[Papyrus-L] Papyrus installation in Windows 7

[Raisa Deber]

For you Mac users, with the aid of my son, I was able to install DOSBox on my Mac to run Papyrus under Snow Leopard.  Even worse, I've installed the free Microsoft Word for DOS to simplify text extracted output (translates with another Mac program called MacLink Plus).  So yes, I've succeeded in using great technology to emulate 15 year old software!  Isn't progress wonderful?
Raisa Deber


On 2010-09-06, at 9:11 PM, John Kiernan wrote:


> Papyrus on Windows 7 (64-bit).

> It can be done, using a free (public domain) program called DOSBox. The current version (0.74) of DOSBox can be downloaded from http://www.dosbox.com/  (Click on "Downloads" at the top of the page, and follow the links). The program is easy to install, and it brings up a window that behaves like a DOS Version 5, logged in to Drive "Z:". 

> 

> To run Papyrus, you have to "mount" drive letters to represent the locations of the directories containing your Papyrus program and data files. (I use P: to represent C:\REFS\PAPYRUS\ and Q: for C:\REFS\PAPREF\ respectively.) The Alt+Enter key combination can be used to toggle between the rather small DOSBox window and full screen, if you like things big. After quitting Papyrus, you are back at DOSBox's command prompt. You can close DOSBox by entering the command EXIT or (Windows-wise) by clicking the X at the top right corner. It would be possible to abandon DOSBox by clicking the X in the middle of a Papyrus session. I haven't tried this! I suspect that there would be no prompt to save changes.

> 

> With a little study of the DOSBox documentation, it's possible to find and edit a configuration file that will do the mounting and start the program. I now have the old familiar Papyrus icon on the Windows 7 desktop, and everything works well. Edited and changed files are saved to my C:\REFS\PAPREF directory. I can back up all the .BIB files to a memory stick and copy them to another computer.

> The DOSBox program appears to be aimed at games enthusiasts; it has many features and options that aren't needed for Papyrus.

> 

> DOSBox can also accommodate many other DOS programs and utilities, including some very useful ones that won't otherwise work in Vista or Win 7. From a desktop icon, I can now call up a utilities window, type in MW NaIO3 and see the molecular weight of sodium iodide (149.894).  I can type PEP ala-tyr-gly-trp and get the MW of the peptide and an estimate of its pI. I haven't yet tried larger DOS applications such as WordStar.

>  

> DOSBox may signal a few more years of useful life for Papyrus. I hope so.

> 

> Sadly, DOSBox will not run 16-bit graphics applications that need Win95/98 in addition to DOS. The WIMP95 program for drawing chemical structures is one of these. It worked up to and including XP and Vista.  

> 

> I thank Rex Conn of http://jpsoft.com (4DOS, 4NT, TakeCommand etc) for telling me about DOSBox.

> 

> John Kiernan

> Anatomy, UWO

> London, Canada

> = = =

> On 06/09/10, Tom Baumann <baumannt at ohsu.edu> wrote:

>> Hi

>> is it possible to install pap7017 on a system running 64-bit Windows 7 Professional (with XP compatibility)?

>> 

>> Has anybody tried/succeeded installing Papyrus on such a system?

>> 

>> Please let me know.

>> 

>> Tom

>> 

>> baumann12 at frontier.com

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Raisa Deber, PhD
Professor, Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Director, CIHR Team in Community Care and Health Human Resources (www.teamgrant.ca)
Health Sciences Building
155 College Street Suite 425
Toronto, ON  M5T 3M6
phone:  (416) 978-8366
fax:  (416) 978-7350
e-mail:  raisa.deber at utoronto.ca