help with DOS software and DOSBox

[opentoideas]

could someone out there using the old DOS software help me?

I have a Starturn 8 with a fully working DOS PC which is the good bit...

am now trying to setup a latop as the main PC to use with this machine and the DOS software has me scratching my head trying to remember how things work..... or in my case don't

if and when I get this working I will try to put together a guide for others as there isnt much info out there.

so I have DOSBox setup and working and the following programs available :

Starturn
Easiturn
Editor

the old Starturn software matches what I have working on the existing machine most importantly it has the manual control option. easiturn and editor both run also.

the problems begin when I try and fail to connect to the machine.

in DOSBox I have configured serial passthrough :
serial1=directserial realport:COM1 (corrected as first was incorrect)

in editor I have also setup com ports in machine connection however when I try manual connection in Starturn software it freezes and is stuck.

I suspect I need to somehow load the drivers but I am at a loss as to how to do this as dredging up what little I can remember about DOS drivers has me looking for a setup or install .com file neither of which are in the drivers or drivers2 files

is anyone able to point me in the correct direction??

[opentoideas]

small step forward... the serial setup copied from one page I found was slightly wrong. now I have the serial port in DOSBox setup at least with a chance of working,

Starturn loads the machine control page so that's progress

still no machine connection but on attempting to run Easiturn offline.com I get the message "communication driver not installed!"

I am just trying any program files for reference, but this possibly suggests I am on the right track and need to install the driver....but how? and what?

or it could be nothing as I am running programs blind to see what they are...

LOL I am beginning to remember the love/hate relationship I had with DOS many years ago

[opentoideas]

O.K. I am a plonker!

having corrected the serial port problem I hooked up again and while nothing moved i could hear a relay trigger when I used spacebar to start the spindle.....

figuring comms couldn't be that much of a problem I look down and notice I have bumped the emergency stop.

old Starturn software control working on new PC..


time for a beer!