CRT DOSBox Staging Launcher

A Windows launcher that starts DOSBox Staging, places its window in a centered 4:3 area, and draws a CRT bezel overlay around it.

Source-available for noncommercial use.

Compatibility

• Current recommended/tested environment: Windows with DOSBox Staging 0.82.2 and a 1920x1080 display.
• Built with C# / .NET 8 / Windows Forms.
• The launcher is intended for DOSBox Staging on Windows.

Default Behavior

• DOSBox Staging is not included with this project.
• DOS games and applications are not included.
• By default, the launcher starts DOSBox Staging at its standard command prompt.
• Optional auto-run settings can be configured in config.ini.
• The public example configuration keeps auto-run disabled.

Portable Folder Layout

CRT_DOSBox_Portable/
|-- Launcher/
|-- DosboxStaging/
|-- Config/
|   `-- dosbox-staging.conf
`-- DOSGames/

• Download DOSBox Staging separately.
• Extract its files into the DosboxStaging folder.
• The launcher expects DosboxStaging\dosbox.exe.
• DOSGames is optional.
• The default configuration does not use the DOSGames folder.

Setup

1. Download a DOSBox Staging Windows release separately.
2. Extract the DOSBox Staging files into CRT_DOSBox_Portable\DosboxStaging.
3. Copy Launcher\config.example.ini to Launcher\config.ini.
4. Run Launcher\CrtDosboxStagingLauncher.exe.

Configuration

The public default keeps auto-run disabled. With this configuration, DOSBox Staging starts at its normal Z:\> command prompt:

[Paths]
DosBoxPath=..\DosboxStaging\dosbox.exe
BezelPngPath=crt_fullscreen4x3_pillarbox.png
BaseDosboxConfPath=..\Config\dosbox-staging.conf
DOSGamesPath=

[AutoRun]
GenerateAutoexecConf=false
MountDrive=
StartDirectory=
Command=

Setting DOSGamesPath by itself does not mount that folder and does not start a program. It is only used when auto-run generation is enabled.

To enable auto-run for a personal portable setup, set GenerateAutoexecConf=true and configure the mount/start values:

[Paths]
DOSGamesPath=..\DOSGames

[AutoRun]
GenerateAutoexecConf=true
MountDrive=C
StartDirectory=GAME
Command=GAME.EXE

When auto-run is enabled, the launcher regenerates launcher.autoexec.conf on each launch and passes it to DOSBox Staging with --conf.

Bezel Image

The default bezel is crt_fullscreen4x3_pillarbox.png, referenced by BezelPngPath in config.ini.

To use a custom bezel, replace that PNG or point BezelPngPath to another PNG file. In the current version, custom images should keep the same canvas size and the same centered 4:3 transparent opening as the sample image. The launcher scales the image to the selected monitor, but it expects that layout when fitting DOSBox into the transparent area.

Generated Files

These files are runtime output and should not be committed:

• launcher.log
• launcher.autoexec.conf
• launcher.viewport.conf
• config.ini

Use config.example.ini as the committed public template.

License

This project is licensed under the PolyForm Noncommercial License 1.0.0.

You may use, study, modify, and redistribute this software for noncommercial purposes, subject to the license terms.

Commercial use is not permitted without separate permission from the copyright holder.

See LICENSE for the full license terms.