[How To] DOSBox with GUI Frontend (DBGL) in Linux (Ubuntu/Mint/Debian)

A short guide that explains step by step how to run, install & configure DOSBox with a GUI Frontend DBGL (DOSBox Game Launcher) on Ubuntu, Mint & Debian Linux distributions or other based on those. DOSBox Game Launcher is an excellent frontend that simplifies DOSBox usage and configuration in almost every way imaginable especialy with its intuitive point'n'click interface & MobyGames Game Database integration.

You can find DBGL for (Linux, Windows & Mac) at http://members.quicknet.nl/blankendaalr/dbgl/

Useful key shortcuts whilst in emulation:

Ctrl + F7 Decrease frameskip
Ctrl + F8 Increase frameskip
Ctrl + F11 Decrease DOSBox CPU Cycles (Slow down emulation)
Ctrl + F12 Increase DOSBox CPU Cycles (Speed up emulation)
Ctrl + F9 Exit DOSBox

You can find more in DOSBox manuals or at the DOSBox Homepage.

Music - "Pinball Fantasies Intro",
Digital Illusions, 1992, Amiga & PC DOS

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• DOSBox
• DBGL
• Linux
• Ubuntu
• Mint
• Debian
• DOS
• Games
• Game
• Emulation
• Dosbox Game Launcher
• How to
• How
• To
• Tutorial
• Help
• Guide
• Emu
• PC
• Virtual

[thisuserhas]

Just for anyone who follows set instructions and when running the the dbgl file, nothing happens, the following packages are required (which can be downloaded in the exact same manner as per the dosbox file (synaptic package manager)) * gcj-4.4-jre-headless * gcj-4.5-jre-headless * openjdk-6-jre-headless

once thats installed, its good to go!

[kad3t]

@thisuserhas

Java runtime? Kudos to you sir for filling up my video with missing (for some) information. ^_^

[thisuserhas]

@kad3t

I just installed Ubuntu 10.10 and DBGL was one of the first applications I installed; hence was lacking the fairly standard java dependencies. Just thought I would throw it up there in case others (not versed in Ubuntu) had an issue -> I know it was quite frustrating when I first converted from Windows to Linux and couldn't get software to work! :-)

[kad3t]

@thisuserhas

Personally I'm more Linux Mint than Ubuntu user but I do download each Ubuntu release and test it always cause it's usually a benchmark of some of new Mint features. Though Mint is staying with Gnome even though Ubuntu's going to switch to Unity now, from next release that is. I like Gnome, so I'm interested how will Unity stack up against it.

[TheJohnnybelfast]

Wow, this is a bit of a mission just to install some software. On Windows you can install a gui for dosbox just by double clicking an icon and clicking next a few times. The user shouldn't need to do this much work.

[DriftingSamurai13]

sudo apt-get install dosbox

[Mau1wurf1977]

Thanks this was really helpful.

However how can I add DBGL to the launcher? So if you hit the start button under Ubuntu (or that icon on the top left) and get the search field and type in DBGL. I find DOSBox, but not DBG...

[YakovHanson]

I followed you, step-for-step. Running Ubuntu 11.04, and when I click on "Setup", nothing happens. If I look at my Terminal Window, I get /home/USER/Games/DBGL/DOSBox-0­.74/dosbox -conf /home/USER/Games/DBGL/DOSBox-0­.74/dosbox.conf -conf /home/USER/Games/DBGL/profiles­/setup.conf

DOSBox stderr> /home/USER/Games/DBGL/DOSBox-0­.74/dosbox: 1: Syntax error: "(" unexpected

[JoeyDrunko]

Thanks!