Exporting (from Solar Fire or Astro Gold) a SFcht file and Importing a SFcht chart file into AC
© Roger Pearson, 23rd Sept 2017. Revised 25th Sept 2017, 19th July 2018. Revised Jan 7th 2023.
Astro Gold is an iOS astrology app. Solar Fire and Solar Fire Gold is an astrology Windows program. These applications save their chart files with the extension SFcht. These files can hold information for one or more charts.
These SFcht files (eg ‘my charts.SFcht’) can be exported from Astro Gold and Solar Fire via email or copied from your Solar Fire Charts folder. The files can then be copied to the AstroConnexions app folder in
Dropbox. Then they can be imported into AC.
AC = AstroConnexions
SF = Solar Fire or Solar Fire Gold (MS Windows program)
The following screenshots show a method of exporting SFcht file via email using the Solar Fire Windows desktop program. To keep things simple, only one chart is selected for export/import.
The following animated GIF’s show an alternative method.
If a particular chart cannot be imported straight away into AC a procedure that uses forward geocoding retrieves the unresolved details, usually the latitude and longitude of the chart. This allows the chart to be saved to AC. The charts without any problems are automatically saved to the AC database. More details below.
The AstroConnexions folder in your Dropbox is automatically created by the AstroConnexions app so that you can place your exported chart files there. Please note that only you have access to that folder.
The AstroConnexions folder, and the Apps folder is created by AC via the Dropbox api. Do not create these folders yourself.
Note: Currently the import routine cannot handle SFcht files available from the Databank ADB database These SFcht files can be very large and hold thousands of charts which may cause AC to crash with an out of memory error. Therefore you are advised to only use the method outlined here to create SFcht files for export to AC.
(Scroll down for iOS Astro Gold routine)
Email SFcht files to yourself – this us the Windows Solar Fire procedure.
Exporting a SFcht chart file – selecting a chart. Note many or all charts can be selected for export/import. (Fifty approx max)
Export a SFcht chart file – select email menu option
Export a SFcht chart file – email charts window
Alternative Method
- Select the charts from the SF Chart Database , eg Business SFcht – see animated GIF below
- Copy to a new SFcht file in the SF Chart Database – see animated GIF below
- Copy the SFcht file to your Dropbox AstroConnexions folder
Path to the your (new) Solar Fire chart files is:
C:\Users\XXXX\Documents\Solar Fire User Files\Charts (XXXX is your Windows user name)
Solar Fire files and folders – SF Help file
Animated GIF – Creating a SFcht file from a selection of chart files.
Select the SF Chart Database from the Open file – second icon from top left.
Solar Fire Gold ver 9 is used.
Solar Fire SFcht files
A similar method – animated GIF – from the SF Calculated files list.
Solar Fire Gold ver 9 is used.
Solar Fire SFcht files from calculated files
Alternative SFcht files path
SF chart files
Path: C:\Program Files (x86)\SolarFire8\User Files\Charts
The above files can be safely used to import SF charts into AC.
Astro Gold Export (iOS) – iPad.
The procedure to email Your Chart Files from Astro Gold is not too complicated.
1. email the SFcht to yourself.
2. Open Dropbox app on your iPad if not done so already. Save attached SFcht file (from email app) to Dropbox AstroConnexions folder.
3. Connect to Dropbox if not done in AC. Tap import SFcht charts in AC. See below…
Astro Gold – Selecting Export
Selecting MyCharts for Export by email
Astro Gold export – Selecting MyCharts for Export by email
The procedure to copy the SFcht file into you AstroConnexions Dropbox app folder is shown below. I use Spark (email app) on my iPad. Screenshot from standard iOS Mail app shown too. Use the share button/selection in your email to copy the SFcht file to the AstroConnexions Dropbox app folder. The procedure is identical for Solar Fire Sfcht files and Astro Gold SFcht files.
Email procedure on my iPad
iOS Mail app.
Exported charts from Astro Gold App. Long- press over the attached file, and save
Exported charts from Astro Gold App – Save to Dropbox
Using Spark email
Email with the SFcht file attachment
Selecting a method to put the file into Dropbox. Select Save or Share.
Selecting Dropbox from the resultant Save selection.
Dropbox folder procedure
Selecting the correct folder. Please note the AstroConnexions folder, and the Apps folder is created by AC via the Dropbox api. Do not create these folders yourself.
Select the Apps Folder
Select the AstroConnexions Folder
Save your file
Save your file here
A similar procedure can be followed if you have a Mac.
Importing the file into AC
Note that the first time you connect to Dropbox the import table may be blank so you may have to exit the AC Import form and open again to refresh the Import table – your SFcht file will then be displayed.
Import SFcht files
Use SFcht file preferences where possible – get House System and Rodden Rating from the SFcht record
All done importing
Import Analysis Table. Tap the record to proceed.
Forward Geocoder, and analysis of the date/time etc.
Forward Geocoder result
Saving the Chart. The chart is automatically saved to AC.
Checking that the Rodden Rating is correct.
AC Stonewall Jackson Chart. After importing the SFcht file.
AC Stonewall Jackson Chart
Solar Fire Stonewall Jackson Chart
Solar Fire Stonewall Jackson Chart
AC Stonewall Jackson. Plain Chart style
AC Stonewall Jackson. Plain Chart style
An example of a list of successfully imported SFcht files
List of successful imported SFcht Files
An example of a listing of already imported SFcht Files
Already imported SFcht Files
Notes:
SFcht chart files can hold more than one chart record. AC can handle more than one chart at a time, ie it’s possible to import more than one chart at a time if a SFcht file holds more than one chart record.
SFcht chart files are binary and cannot be examined like a CSV file.
Astro Gold SFcht files – they always state (last time I examined them) the Placidus house system. No Rodden Rating is given. Therefore when importing Astro Gold files Rodden Rating is taken from the Rodden Rating on the AC Import form.
Solar Fire files – have an entry for the House System and Rodden rating.
To use the Rodden Rating and House System on the AC form switch off the ‘Use SFcht file preferences where possible’.
AC recognises Solar Fire chart files as
• Natal
• Horary
• Solar Return (natal location)
• Lunar Return (natal location)
AC recognises Astro Gold chart files either as
• Natal
• Horary
Transit, progressed or other charts are ignored if importing them.
Batch Geocoding
Why doesn’t AC process geocoding as a batch? This would make the AC import process much faster. Apple applies a restriction:
The geocoding service which supports CLGeocoder is not meant to batch geocode locations, but is meant to be used as necessary as the device moves, and places and addresses need to be shown to the users. Selectively and sparingly. If you must, the general rule of thumb is to not send more than one geocoding request per minute.
Video
Here’s a video that shows part of the process of importing quick*charts. This is very similar to the process of importing SFcht charts.
iPad used for Video: iPad Air 2.