Description of astrological exchange JALIF format

JALIF - (JSON AstroLogical Interchange Format) is the JSON-format for exchanging astrological data. The format is similar to the CALIF exchange format, and differs from it in that it is based on JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), not XML. Is he, like the CALIF format, it is intended for the exchange of astrological data between astrological programs. Moreover, astrological data means not only generally accepted data in the form of date-time, coordinates and time corrections, but also extended data, the type of topics of astrological houses, the choice of additional conditions, links of event cards to basic natal charts, etc.

Files of this format have a smaller size than files of the CALIF format, but the sets transferred to them have a strict data set and are typed, which somewhat reduces their extensibility, in contrast to the format CALIF. However, this format can be used as a less voluminous and lightweight alternative to the more general and universal CALIF format.

Attention! DataWorker program, which, among other things, imports and exports data, will convert data from JALIF format to a format that is available for use.

Page contains description of exchange JALIF format

General description of exchange JALIF format
Benefits of JALIF format use
Informational elements of records set
Record data elements (in a set)
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Frequently Asked Questions on format

General description of exchange JALIF format

JALIF is a JSON-file with an arbitrary name and a set of key-value pairs defined by a given storage scheme.

JSON format exchange file allows you to describe any tree structure of database records;
data file encoding - UTF-8;
recordset information elements uniquely identify this format and its recordset;
record elements describe the contents of a single record (chart or event).

Benefits of JALIF format use

Since this format is a lighter clone of the CALIF format, almost all the advantages of the CALIF format are common to this format.

Allows you to organize data storage in a tree structure with any folder configuration.
Can operate with private attributes specific only to a specific program.
Allows you to automate astrological analysis, search for charts and events by a number of signs (type of chart, accuracy of events, topics of querent and quesite, associate events with basic natal charts, analyze quantitative values (for example, change in the exchange rate for a particular exchange), etc.).
It does not depend on the data storage formats (date-time, coordinates, time correction sign, etc.) that are specific to a particular country or community of astrologers.
Supports any languages and does not depend on national encoding (uses UNICODE).
Open and easy to implement thanks to JSON.

To view large pictures, please, mouse click on picture.

Comparison chart of data usage in astrological programs (full analogy with the CALIF format)

Without JALIF format

Each program has a number of data converter from other formats of astrology programs. Advanced program identifies 4-5 formats of astrology programs at least.
If the format is unknown an astrologer has no opportunity to take advantage of this kind of data

With JALIF format

Each program has only 2 converters: from JALIF format to native format (data storage format), from native format to JALIF format.
All data (from any program) generated and placed in a common space are available to any astrologer.

The exchange format enables:

to transfer related charts, pictures and any attributes of charts and events;
to add additional attributes of charts and events: easily expandable;
to generate the base of charts and events of any tree-like structure.

Informational elements of records set

These elements carry the information content of each set of records.

Element	Description	Format, remarks	Variants, exampples
fsign	Format signature	The format signature is required to identify the format of the file.	JALIF_DataFormat
fver	Version of format	YYYYMMDD	20190801
utctag	Attribute of direction of UTC offset	In Russia and Europe it is considered to use positive offsets from UTC to the east of Greenwich, and in the USA vice versa	P - plus east of Greenwich N - negative east of Greenwich
nameset	The name of the data set	SSS...SSS. Any string of characters available	Test example
dtset	Date of formation of a dataset	YYYYMMDDHHMISS (year-month-day-hour-minutes-seconds)	20190801211317
totrec	The number of records in the set	It describes a number of records of a given set	739
author	Information about an author of the data set selection	Astrologer-compiler of the data set/link to a page on the Internet	Astroman
...	other attributes	To be entered if required	...

Record data elements (in a set)

These elements describe the contents of each record (chart or event) related to the set.