Does anyone have a DOSBox workaround that enables Ultima 7 (Black Gate) to activate the F2 debug console from within the game? DOSBox returns an error if I use the old CLI debug trick, which was IIRC u7.exe ABCD followed by ALT-255 (hidden character) + ENTER.

What error did you get? I added ABCD(alt+255) in the dosbox config file and it started the game without any error... only crashes once you want to journey onward :-)

Are you using a different dosbox version than the one that came with the game? In that case you have to disable EMS memory in the config file.

lgorrr, I figured it out. I had inadvertently put a space between ABCD and the ALT-255 char. Now I can enable poweravatar and deal with those pesky "I'm hungry!" messages at last.

FWIW, I was using the stock dosbox shipped with the game.

Could anyone explain in detail how to do this? I have never used dos box. I've tried putting this on the command line in my shortcut, but no luck so far getting the cheat menu to appear, Thanks

I modified the command line in dosboxULTIMA7.conf with ULTIMA7 ABCD . There's a space in there that was create with ALT + 255.

Here's the last remaining lines of C:\Program Files\GOG.com\The Complete Ultima VII\Ultima7\dosboxULTIMA7.conf

[autoexec]
@echo off
mount C "."
cls
c:
ULTIMA7 ABCD 

It runs but crashed to desktop if I try and continue journey. Can someone help me? What did you do to make the cheat work for you? Could you provide a simple step-by-step summary? Thanks!

Seriously, breley, anyone ... I've tried "U7" with and without .exe; I've tried "ultima7" both ways and with .com. I've tried it in the DOSbox config file, in dos by trying to bypass DOSbox, and directly in the properties of the icon for the game .exe file. What do you have to do to make this cheat work? As mentioned above, I can get the game to load up successfully to the main menu by going with "ultima7.com ABCD[Alt+255]" at the end of the config file for DOSbox, but "Journey Onward" crashes it back to the desktop.

Please?

Run Ultima 7 with Exult. Cheats don't work in the Dosbox platform. Plus Exult has a bunch of other features that make it, in my humble opinion, much better than Dosbox. My favorite is the character animation "smoothing".

http://exult.sourceforge.net/

Cheats WILL work on GOG version of the Ultima7. I think it is only matter of way to write ALT+255 correctly.

I tried it manually by running standard DOSBOX installation and then running commands:

XMS=FALSE {PRESS ENTER}
EMS=FALSE {PRESS ENTER}
UMB=FALSE {PRESS ENTER}
mount c: {path to your ultima7 installation}
c:
cd ultima7
ultima7 ABCD{ALT+255 using keypad}

I got cheats working by pressing F2

Yes, but if you want to use the enhancements via the dosboxULTIMA7.conf file you're going to need to a type a bunch more line commands. This isn't practical every time you play. Exult handles all that for you, plus the cheat menu is built into the app.

how do you write the code for ultima 7 cheats in the dos box. [[first time users to the dos box ] pleaase help me. because every time i try to mount my c drive it dosent work thanks for the help guys

Hold the Alt key, type 255 on the number pad, then release Alt. The character it makes is visually identical to a normal space but it is actually a different character.

I don't suppose there is any way to do this without a numpad?

You can copy and paste " " and see if that works. Other than that, no, I don't think there is.

I downloaded the latest version (on 17 Sep 2016) and am encountering the crash error. I edited dosboxULTIMA7.conf to disable the memory managers etc. but it's still crashing on Journey Onwards. Anyone else have any ideas? I do dearly love my QOL hacks. :P

Edit: I figured out how to run Black Gate with cheats on the GOG wrapper! The key element is to basically run the final 'ultima7.com ABCD ' line by hand. Here's how I did mine (back up all conf files of course!):

1) Edit the desktop shortcut. Remove all arguments outside the quotes (so it doesn't close the window after executing). It should look something like

C:\Games\Ultima7\DOSBOX\DOSBox.exe -conf "..\dosboxULTIMA7.conf" -conf "..\dosboxULTIMA7_single.conf"

2) Edit dosboxULTIMA7_single.conf (in notepad)
2a) Strip it down to:
[autoexec]
mount C: [your ultima 7 installation destination. I recommend not using spaces when installing.]
C:
@echo Run Ultima 7 by hand for cheats!

Then I just type in command with the cheat argument and it works!