5.3. The configuration interface 'textconfig'

The configuration interface 'textconfig' is the text mode version of the Bochs configuration system. It is a series of menus (using stdin/stdout) that allows you to edit all the settings that control Bochs' behavior. If you do not write a config_interface line, Bochs will choose it as the default for you (unless Bochs is compiled for Win32 or wxWidgets only). If the gui console is available at runtime, textconfig switches the display to text mode 80 x 25 and restores the simulation screen afterwards.

It consists of these three parts:

On Win32 (without wxWidgets) the default configuration interface 'win32config' is very similar, but it presents gui dialogs instead of text menus.

5.3.1. The start menu

If you start Bochs without the quickstart argument (-q), the Bochs configuration main menu appears:

------------------------------
Bochs Configuration: Main Menu
------------------------------

This is the Bochs Configuration Interface, where you can describe the
machine that you want to simulate.  Bochs has already searched for a
configuration file (typically called bochsrc.txt) and loaded it if it
could be found.  When you are satisfied with the configuration, go
ahead and start the simulation.

You can also start bochs with the -q option to skip these menus.

1. Restore factory default configuration
2. Read options from...
3. Edit options
4. Save options to...
5. Restore the Bochs state from...
6. Begin simulation
7. Quit now

Please choose one: [5]

Here you can load, edit and save the configuration and finally start the simulation. It is possible to start Bochs without a config file and to edit all the settings using the item "Edit options". Don't forget to save the configuration if you want to use this setup for another Bochs session.

5.3.2. The Bochs headerbar

The headerbar appears on top of the Bochs simulation window. Here you can control the behavoiur of Bochs at runtime if you click on one of these buttons:

Some of these features may not be implemented or work different on your host platform.

5.3.3. Command mode

When using 'sdl', 'sdl2', 'win32' or 'x' as the display_library, the option 'cmdmode' enables the "command mode" support. If enabled, pressing the F7 key will enter 'command mode' (shown in the info item of the statusbar); the next key that is pressed will exit command-mode. When in command-mode, if the pressed key is in the list below, the corresponding action will be performed. With the exception of F7, any key pressed while in command-mode will not be received by the OS running in Bochs.

Table 5-2. Supported keys

KeyAction
aPress the Floppy A button
bPress the Floppy B button
cPress the Copy button
SHIFT + cPress the Config button
fToggle windowed / fullscreen mode (sdl, sdl2 and win32 only)
pPress the Paste button
SHIFT + pPress the Power button
rPress the Reset button
sPress the Snapshot button
SHIFT + sPress the Suspend button
uPress the User button
F7Send F7 keypress to emulation

In fullscreen mode (sdl, sdl2, win32) some handlers do not bring up a dialog box. The floppy buttons just toggle the status, the snapshot feature uses the hardcoded file name and the user button sends the configured shortcut.

5.3.4. The runtime configuration

If you want to change certain settings at runtime, you have to press the "config" button in the headerbar. The simulation stops and the runtime menu appears on the console window / xterm or the Bochs gui console (if available).

---------------------
Bochs Runtime Options
---------------------
1. Floppy disk 0: /dev/fd0, size=1.44M, inserted
2. Floppy disk 1: floppyb.img, size=1.44M, inserted
3. 1st CDROM: (master on ata1) /dev/cdrom, ejected
4. 2nd CDROM: (slave on ata1) /dev/cdrecorder, ejected
5. 3rd CDROM: (not present)
6. 4th CDROM: (not present)
7. (not implemented)
8. Log options for all devices
9. Log options for individual devices
10. Instruction tracing: off (doesn't exist yet)
11. USB runtime options
12. Misc runtime options
13. Continue simulation
14. Quit now

Please choose one:  [15]

In the runtime configuration you can change the floppy/cdrom image or device, change the log options or adjust some other settings. If you have trouble with a specific device, you can change the log options for this device only to get more information (e.g. report debug messages).