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Converting DOS-based program to Windows-based programs

Sat, 20 Oct 2001 14:44:09 -0700

I have a few utilities I use that are DOS-based. I've seen programs that start out like this, and then someone else comes along and ports them to Windows with a GUI. I want to do this with the programs I have myself, as the author is no longer around. I don't know what language it is in, nor do I have the source code. How would I do this?

Re: Converting DOS-based program to Windows-based programs

Sat, 20 Oct 2001 15:47:47 -0700

: I have a few utilities I use that are DOS-based. I've seen programs that start out like this, and then someone else comes along and ports them to Windows with a GUI. I want to do this with the programs I have myself, as the author is no longer around. I don't know what language it is in, nor do I have the source code. How would I do this?
:
Well, given what you have (or more accurately what you don't have), it sounds like what you do is write the program from scratch. Pick the language you're comfortable with, or the one you'd like to be comfortable with, and get going!

Make a list of all the things the program does, what type of input and output it requires, and what resources it needs. Then lay it all out on paper, and start coding.

When people say the a DOS program is "ported" to Windows, they really mean that it was re-written. There isn't any "automated" way to take a DOS program and "turn it into" a Windows program.

It would help if you had been the original author of the DOS program, since the work of mapping it all out would have already been done. But Windows is different enough that you'd probably need to do things differently anyway.

What utility, or utilities, are you interested in? If they were popular in DOS, I'd think they'd already be available in Windows.

What language(s) do you write in now? Have you done any Windows programming?

Re-post with more info, and maybe we can give you a more detailed answer.

Melissa

Re: Converting DOS-based program to Windows-based programs

Sat, 20 Oct 2001 16:18:41 -0700

The utilities are for Playstation file extraction, such as a utility to extract TMD files(3D models), and a TIM extractor(2D images). They were written about a year ago, and the author is no longer around, as I got an error when I tried to email him. I work mostly in Pascal, and havn't done any Windows coding. My Pascal knowledge, however, isn't that great, but I'm sure I could catch on quickly. The only problem I would run into, is how to actually do what the program is doing.

Re: Converting DOS-based program to Windows-based programs

Sat, 20 Oct 2001 17:21:49 -0700

Have you tried to run these in a Windows DOS box? Sometimes you need to make adjustments to the DOS parameters if it doesn't work right away.

Otherwise, what about just booting your computer on a DOS floppy? Or setting up a separate DOS partition on your hard drive?

If you're using Win9x, you could just boot directly into DOS.

Have you tried any of these options? Or do you just want the challenge of making it run in Windows? :)

Melissa

Re: Converting DOS-based program to Windows-based programs

Sun, 21 Oct 2001 13:45:21 -0700

No, they run in Windows just fine. I'm using WinME(don't worry, it will be 98 SE soon, then Linux), and they run just fine, amazingly. I want to port them to Windows so they have a GUI, and hopefully, I can combine all 6 tools, into one tool. I don't know anything about file handling in any language, so where would you suggest I go to learn more?

Re: Converting DOS-based program to Windows-based programs

Mon, 22 Oct 2001 03:44:16 -0700

: No, they run in Windows just fine. I'm using WinME(don't worry, it will be 98 SE soon, then Linux), and they run just fine, amazingly. I want to port them to Windows so they have a GUI, and hopefully, I can combine all 6 tools, into one tool. I don't know anything about file handling in any language, so where would you suggest I go to learn more?
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I would suggest here that you somehow obtained the format of theese files and information on how to read them, and coded an entirely new program dealing with this.

Not the easiest task but it has already been done so rit should not be impossible.

Re: Converting DOS-based program to Windows-based programs

Mon, 22 Oct 2001 10:52:41 -0700

: I would suggest here that you somehow obtained the format of theese files and information on how to read them, and coded an entirely new program dealing with this.

I know what format they are in,(TMD, TIM, STR, XA, TOD), but they are Playstation specific. I have documentation on the XA format release from Sony, but that's it. All the documentation says about the XA format is what it does; gives no clue as to how to read it.

Re: Converting DOS-based program to Windows-based programs

Tue, 23 Oct 2001 02:12:38 -0700

: : I would suggest here that you somehow obtained the format of theese files and information on how to read them, and coded an entirely new program dealing with this.
:
: I know what format they are in,(TMD, TIM, STR, XA, TOD), but they are Playstation specific. I have documentation on the XA format release from Sony, but that's it. All the documentation says about the XA format is what it does; gives no clue as to how to read it.
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It is crucial to aquire this in formation if you want to use the files for anything.

Re: Converting DOS-based program to Windows-based programs

Tue, 20 Nov 2001 15:13:07 -0700

: It is crucial to aquire this in formation if you want to use the files for anything.
:

I now have the documentation on all the formats I wanted, plus more. Problem is, I really don't understand what it's saying. It mostly talks about how it works; nothing about how to extract them.