View source for Shortcuts that You Run in DOSBox

* This will allow you to use a shortcut to your program using a batch file that you run in DOSBox it's self.
* '''This way you can keep you mount settings'''

You may also want to read [[DOSBoxShortcuts|DOSBox Shortcuts]]

= Making the Shortcuts =

* Create in the root directory of the folder you use primarily for DOSBox a text file and rename it [program].bat
* Open it in notepad and type
** ''@echo off'' 
: ''cd [program dir]''
: ''[program]''
: ''cd \
: REM once the program is closed this will take you back to the root directory
* To run it (provided your autoexec has something like ''"mount C C:\folder"'', ''C:\'' and [program].bat is in C:\folder) just type [program].
* So for theme hospital that would be 'hospital.bat' and
** ''@echo off''
: ''cd hospital''
: ''hospital''
: ''cd \''
* and to run it all you need to do is type 'hospital'.
* If autoexec is empty then you will need to add the lines
** ''mount C C:\folder''
: and
: ''C:\''

= A Small Shortcut Maker =

* You can write a program to do this quickly
* Unfortunately this can't be run from dosbox due to the set /P command not being supported by DOS 6.22 (if there is a native command that will allow for the input of a string then feel free to modify the code you will also have to change the choice syntax from choice [/m "text"] to choice [text])
* Create a batch file in the directory you want the shortcuts to be in lets call it short.bat and copy this to it
* The important parts of the code are in '''bold'''
** ''@echo off''
: '''''set /P file="Enter the name of the program: "'''''
: ''choice /m "Does the program folder have the same name as the program file (only if folder is in shortcut directory): "
: REM i.e. shortcut is C:short (in DOSBox) and file is C:\folder\file
: REM say no if folder is C:\prog\folder\file and if shortcut is in C:\shortf\short use the full path

:: ''if errorlevel 2 set /P folder="Enter the name of the program folder: "''
:: ''if errorlevel 1'' '''''set folder=%program%'''''
: ''choice /m "Do you want the shortcut to have the same name as the program file"''

:: ''if errorlevel 2 set /P shortcut="Enter the name of the shortcut: "''
:: ''if errorlevel 1'' '''''set shortcut=%program%'''''
: ''choice /m "Do you want the shortcut to have the same name as the file"''

:: ''if errorlevel 2 set /P shortcut="Enter the name you want for the shortcut: "''
:: ''if errorlevel 1'' '''''set shortcut=%file%'''''
: ''choice /m "Is the file on the same drive as the shortcut"''
:: ''if errorlevel 2 set /P drive="Enter the correct drive letter: "''
:: ''if errorlevel 1 set drive=null''
: ''write''

:: ''if exist .\%shortcut%.bat goto error1''
: '': override''

: '''''echo @echo off >> %shortcut%.bat'''''
:: ''if not %drive%==null echo %drive%:\ >> %shortcut%.bat''
: '''''echo cd %folder% >> %shortcut%.bat'''''
: '''''echo %program% >> %shortcut%.bat'''''
: '''''echo cd \ >> %shortcut%.bat'''''
:: ''if not exist .\%shortcut%.bat goto error2
:: ''if not %drive%==null echo A shortcut to the file %file% in the folder %folder% on drive %drive%:\ with the name %shortcut% has been created''
:: ''if %drive%==null echo A shortcut to the file %file% in the folder %folder% with the name %shortcut%  has been created''
: '''''echo "To run %file% just type %shortcut%"''''' 
: ''goto end''

: REM error messages and codes
: '': error1''
: ''echo error (1): there is already a file with the name %shortcut% in this folder''
: ''choice /m "overwrite file"''
:: ''if not errorlevel 2 goto override''
: ''choice /m "chose another name for your shortcut"''
:: ''if errorlevel 1 set /P shortcut="Enter the name you want for the shortcut: "''
:: ''if errorlevel 1 goto : ''write''
: ''goto end''

: '': error2''
: ''echo error (2): file creation failed''
: ''goto end''

: '': end''
: '''''pause'''''

* This has been tested and run in windows 7 other versions may need some small syntax changes