Using the Export Chart Data Dialog

This dialog allows you to select various options relating to the process...

•Types of Points – You can select any combination of the available point types. Note that most point type names are followed by the name of the current file selection for that point type. If you wish to change the file selection for any point type, then you must return to Solar Fire’s Main Screen to do so. If you select no types of points, then only header lines with chart details will be exported.

•Types of Data – You can select any combination of the available types of data. If you are exporting data for more than one chart, and you are not including header lines for each chart, then you will probably wish to include “Chart Name”, so that you can identify which data belongs to which chart.

•Header Lines to Include – If you select the Column Titles option, then the first line in the exported data will simply be a label for each column included in the output, allowing you to identify which column is which. If you select the Chart Details option, then there will be an additional line at the beginning of each chart’s data, giving showing certain chart details. The exact format of this line is dictated by the selection in the drop-down list box below the Edit ASCII button. The Edit ASCII button can be used to edit or create new formats defining how the chart details are written. See Editing ASCII Definitions for further details on this option.

•Field Delimiters – Comma Quote (CQD) format can be read by most other programs that allow data to be imported. It places any text fields inside double quote marks, and separates the fields with commas. Tab format is also quite common, and does not use quote marks, but separates the fields with tab characters.

•Destination – If you export to clipboard, then you can paste it into another program. If you export to file, then you can specify a file name and location first, by clicking on the Browse button.

When you have finished your selections, click on the Export button to start the process. You will be notified with a message box as soon as it is complete.

TIPS:

•If you wish to export the chart details only, without any astronomical data, then ensure that no types of points are selected. This will result in only the chart details lines being included.

•If you are exporting data for multiple charts, and wish to import it into a spreadsheet, then it is best to include “Chart Name” as one of the types of data, and not to include the “Chart Details” header line. This is because the Chart Details header line has a different layout from the other data lines, and will cause problems if you want to do things like sorting the data in your spreadsheet.

•If you are exporting data for natal charts and subsidiary charts for the same people, then include the “Chart Type” data type, so that you can differentiate between the natal data and subsidiary data.

•If you intend to do a large export job to a file, then try it first with a small number of charts and export it to the clipboard, so that you can easily preview that data to check that it is formatted as you expect.