Detailed description of changes I have made in original version of Astrolog, are given in history of changes. But there changes are in chronological order and it's difficult to see main changes. Here changes are devided between different areas, which helps to see, what's made.
Alois Treindl modified Astrolog 5.40 and named new version 5.41. It contains the new Swiss Ephemeris instead of the older Placalc ephemeris. The responsibility for this modification is with Alois Treindl. Original Astrolog 5.41 with all related files is available at ftp://www.astro.com/pub/astrolog/.
I used Astrolog 5.41 as a base, where are moved my changes, made in previous versions.
If Astrolog doesn't find file, it doesn't attempt to start wordpad or WEB browser but prints only warning, that it can't find file.
In this context more correct termin instead of "zenith" and "nadir" is astronomical termin "culmination" that means transit over meridian. There are two culminations: "upper culmination" when planet has highest position and "lower culmination" when planet has lowest position. So in the chart termins "zeniths" and "nadirs" are replaced by "culm.(up)" and "culm.(lo)" respectively.
Now any use of relationship charts (in menu "Info") switches off "Do Progression" (in "Chart" => "Progressions"). And vice versa, switching progression on (in "Chart" => "Progression") switches off any comparison. As result Astrolog is displaying just what it has to dasplay, no confusion.
NB! Use such input files carefully! They are treated by astrolog as files "with no time and space", so a lot of chart types can't be used with them. An examples are all progression charts, because they needs birth-chart time to calculate progressions.
However, discussion in alt.astrology shows, that exist two points of view to flipping also MC -IC:
1) MC is defined as upper culmination, then MC - IC aren't flipped, but
MC is under horizon.
2) MC is defined as culmination above horizon and MC - IC are flipped.
In changed version user can select, flip in circumpolar situation only ASC or both ASC and MC, and house cusps seems correct.
Best data of Centrum of Galaxy gives J. Shklowsky (- 17h 42' 30" -29 deg 02', results of radioastronomy).
Since version 5.30a are added switches, which allows SET aspect ORBS for stars
(in degrees), default 1.2 deg, and switch on/off alternative star restrictions.
In alternative case automatically are unrestricted only stars, which conjuncts
or have any aspect with other unrestricted objects. These "unrestriciton rules"
can be set by user.
Here you can look example of output with default settings.
Colors: ( <value> )
0 - black, 1 - maroon, 2 - dk. green, 3 - orange, 4 - dk. blue, 5 - purple, 6 - dk. cyan, 7 - lt. gray, 8 - dk. gray, 9 - red, 10 - green, 11 - yellow, 12 - blue, 13 - magenta, 14 - cyan, 15 - white.
"Save settings" in Windows version saves also these stars colours settings.
where value:
-YUO1 <orb1>
-YUO2 <orb2>
These switches are obvious, they sets orbs for automagic restrictions above
(for YUP 1 and YUP 2 respectively), default orbs are 1.166666667
deg (1deg10').
When you use -YUP <value>, don't worry about switching on/off
"alternative stars restriction", it will be automatically back to previous
value when you get -YUP 0.
I dindn't add anyhing to Windows version menus, all can be comfortably done by
macros like
{M0 1 "_v -Z0 -U -Up -YUP 1"}
DOS version supports all new switches above.
That caused also changes in info-borders of graphical wheel charts (look just below).
Animation of such picture gives good possibility to look to moving of planets and important points in time and hepls to understand problems with polar MC and Asc.
Astrolog 5.30f allows to change dashennes of aspect lines relatively to calculated power, not exactness. That means, solid are all aspects with power more than 8.0 (default setting), and weak aspects are dached even they are exact. New feature is realized in "bonus mode" (-Xi switch or pressing the i key in graphics wheel window). That allows change between "aspects by exactness" and "aspects by power" by the fly. In some cases changes in chart are great, in some cases small. To be sure, which mode is in using, to info border just below "Astrolog 5.30f" in bonus mode are now words "Bonus mode". Originally in bonus mode are shown only planets without aspects.
One can change minimal aspect power to be solid by new switch -YPp.
Default value is 8.0. In Windows version value can be changed in menu "Obscure settings".
Added new graphics outputs. The idea was given by Theodore Natsinas the author of "Astro - Chart ", (1992) published by Compupress - Greece. Any comments or opinions about it can be mailed to: tednat@compulink.gr
a) Tension - harmonic chart. On graphics wheel chart instead of standard aspects distribution of tensions/harmonics are displayed. Over the Zodiac for every point is calculated sum of powers of all aspects to this point, oppositions and squares has negative influence, trines and sextiles positive (conjunctions aren't taken into account as neutral). Tension points are placed near center, harmonics near outside of wheel. Result is like some flower, where petals shows harmonic areas, intervals between petals shows tension areas. Ring in center shows neutral level. This chart can be reversed, and petals shows tension areas.
