Dos

[Rick Smith]

Hi,

I am working with a software author to get his BBS software working with arca, currently we are having trouble getting arca to look data files specifically the user database for the BBS.. Here are some questions he asked me but I thought I could get some better answers here...

I was able to get a machine to work, reinstalled sio and vmode, everything works except for reading the user file.  I deleted the files, then recreated my user account.  No issues, can re-login but cannot read the files.  Cannot edit the user.  Is there some strange thing or parameter to run?
[7:49 AM]
How true of a DOS system is it?  Is there another option?

Any thoughts?

Rick

[Dave Yeo]

Remember that DOS uses 8.3 names, including directories so won't see C:\long_directory\data.dat.
IIRC, FAT32 does allow C:\long~dir\data.dat (or how ever it shortens names). Try doing a simple dir command to see if your data files are visible.
It is a full DOS (PC-DOS 5) and you can run other DOS versions if desired, except OS/2 traps disk and mouse access and uses its own drivers so you can't install a DOS vdisk driver for long file name support for example. Most DOS drivers do work and can access the hardware.

[Joop]

Mind that the "root" of OS/2 DOS is not the same as the "root" for OS/2 itself. So there is a change that your BBS software is looking in C:\ or similar instead of the S/2 DOS directory. BBS software did always run very well in the setups I had back in the BBS days. May be you have to tweak here and there in the setup of DOS with memory and alike. So find out in what directory your BBS software is looking. BBS software is in my mind always 8.3, more was not invented in those days.