how to open a new cmd window using dosbox?

Question

Is there any way I can open a new cmd window from dosbox? Cannot use start directly/indirectly.

Mounting c: drive and directly typing the path doesn't work too..

Neither run nor execute commands work.

There is no limitation is that cmd should be opened in new window, etc. Actually i am doing this to enter 2-3 string inputs. (where choice command is not applicable)

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Although DOS is a monotask system, multiple instances of DOSbox can coexist on the hosting OS, and they can communicate by shared files with one another.

I tried the following batch STARTDOS.CMD on my Windows10 system (it can run either in CMD window or as a service):

 @ECHO OFF 
 TITLE %0
 ECHO >C:\STARTDOS.REQ
:LOOP
 SLEEP 3
 IF NOT EXIST C:\STARTDOS.REQ GOTO :LOOP
 DEL C:\STARTDOS.REQ
 ECHO Starting another DOSbox ...
 START D:\APL\EMU\DOSBox\DOSBox.exe -userconf -noconsole
 GOTO :LOOP

This batch checks the existence of semaphore file C:\\STARTDOS.REQ to start another DOSbox instance in a new cmd window.

In DOSbox configuration file I have mount c C:\\

Now if I execute ECHO >C:\\STARTDOS.REQ withing one DOSbox window, this will launch another DOSbox in its own cmd window.