To disallow this option enough to set both coefficients to 1.0. In Windows version these switches are available in menu "Aspect Settings".
"Rising and setting" chart is only exception among searching charts that shows time with seconds. Even with default setting d: 48 times are off by only a few seconds, and it is quick enough to show precise (by seconds) times with d: 96 in reasonably short time. Note, that values of azimuth angles in rising/setting moment are extremely sensitive of time changes (very small change of time causes big change in azimuth) and can be off by a few seconds. To improve azimuth precision one has to increase division value up to hundreds.
All input files with old time/location format can be used, but all outputs are saved only in new time/location format.
=YZ
to astrolog.dat file and it will be deafult setting.
To correct this situation, there has been added another calculation of Solar Arc - first secondary progressed Sun's position is determined and then all chart components are moved accordlingly.
To avoid misunderstanding, existing Solar Acr calculations remains, but have now corrected name "Degree Per Day/Month", as earlyer one can change amount of degrees per year (more strictly, amount of days for 1 degree direction. See description of -p0 and -pd switches in helpfile.540). Added calculation is named "Solar Arc Directions" and there Sun's position follows secondary progressed Sun positions, all other point in chart are moved accordlingly.
Existing switches -p0, -p0n remain as previously. For new correct "Solar Arc Directions" calculations new switches -p1 and -p1n are used. In Windows version all can be done through menus: "Chart" => "Progressions..."
Note, that Ayanamsha has negative value and dafaults to Fagan Bradley. Ayanamsha control in "Calculation Settings" has a dropdown to allow quick selection of some common systems of sidereal astrology. The values are additions to default value and they are 0.0 for Fagan Bradley, 0.883333 (or 0 degrees 53') for N.C. Lahiri, 0.983333 (or 0 degrees 59') for Krishnamurti, and 2.333333 (or 2 degrees 20') for B.V. Raman. On the screen has shown resulting value.
1. First (or single) data/time is always bright white.
2. Second date/time is always yellow.
3. JD (which is actually also time/date) has color of corresponding date/time above (as yellow in case of transit comparison or direction charts). If JD doesn't correspond to neither date/time above (as in case of progressions where JD corresponds to date/time of planets' positions on the screen), color is green. Note, that in case of Synastry and Comparison charts JD will be yellow, becsuse it corresponds to second date/time above (data of second chart).
In "Degree per Days" dropdown are also available:
365.25636 (sidereal year)
27.321582 (tropical month)
27.321661 (sidereal month)
29.530588 (synodic month)
Other more exotic (like Draconic) years/months aren't included.
Since version 5.30a is added new switch -Yr, which allows to change these data and set as ruler of sign any planet, even Uranian. As result, on graphics dispositor chart can be more than 10 fixed planets (originally Mercury and Venus rules two signs) but maximum 12, his own planet for every sign. Using of switch:
Example below changes ruler of Virgo to Proserpina and ruler of Libra to Chiron.
Here you can look an example of such chart.
This switch changes also data, where planet is argument, that means, no need for additional switch -YJ <object> <sign> <old_value>. Such change of ruler of sign changes also results of planets powers calculations, because changed version of Astrolog uses dispositor data in power calculations.
Using of this switch is probably very rare, so best way is put it to astrolog.dat file.
That simplifies use of the same astrolog.dat file for both changed and original versions - for original version simply comment out all switches, described in this section.
Fortunately the Swiss Ephemeris calculates speeds in latitude, so in version 5.41E real appplying/separating parallel/contraparallel aspects are calculated. Note that it's necessary to use the Swiss Ephemeris to calculate them. With _b switch (don't use ephemeris files) Matrix routines are used and speeds in latitude aren't calculated, and these aspects won't be calculated in that case - as in original version, aspects are then always shown as separating.
Just by standard Astrolog rules there are object and color numbers or names (see helpfile.540), so all examples below will give you blue Mars :)
There n is number of aspect, name and abbreviature are new name and abbreviature for this aspect. Best way to use is put them to astrolog.dat file.
NB! <abbreviature> MUST be three characters. Astrolog doesn't check lenght of new abbreviature, and in other case most outputs where aspect abbreviatures are used, will be distorted.
