Browsing or Editing a Task List

>> To open the task list editor

•After opening a task list, or stopping recording of a task list, click on the Edit task list button on the "Astrologer’s Assistant" dialog.

This will display the Task List dialog, showing the title and description of the current task list, as well as a list of the individual tasks.

The title and description may be freely edited, but the editing of the individual tasks in the list is limited to deleting tasks, and selecting save options or date options to apply (such as using a date based on an offset from the current date for a transits report start date, or using the current date for a new transits chart etc).

The Date and Time Options are as follows...

•Use specified date and time – When this option is selected, the date and time fields are enabled, and may be edited by the user. In this case the specified date and time is always used, regardless of the current date and time at which the task is run. This option is useful in order to cast a fixed natal chart, or to run dynamic reports from a fixed date.

•Use current date and time as base – When this option is selected, the date field is disabled, and only the time may be edited. If neither of the following two sub-options is enabled, then the task will always adopt the date and time which are current when the task list is run.

•Use chart date and time as base – When this option is selected, the date field is disabled, and only the time may be edited. If neither of the following two sub-options is enabled, then the task will always adopt the date and time of the chart whose number is selected in the adjacent box. The chart numbers which may be selected are those referred to on the task list above as “Source” charts (i.e. charts which must be selected prior to running the task list) or “Result” charts (i.e. new charts which are calculated whilst the task list is running prior to the current task). This option is useful, for example, if you wish to create a set of tasks based on a client’s birthday. You can cast a solar return, and then use that chart’s date as the base for subsequent tasks, such as casting a progressed chart or running a dynamic report.

•Go to – When selected, this allows the user to select a specific date/time to move to, starting from the current date and time when the task list is run, or from the date and time of the specified base chart. The “Adjust date by” option may also be used as a further date modifier if required.

•Start of Day – 0:00am of current date

•Start of Month –0:00am on 1st day of the current month

•Start of Quarter – 0:00am on 1st day of the current quarter (i.e. 1st Jan, Apr, Jul or Oct)

•Start of Half Year – 0:00am on 1st day of the current half (i.e. 1st Jan, or Jul)

•Start of Year – 0:00am on 1st day of current year (i.e. 1st Jan)

•Specified Time – User entered time on current date

•Adjust date by - When selected, adjusts the specified date (or “Go to” date, if selected), by the specified multiple of days, months or years. The multiple may be any integer, either positive or negative. A positive integer moves the date forward in time, whereas a negative integer moves it back in time.

For example, if the selection is to use the current date and time as base, to go to the beginning of the month, and then adjust the date by –1 months, then the task will always use 0:00am of the 1st day of the preceding month.

The report duration options are only available for a recorded task that involves a dynamic report. You may select a period and time unit in the same manner as may be done when an individual dynamic report is being run. If your report contains multiple dynamic reports that are being merged, then you will usually want to ensure that all the report tasks have the same duration and start date.

The save options are only available for a recorded task which involved saving a chart to file.

The options are as follows...

•Save to default chart file – The chart file will be saved to the currently selected (default) chart file, without prompting the user first.

•Prompt user for chart file – The replay of the task list will be halted temporarily whilst the user is prompted to select a chart file into which the chart will be saved. This option is useful if, at the time of recording, you are unsure which chart file you might want to save any calculated charts into.