FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Find help with installation, activation, moving your charts and using Solar Fire X. Search a question or choose a topic.
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Installation
Where is my download link?
Check your delivery email and spam folder. New purchases and Solar Fire 9 upgrades should receive download details automatically; upgrades from Solar Fire 8 or earlier may take 1–3 business days. If the email has not arrived, contact orders@alabe.com with your order number.
Is Solar Fire X available on CD?
No. Solar Fire X is supplied as a download. Your delivery email contains the Windows and Mac download links.
How do I install Solar Fire X on Windows?
Download SolarFireXInstaller.exe using your delivery email, open it and choose Install. When installation finishes, choose Finish with Open Solar Fire X now selected, or open the program from its installed shortcut.
How do I install Solar Fire X on Mac?
Download SolarFireX.zip, extract it and open SolarFireX.dmg. Drag Solar Fire X into Applications, wait for copying to finish, eject the disk image, then open the installed app from Applications.
Why does Windows ask for permission or show a security warning?
The installer needs administrator approval. Check the publisher shown in the prompt; if it says Unknown publisher or installation is blocked, send support@alabe.com a screenshot of the exact message rather than bypassing it.
Why does my Mac ask whether I want to open the app?
macOS may ask you to confirm opening an app downloaded from the internet. Choose Open for the copy downloaded through your delivery email. If a different security warning blocks it, send support the exact message.
Why does opening the Mac disk image not install the app?
The disk image is the installer container. Drag Solar Fire X into Applications first, wait for the copy to finish, then open the copy in Applications. Opening the disk image alone does not complete installation.
Activation
How many computers can I install it on?
Your license allows installation on up to two supported computers for your own use. If activation fails when replacing a computer, contact support@alabe.com; uninstalling an older copy does not automatically release an activation.
What do I enter in the activation window?
Copy the Name, Serial Number and Password from your delivery email exactly, including capital and lowercase letters. Choose Activate while connected to the internet.
Why will activation not complete?
Check your internet connection and compare all three registration fields with your delivery email. If the error remains, email support@alabe.com with your serial number and the exact message shown under Result. Do not send your password.
Do I use my old Solar Fire 9 registration details?
Use the registration name, serial number and password supplied for Solar Fire X in your delivery email. Those details take precedence over credentials from an earlier version.
Moving from Solar Fire 9
Can I bring my Solar Fire 9 files across?
Yes. In Solar Fire X, choose Utilities → Import Charts, Files, and Settings…. The utility automatically looks for older Solar Fire libraries. Select the detected library, choose the files and settings to bring across, and review the results. Use Folder Browse or Zip File Browse only if the library is not found or you transferred it from another computer. Your source files stay unchanged.
How do I move from Windows or Parallels to Mac?
Open the import utility in the native Mac version of Solar Fire X. It automatically checks Documents, which Parallels shares with macOS by default, so your Solar Fire 9 library may already appear. Only if it is not found, make the library available in Finder and use Folder Browse or Zip File Browse.
How do I move from Parallels to the native Mac version?
Install and activate Solar Fire X in macOS, outside the virtual machine. Select the Solar Fire 9 library the importer finds in shared Documents, or use Folder Browse or Zip File Browse for a copy you moved to your Mac. Keep your Windows setup until you have checked the imported work.
How do I move from Solar Fire 9 to X on the same Windows PC?
Back up your Solar Fire User Files folder and close Solar Fire 9. Open the import utility in Solar Fire X and select the older library it finds in Documents. If your library is elsewhere, use Folder Browse.
Where do I find my Solar Fire 9 files?
The usual library is the Solar Fire User Files folder in Documents. If you changed the location or kept custom charts elsewhere, use those actual locations. Copy the whole library folder, including its subfolders.
Does installing Solar Fire X automatically bring my old charts across?
No. Installation and file import are separate steps. After installing and activating Solar Fire X, open Utilities → Import Charts, Files, and Settings… and select the library to import.
Can I import a ZIP without extracting it first?
Yes. Choose Zip File Browse in the import utility and select a backup ZIP containing your Solar Fire library. The utility opens the ZIP into a temporary folder before you choose what to import.
