Preferences

You are able to set your own sunPATH preferences.  Select Preferences from the Edit menu.

Preferences - Calculations

Azimuth Bearings
Magnetic North - If this option is selected, all Azimuth bearings will be from Magnetic North.  You will not need to make a correction with your compass for the Magnetic Declination of the location.  Magnetic Declination data for the location must be available for sunPATH to take advantage of this option.

True North - If this option is selected, no corrections for Magnetic Declination will be make in the calculations.  All Azimuth bearings will be from True North.  Any corrections for Magnetic Declination will have to be made by you with your compass.

Time Format
You may select either the 12-hour format as used in the USA (10:00AM, 10:00PM) or the 24-hour format (10:00, 22:00).  The current time from your computer is displayed in your selected format.

Distance Defaults
Select your preferred unit of measurement for distance calculations.

Sun Position Calculations
Select the interval for the sun position calculations.  sunPATH will calculate the sun’s position for every 15 or 30 minute periods. Fifteen minute intervals calculations take more time for long date ranges.

Calculate Prefs Message
If checked, sunPATH will not display the Preference Setting Message after you click on the Calculate button.

Daylight Savings Time (DST)
This setting allows you to change how the program uses Daylight Savings Time.
• Location’s DST - Default setting, sunPATH will determine if DST should be used based on the Location’s DST info and the date.
• Force DST - sunPATH will force the advance of time by the hour set in this preference, regardless of date or location DST information.
• Do Not Use DST - sunPATH will not advance the time regardless of date or location DST information.
If you select a new location or quit sunPATH, the DST preference is reset to the “Location’s DST” default.

Preferences - Sound/Database/Reports

Sound
Click on the arrows to increase or lower the number.
Volume: sunPATH’s sound level. 0 = OFF 7 = Loudest
Button Click Sound: Turns ON/OFF the click sound that is heard when program buttons are pressed.

Location Database
When checked, sunPATH will also use the Expanded Database.  sunPATH will attempt to find the database in the same folder that sunPATH is located.  If it is unable to find the database, you will be asked to locate it.
The Expanded Database is a larger database of locations, including all the locations outside of the USA.

Reports
Days - This option sets the number of days to be printed on each Report Page.  Click on the arrows to increase or lower the number.  One day for each report page must be selected for a graph of each day and shadow length information to be printed.
Seven days per page is the maximum allowed on any report.

Force 1 Copy Only - By checking this item you will force your printer to make only one copy of the report.  If a printer is incompatible with sunPATH it may try to make more copies of the report than you desire (the progress dialog shown after clicking on the Print button may read “Page 1 of xx” xx could be 2 to 360 or more, causing the program to eventually fail.)  See Trouble Shooting in the User Manual.