============================== WORDPERFECT ==============================
   a dosemu 0.48 bulletin
=========================================================================

Friends,

While I don't plan to produce "how to run" reports for every piece of
software DOSEMU can run, I thought this was important enough to
post.  I've gotten a lot of requests for the ability to run WordPerfect,
so here it is (sort of).  Ideally, once I get the emulator working
solidly, you won't need this kind of info at all.

I have been able to get WordPerfect 5.0 running under dosemu 0.48 (please
excuse the nasty version numbering).  You need to do 2 things (probably
under a real DOS session...):  set the graphics mode to none (Text), and
choose normal cursor speed.  For WP 5.0, here are the keystrokes:

Shift-F1                 ; select display setup
2 n                      ; set cursor speed to Normal
3 5 [choose Text] 0      ; disable graphics
5 1 1 n 2 n 3 n 0 0      ; disable all beeps
3 2 2 y 0                ; turn Fast Text on
0 0                      ; exit setup

Turning Fast Text on shouldn't hurt anything, and it will speed screen
writes up.  Fast Text is basically waiting for the vertical retrace to
write to video RAM, which is a CGA technique.  

(NOTE: even if you're using a CGA card, you should turn Fast Text on.
       the current emulator doesn't really allow DOS programs to check
       for retrace, but tells them it's okay to write no matter what.
       If this causes anyone snowy screens, please tell me, and I'll fix
       it up.)

Exit with F7 to save the settings, and you're all set to load it under
the DOS emulator.


DANGER
------
I recommend that you save often.  Use the Autosave feature if you're likely
to forget.  I haven't extensively tested WordPerfect, and the testing I
have done show that it is very stable under dosemu, but you never can tell.

If the emulator crashes while running WP, WP will ask you
if other copies of WP are running when you load it again.  Just
answer no.


REQUIRED SOFTWARE
-----------------
I haven't tried WP 5.1 (don't have it), but this whole thread of
inquiry into WP was started by a kind report that someone had made Wp 5.1
(kinda) work by a small fix to dosemu 0.47.7.


STABILITY
---------
Occasionally, a WP error message will cause a freezeup/crash.  I'm
looking into this.  

WHAT WORKS:
  Most everything that I've tested except graphics and beeping.
  Printing is slow, and goes to the dosemulpt1 file, so you'll have to
 copy that to /dev/lp1 (or use lpr) yourself until I revamp the
 printing code.
 
 NOTE: dosemu's dosemulptX files aren't fully updated until you exit
       the emulator. Sorry about this.


WHAT DOESN'T:
------------
   Some ERROR messages lock WP up, beeps freeze while waiting for a
 timer interrupt (currently unimplemented).  Graphics don't work, of
 course.  Sometimes an emulator bug that affects everything also strikes
 WP...holding down (repeating) a key too long will sometimes cause a crash.


KEYBOARD
--------
   Oh, yeah, and you'll have to use -k (RAW keyboard) mode right now, as
there's currently no other way to generate SHIFT/ALT/CTRL fkeys.  Any
suggestions are welcome.  I guess I'll have some precursor key set
the shift/alt/ctrl mode, but that sounds pretty clumsy.  Please tell
me about any schemes that you've seen work well.


VIDEO
-----
  I also recommend -c (direct console video ) mode if you can do it.
When XFree86 1.2 comes out, you'll be able to flip VC's with X, so
using X at the same time won't be a problem.  You'll need to have Linux
boot into an 80x25 (or 80x50) screen size, but if you use WP much, you'll
appreciate the speed.  

I haven't yet buckled down and made the termcap (non -c) output
decent, so I'm afraid non-console video won't be too appetizing for a
while.

Also, someone has released a dosemu based on Matthias' original dosemu0.4
that opens a color xterm for display.  I'll probably look at this
and see if we can achieve some sort of merger.  His xdos isn't
terribly fast, and it's not very much different from 0.4, but you
could always give it a try. (it's in tsx-11.mit.edu /pub/linux/ALPHA/dosemu).

The author has said that he's working to incorporate some of dosemu 0.47.7's
changes into his xdosemu, so look for that.

I currently invoke my pre-0.48 version of dosemu like this (just for info):
  dos -ckxV -Dkx-v > dosdbg



Robert Sanders
gt8134b@prism.gatech.edu