Will my older version of Solar Fire still work?
The import utility only reads and copies your old library; it does not change those source files. Keep the older installation and a separate backup until you have checked the imported charts and custom files.
Can I run Solar Fire X and an older version at the same time?
Keep the older version installed while you check the move. For the transfer itself, close Solar Fire 9 before backing up or copying its library. Contact support if you need a workflow with both programs open; simultaneous operation has not been confirmed by these migration instructions.
Will the import replace my current settings?
Only if settings are selected and you approve Replace Settings. Choose Keep My Settings to retain your current Solar Fire X preferences while bringing selected files across. Some unchanged Solar Fire 9 defaults are left out so the new defaults remain.
What happens if an imported file has the same name as one already here?
Identical files can be reused. A different file with the same name can be saved with an imported name. Some preference files are replaced only when you approve settings replacement; review the results and keep your backup.
What should I check after importing?
Read the results, including Not brought across. Open familiar charts and compare their birth details, locations and positions; check comments, custom wheels and pages, then review your calculation preferences and selected presets.
Can I undo an import?
Yes. Reopen the import utility, select the entry under Earlier imports and choose Revert. Reverting an older import also reverts later imports first. Read the confirmation; files and settings changed after importing are preserved.
What if I stop an import before it finishes?
Files already copied remain, but settings are not applied. Review the results before starting again. The utility recognizes identical files already copied instead of copying them twice.
How do I move Solar Fire X to a new computer?
Install Solar Fire X on the new computer and activate it with your registration details. Back up your chart library, custom files, and settings before transferring them. Contact support for transfer instructions that match your version. A license permits use on up to two computers. If you reach the activation limit when replacing a computer, contact support; uninstalling the old copy does not automatically free an activation.
Computer requirements
Will it work on my computer?
Solar Fire X runs on supported Windows and Mac desktop and laptop computers. Windows needs Windows 10 (64-bit) or Windows 11; Mac needs macOS 14 Sonoma or newer. Check the full processor and hardware guidance before installing.
Do I need Parallels or a virtual machine on my Mac?
No. Solar Fire X runs directly on macOS. You do not need Parallels, Windows, or another virtual machine.
My Mac or PC is very old. Will Solar Fire X work?
Check the operating system and processor against the system requirements. A Mac needs macOS 14 Sonoma or newer. A PC needs Windows 10 (64-bit) or Windows 11 and a compatible processor. Meeting those requirements does not guarantee good performance on older hardware. If you are unsure, contact support with your operating system version, processor, and installed memory before buying.
Can I run Solar Fire X on an iPad, tablet, phone, or Linux computer?
Solar Fire X is designed for Windows and Mac desktop and laptop computers. There is no iPad, iPhone, Android, or Linux version. There is no separate tablet edition.
Does Solar Fire X run on both Intel and Apple silicon Macs?
Yes. The Mac application includes native versions for both. Apple silicon Macs do not need Rosetta.
Are 8 GB RAM and 3 GB free space minimum requirements?
They are hardware recommendations, not tested minimums. Allow additional storage for your charts, imported files, and saved reports.
Updates and support
How do I update Solar Fire X?
Save your work, back up your charts and custom files, and connect to the internet. Choose Help → Check for Updates… and follow the updater’s instructions, allowing the program to close or restart if asked.
Do I need to uninstall the beta before updating?
The beta-user update instructions say to install the current release over the existing copy. On Windows, use the same installation location; on Mac, replace the app in Applications. Back up your charts and settings first.
Is updating the program the same as importing my Solar Fire 9 files?
No. Updating changes the installed Solar Fire X program. Importing brings charts, custom files and supported settings from your old library into Solar Fire X.
What should I send when reporting a problem?
Email support@alabe.com with your Windows or macOS version, Solar Fire X version, what you were trying to do, the steps that caused the problem, and the exact error message. Include a screenshot when useful; for activation problems, include your serial number, never your password.
Where is the user guide?
Use Help in the program or press F1 from a screen for context-sensitive help. The online manual is also available through the user-guide link in your delivery email.