSBox is configured as default.

The sequence of starting WordStar was:


  • mount C C:\
  • C:
  • cd ws2k
  • ws2 test.doc

Mounting C: as C: gives a "not recommended" warning; C:\WS2K is my WordStar 2000 installation directory; and test.doc is a short test file.

Mike
Forum Administrator
WordStar Resource Site

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Gene Wirchenko

Quote from: Forum Admin on February 07, 2007, 05:05:49 PM
I know this is a bit late, but I've just been asked about this perennial problem again, so I dug out a DOSBox installer that I intended to test months ago and just tried this for myself - and it works fine either way! I'm using Windows XP, and DOSBox is configured as default.

The sequence of starting WordStar was:


  • mount C C:\
  • C:
  • cd ws2k
  • ws2 test.doc

Mounting C: as C: gives a "not recommended" warning; C:\WS2K is my WordStar 2000 installation directory; and test.doc is a short test file.

This does not do anything for me.  It was working at one point.  I do not know why it stopped.

Another poster mentioned long filenames.  That is not it either.  I very deliberately avoid long filenames with anything that I might want to use with DOSBox or QBasic.

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko

Gene Wirchenko

Back in October, I wrote about a problem I had with DOSBox 0.65:

I am using WordStar 2000 under DOSBox 0.65 under Windows XP.  If I started WordStar with a filename specified on the command line, and the file already exists, it will not work. I get a message "Can't open another window for editing or printing-- the current disk or directory is full. Press Escape." If I then try to open the file from within WordStar, I get the normal editing display with no contents showing and WordStar locked up. I have to restart DOSBox.  Etc.

I have just installed DOSBox 0.70, and the problem is gone.  0.70 appears to be faster, too!

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko

GCD

To resolve the issue in XP without using DOSBox:
1. Locate and open c:\windows\system32\autoexec.nt in Notepad.
2. Copy and paste the following three lines to the end of the file.

REM WordStar (Sets a path to stop error "Can't open another window for editing or printing -- the current disk or directory is full. Press escape.")
SET TMP=C:\temp
SET PATH=C:\WS2000\

NOTES:
1. Create a folder called C:\temp
2. WS2 and its subfolders must be installed directly under C:\ i.e. C:\WS2000
3. Only one file can be opened per WS2 session. Before opening another file, exit WS2 then restart it.

Hope it works for you,
Gary Danvers
NZ