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The FreeDOS Project | Version 1.0

FreeDOS programs after version 1.0

This list aims to be a record of items that we consider to be a set of features that FreeDOS should eventually include in a later version, for example in version 2.0.

On this page...

Utilities with dissimilar commandline, interface or implementation:

  • Kernel (config.sys menu system with labels: FreeDOS uses menu item numbers instead)
  • MIRROR (use MIRROR, UNDELETE or FORMAT /Z:MIRROR in FreeDOS)
  • SETVER (resident tool with database of program / version pairs, FreeDOS only provides VERSION config.sys command and CALLVER manual version override tool)

General requirements

Apart from the missing features indicated below, all utilities should have:

  • Language support (string translations)
  • FAT32 support for all disk tools, support for files of up to 4 GB size for all programs
  • LFN (long file name) support for all programs

heading missing fixbugs incomplete untested

Core components

Program Missing feature List updated
Kernel (KERNEL.SYS) support variable physical sector size (other than 512b), DRIVPARM: sets parameter for a disk driver, support for more than 2 diskette drives in a system 2005-10-4
FreeCOM (COMMAND.COM) see the FreeCOM roadmap 2003-9-14

Device drivers and extensions

Program Missing feature List updated
ansi.sys (NANSI.SYS) int2Fh,AH=1Ah interface (get/set display info) 2003-8-3
cdrom.sys (XCDROM / ATAPICDD) ASPI interface (for SCSI drives and CD recording software) 2004-7-21
eltorito support (see (2) below) 2004-2-5
DBLSPACE (Compressed filesystem support) 2006-1-8
DRIVER.SYS (disk driver for non-standard BIOS (usually diskette) drives, see DRIV(E)PARM)
emm386 RAM=m-n ROM=m-n MIN=m H=handles ON|OFF|AUTO Mx Pn=address l=minXMS NOHI B= A= D= W=ON/OFF HIGHSCAN NOMOVEEXBDA /K /S (W: Weitek memory-mapped FPU access) 2005-10-4
WISH: Multitasking API somewhat like the one DR-DOS's EMM386 has, with support for hardware virtualization (to store per-task hardware state). Could also be used to create virtual hardware like DOS compatible soundcards. Note that this is a difficult feature to implement and is by no means something that is expected in the near future or at all. DR-DOS used VXD device drivers to plug-in to its multitasker to allow multithreading of things like sound cards. 2005-10-4
WISH: Make 286-compatible EMM286 similar to the EMM286 (available here(approve sites)), to run software on 286 which otherwise would have needed hardware EMS. Will run slow, though. 2005-10-3
himem (on 286, use FDXMS286, WISH: make himem abort safely on 286 to allow universal boot disks which try to load first himem and then fdxms286) /A20CONTROL:ON|OFF /INT15H=xxx /TESTMEM:ON|OFF

/CPUCLOCK:ON|OFF /EISA /MACHINE=xxx /SHADOWRAM:ON|OFF (a20control, machine: /METHOD:xxx already supported to select common machine types, default is autodetect)

2005-10-4
mouse (CUTEMOUSE) VESA support 2004-2-20
mscdex (SHSUCDX) /M=number: local cache / buffer size 2005-01-09
/E use expanded memory for local buffers if available (for now, just load CDRCACHE) 2005-10-4
power (FDAPM) WISH: extra high saving support with UNIDLECHECK stuff (compare efficiency to POWER to find out whether it is needed?) 2003-10-4
print /U:ticks1 Waits the specified maximum number of clock ticks for the printer to be available. 2003-7-19
/M:ticks2 Specifies the maximum number of clock ticks it takes to print a character. 2003-7-19
/S:ticks3 Allocates the scheduler the specified number of clock ticks for background printing. 2003-7-19
printer.sys/display.sys more than one device at a time (e.g. PRINTER.SYS LPT1=... LPT2=...) 2003-10-4
DISPLAY: communicate with ANSI.SYS (call get/set display info) 2003-10-4
Admit to load a CPI file in more than a chunk through IOCTL-IN 2003-10-4
WISH: Prepare codepages to XMS or EMS (and compress them) 2003-10-4
smartdrv (LBACACHE, CDRCACHE) CD-ROM caching module (and /U to disable) merged in disk cache, allowing both to share XMS 2005-10-4
Write-behind feature, and if already present, /X to disable. Write cache data before returning to command prompt (/F and /N). 2003-9-14
/L: decide whether to self-load/not load into upper memory (just use LOADHIGH to manually load into upper memory (umb). On SCSI systems, you may need the TUNS option for the cache to avoid compatibility problems) 2005-10-4
/B: read ahead buffer size (current LBACACHE comes with read-ahead tool TICKLE with fixed read ahead buffer size) 2005-10-4
/E: blocks to be moved at a time (transfer buffer size in clusters, only relevant for delayed write caching in our case) 2005-10-4

Disk and drive utilities

Program Missing feature List updated
CVT (MS-DOS 7.X+: convert FAT16 to FAT32) 2006-1-8
diskcopy /1 (copy only 1 side) 2003-9-6

File utilities

Program Missing feature List updated
Backup (backup utility) 2006-1-8
DOSSHELL (filemanager and user interface with limited multitasking / task switching: File Maven, TRIDOS, and GEM/XM might be alternatives)
FASTOPEN (cache directory entry locations for faster file open in large directories -- probably a job better done by smartdrv.) 2006-1-8
move Support /S to recurse into subdirs 2003-5-29
Restore (restore utility) 2006-1-8
Scandisk (interactive disk test and correction tool, use DOSFSCK for now) 2006-1-8
undelete Wilcards, Trashcan / delete log resident tool / FAT32 support / etc. 2005-10-4

Miscellaneous utilities

Program Missing feature List updated
graphics CGA LCD aspect ratio support (options /LCD and /PRINTBOX) for ancient widescreen 640x200 portables 2005-10-4
INTERLNK/INTERSVR (make remote drive visible as drive letter through serial or parallel LapLink?(tm) cable, File Maven is a free alternative for that, some users may experiment with LPTLink?, or RIFS (Remote Installable FileSystem) which is untested and may or may not work) 2006-1-8
MEMMAKER (analyze memory alloction and help the user to optimize config/autoexec) 2006-1-8
mode WISH: Support for DR-FONTs 2003-10-4
MSAV/VSAFE (antivirus software, CLAMSCAN/FDSHIELD are best replacements so far) 2006-1-8
SELECT (create boot disk with language specific configuration) 2006-1-8

Notes:

  1. Codepage switching feature (PRINTER.SYS/PRINT) This feature was supposed to appear in DOS 4.0 and OS/2, but never saw the light nor was extensively used. Never implemented in DOS 5.X+. This was supposed to allow the filesystem to track the codepage to be used to read files. As it wasn't never used or implemented, there's no need to implement them in either Kernel, PRINTER.SYS or PRINT.COM.
  2. ELTORITO.SYS driver is a useful alternative. Source is not available and it is copyrighted, but the author is very friendly and permission has been granted to include it with FreeDOS.
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