My thanks to Graham for responding again to a request for clarification. For those who may have missed it, the following are Graham's instructions for editing the default essential dignities file in Solar Fire:

To edit the scoring system in Solar Fire, choose Utilities / Dignity/Almuten Editor, and when prompted to open a dignity/almuten file, choose "Essdig.alm" from Solar Fire's main folder (not from the Userdata folder). That is the file that contains the default settings for dignities scores in Solar Fire. (Then use the F1 key if you need further help on the various options).

My bolding since Sue has pointed out a potential trap for the unwary:

Changing the scores in the dignities editor will not change the default scores on the horary page. You actually have to create a new page using the new essential dignities file you have created, which is what Kirk said he has done. The default essential dignities file does not exist in the dignities editor and I haven't yet searched for it within the program. So unless you create a whole new essential dignities file and then a new horary page setup using that file you will always get the default table that Kirk described. It is not as complicated as it sounds if you know your way around Solar Fire.

(Full details of Graham's instructions can be had on the link Deb posted at the beginning of this thread.)

For those reading this who may be unaware, Graham is one of the original creators of Solar Fire and a director of Esoteric Technologies which produce it, see:

http://www.esotech.com.au/aboutus.html

Cheers,
Sungem

Hi Graham,

It?s only 10 years ago that I was publishing loud criticisms of astrology software developers for failing to provide any support for traditional techniques - so I know you have been listening, and working very hard to move us so far forward in such a short time.

Ideally, what we would like to be able to do is to provide a range of dignity definition files to users which have been pre-set to commonly used scoring systems. For example, we could perhaps add to Solar Fire a file called "LillyDig.alm", with options preset to Lilly's scoring system, or alternatively we could provide instructions on exactly what options to choose in order to replicate Lilly's system.

It?s good that you are prepared to consider this. My feeling is that many of your users will assume the dignity scores are based on Lilly?s table, at least in the horary module, so to preset the options to his standard, or to provide options to replicate it, would be very useful.

This is especially so since students on the horary courses which teach Lilly?s methods are often tested on their ability to ?score? the dignity or debility of planets according to his instruction. If they find that their own calculations don?t match with those that the software offers, they are bound to get confused.

Of course this pre-supposes that there is a single school of thought on how Lilly scored dignities.

Although Lilly?s table is generally straightforward, there are points that could be argued, so providing options would be a good solution. This includes such points as the definition of ?partile? and ?besieged?, whether combustion applies out-of-sign, whether to include a 5 degree orb for house cusps, and of course the benefits of mutual reception by minor dignities. But if by default you adhere strictly to Lilly?s formal definitions, and provide options for any alternative schools of thought, I think it is possible to please everyone. Well almost everyone - I realise a software developer?s lot is not necessarily a happy one

Thanks for giving us this detailed explanation.

Deb

Dear Graham and other interested fellows,

When I take a natal chart and look at the aspect analysis report of Solar Fire, I see average number of incidence is given for each aspect for obviously a comparison, which is fine and important.

I wonder how these average figures were calculated.I mean, are they computed for thousands of randomly generated horoscopes for a, say one or a few centuries interval?

I am keenly interested in this because I have recently started to do a decent research on my own and need to know if those averages are *statistically reliable* for a comparative study.

Thanks in advance for reply.

Dear sigma4,

As this is off-topic it might be more appropriate to deal with this via email. Please email us on support@esotech.com.au, and we will be pleased to provide an answer.

Graham Dawson