This section describes how to edit files that contain definitions of Arabic Parts (or other combinations of points which may be expressed as A+B-C) to be used when displaying Arabic Parts reports for a chart.

Note: If you have selected Arabic Parts as part of an almuten definition in the Dignity/Almuten editor, and you later use the Arabic Parts Editor to remove entries from or reorder the Arabic Parts file which you used, then the almuten calculation will no longer work correctly. You will need to use the Dignity/Almuten Editor to reselect all the required Arabic Parts before you can be sure that the calculation will use the correct Arabic Parts. See Editing a Dignity/Almuten File for instructions on using the Dignity/Almuten Editor.

 

>> To edit an Arabic Parts file

1.Select Arabic Parts from the Files option of the Chart Options menu

2.From the "File Manager", select a file from the list of file names

3.Select the Edit button

 

Alternatively, you can also access the editor directly from Windows.

 

>> To open the Arabic Parts editor from Windows

•From the Start Menu, All Programs, in the Windows group containing the Solar Fire program icons, double-click on the Arabic Parts Editor icon. You will be prompted to select a file to edit, and this will then start up the editor with that Arabic Parts file displayed.

The status box at the top of the screen displays the number of parts already defined, followed by the name of the current Arabic Parts file.

The list box at the top left of the screen contains a list of all the items that already exist in this file. It is possible to see the details for any of these items by clicking on that item in the list. It is then possible to edit any of the following items relating to that entry...

•Full Name - This is the name by which the item is identified in any reports. It is recommended that you limit the length of this name to about 30 characters, in order to avoid the possibility of formatting problems in Solar Fire’s Arabic Parts report.

•Abbreviation - This is a unique name, limited to 15 characters, by which this item is identified internally. It is used only when another item in the list refers to this entry.

•Day or Night - Some parts have different formulas, depending on whether the chart to which they are being applied is a daytime chart or a nighttime chart. For example the Part of Fortune has a daytime formula of Ascendant + Sun - Moon, and a nighttime formula of Ascendant + Moon - Sun, so must have two entries in the list. If the formula that you enter applies only during the day (when the sun is above the horizon), or night (sun below the horizon) then select the Day or Night option. If the formula does not depend on the sun’s diurnal position, then select the Both option.

•Formula A + B - C - Each of the elements in this formula may be selected by clicking on the drop-down list boxes for that element. Each element has two drop-down boxes. The top one is used to indicate what type of position is being entered, and the bottom one to indicate which position of that type.

The possible types of position are:

Once you select a type of position from the top box, the list of positions that are available for selection in the bottom box is automatically updated. The only exception to this is if you select the “Fixed Position” option, then the bottom box does not contain a list - instead you must enter a zodiacal position into it using the keyboard. See Entering Angles for information on how to enter angles.

 

>> To create a new entry on the list

•Select the New button. This will add an item to the bottom of the list, ready to be edited with the required details.

 

>> To delete an existing entry from the list

1.Select the required item from the list.

2.Select the Delete button.

 

>> To alter the placement of an item in the list

1.Select the required item from the list.

2.Click on the Up or Down arrow of the spin button.

 

>> To obtain a printout of all the items on the list

1.Optionally select the Printer button. This allows you to alter any printer settings such as page orientation and resolution.

2.Select the Print button.

 

>> To save any changes that you have made since the file was last saved

•Select the Save button.

 

>> To exit from the Arabic Parts editor

•Select the Quit button.

If you have made changes but not saved them, then you will be asked whether or not you wish to save them before exiting.

Any changes that you save will take effect immediately in Solar Fire, any subsequent Arabic Parts reports produced will use the newly saved data.

If you exit from the Arabic Parts Editor without having saved your changes, then the program will ask you if you wish to save the changes before it closes.