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Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2001 10:49:33 +0200 (IST)
From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz AT is DOT elta DOT co DOT il>
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To: Don Duttweiler <duttweiler AT ieee DOT org>
cc: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
Subject: Re: start.exe, bash, PIFs, and Win 98
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On Wed, 26 Dec 2001, Don Duttweiler wrote:

> The Win 98 binary start.exe allows you to initiate executation
> of a PIF from a DOS window.  Things don't work quite right
> though if the DOS window is running Bash instead of command.com.
> Details follow.  I want to be able to do this because of a
> desire to use makefiles from a DOS window while developing
> programs that must run in DOS mode (as opposed to just a DOS
> window).

Summary: I wouldn't recommend even trying this approach.  In fact, it
amazes me that you've got as far as you did; I'd expect the `exec'
trick to not work.

The problem is that DOS Mode shuts down the Windows GUI and most of
the Windows kernel, leaving behind a small stub that reboots the
system into Windows once the DOS Mode exits.  But the Windows DPMI
server is part of this GUI/kernel combination, so you are effectively
shutting down the DPMI server while a DPMI client (Bash) is still
running.

Given this explanation, does it come as a surprise that you get the
infamous "This program has performed an illegal operation" prompt?

It will get worse if the program you are trying to run is a DJGPP
program, not mem.

>     4) If you open a DOS box running Bash and type
> 		start pifTest
>        an error message pops up in a window.  The window
>        is titled "Winoldap" (Whatever that is. The name makes
>        no sense to me).

"Winoldap" (for "Windows Old Application") is a derogatory term coined
by Windows for DOS programs running on Windows.  They even refuse to
let Windows know the name of the program, so the normal Windows system
calls which report system-related information can only report
"Winoldap" when asked about the DOS box.

>        It would be wonderful is someone could make some
>        sense out of all this.  Thanks for any help.

I'd rather suggest tossing the idea of running a program in DOS Mode.
Why do you need that, exactly?  What's wrong with running the program
from the DOS box?