Homeschool Chronicles Downloads Page

Welcome to the Homeschool Chronicles Downloads page. We want to provide all the information and support you need whether you are trying to decide if you would benefit from Chronicles, or whether you are already an owner. If you have any concerns or questions, please log them at the help desk for the quickest response. Some of the download files are large for a telephone connection download. If you would prefer a CD be shipped to you go to the online store to request one completely free of charge.

Download a Trial:

You can now download a fully functioning, 30-day trial version of Homeschool Chronicles!

This single file installation gives you the opportunity to see all the capabilities of Chronicles before you buy it. You can then purchase a license at the online store to unlock the trial status.

This file is 26.6 MB in size. This would take approximately 11 minutes with DSL and approximately 3 minutes with cable. If you have a telephone line Internet connection, it would take over 70 minutes to download, and you may wish go to the online store and request a free CD. The CD would have both the Trial version, the audio/video demo, an installation of Internet Explorer 6, and an installation of Windows Media Player.

Download a Demo:

This demonstration is streaming video and audio showing the main features of Homeschool Chronicles. It is like the presentation that we provide at conferences.

The file will begin playing as soon as a small percentage has been buffered. The file is a Windows Media audio/video file (.wmv), which is supported by most players. You can download a free Windows Media player from Microsoft.

You can request a CD with the Demo at no cost. The CD would have both the Trial version and the audio/video demo.

Download an Update:

Homeschool Chronicles updates are intended to offer improved and additional functionality. Check back here for upgrades frequently.

The current files available upgrade to version 1.2.27. The download is approximately 3.6 MB in size (download time about 18 minutes at 28.8K, 9 minutes at 56K, and 1.5 minutes at 384K). See the version information. For the full update installation, click the below button, and save and execute the linked file (3.6MB):

You can request a CD with the current upgrade at no cost. The CD checks your current version and prepares to install the correct upgrade. Also, there is an installation of Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 (sp1) on the CD, Windows Media Player and the audio/video demo.

You can find your current Homeschool Chronicles version number through the following: open Chronicles, select 'About Chronicles' from the Help menu. The About box that appears has your current version number. The version number consists of three numbers separated by decimals. The first number represents a major version, the second a minor version, and the last represents the number of revisions (or compilations and tests.)

For upgrades to work you must have a previous version installed correctly.

Version Information:

Note: some users have found that they were having issues related to the input controls used in Homeschool Chronicles, and that if they uninstall all previous upgrades (not the original HC install) and then run the upgrade, that it resolved these control issues.

Updated in version 1.2.27:

Resolved the error caused by entering more than two records in the Scheduling form. (This occurred only in Windows 2000/XP.)

Updated in version 1.2.26:

Resolved error that occurred for some users related to using the backup feature
Adjusted reports to eliminate errors

Updated in version 1.2.24:

Fix for the error which occurred when you deleted a record or records which were a part of a recurrence sequence. After the first deletion the application would produce an error or freeze up.

Updated in version 1.2.21:

Revised the Library Report for clarity and efficiency
Additional rework of "Close the Year" function, based on user feedback
Small rework of Filter Records function

Updated in version 1.2.19:

A "Close the School Year" function. You can select the "Close through" date, one or all students and whether to backup or not. The close through date and student selections form the name of a folder used to save the previous year data file. The backup file (if selected) and the data file of last years data are saved in this new folder. All the support files (e.g. students, library, subjects, etc.) are maintained in the current and previous year's database. All dated material (e.g. schedule records, reading list, journal, etc.) on or before the Close Through date are in the previous year database. All the dated records after the Close Through date are maintained in the current database.
The Compact/Repair function is now a separate executable file, to save size and memory footprint in the Homeschool Chronicles (HC) application and to be available as a separate process.
On the Students form there is an Immunizations tab. Fields have been added in which you can enter the dates of the vaccinations for each student. There is also a link on that form which takes you to an immunization information page on the Chronicles site.
A School Information report was added, including all the information that is available in the School Information form (thanks to a customer suggestion.)
The Rescheduling function was reworked. An inconsistency related to some holidays was resolved.
In the Library form the former field "Place of Publication" has been changed to "Loaned to" in order for you to keep track of what materials you have lent.
You can now set a default for the recurrence pattern and frequency in the Recurrence Dialog. This is great if you tend to use a particular pattern and frequency most times. For example, if you typically schedule recurring entries Weekly on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, you can make these selections and click the [Default] button. From then on that will be the settings when that dialog opens.
There was a rare incidence of users opening HC and it opening minimized - shown in the task bar, but the screen not visible. This seems to have been related to closing HC with it minimized and that was saved as the correct way to open. This is now resolved. The application can be set to open maximized or "restored" (not maximized or minimized) with certain dimensions. (thanks to a customer suggestion)
With many of the HC upgrades, I try to provide the upgrades to the third party controls used in the application. This includes visible controls for entry, like the drop down calendar and drop down calculator, as well as invisible controls, like the one that resizes the forms for different resolutions. On the last upgrade those third party controls would not register on 95/98 machines. Included in this current upgrade in a version of those controls which seem to work on all windows platforms.
When creating recurring entries or copying from one student to another, there was very limited feedback about the processes that were occurring. More information is now provided. (Otherwise it is possible to think that it is not actually doing anything!)
The manner in which the database location is stored has been changed slightly.

Updated in version 1.2.12:

Resolved the error caused by entering more than two records in the Scheduling form. (This occurred only in Windows 2000/XP.)

Updated in version 1.2.8:

Resolved BOF/EOF error for new users (occurred when deleting a record and for some on opening certain forms)
Combined Assignments and Events forms into the Scheduling form!
Added chores and service as types of scheduling tasks
Resolved 'Operation Cancelled' error in Teacher's Journal and made it possible to add as many entries as you want for a day
Reorganization and update to the Tutorial form
Resolved: If you had entered nine numbers in the zip code field of the Contacts form you could not backspace to remove them
Resolved: Social security number in the Student form would allow entry of more than nine characters, but would remove the characters if there were more than nine
Updated all components and entry controls
Minor updates to the help file

The upgrade to 1.1.25:

Updated: Updated and improved help system
Resolved: Minor control changes in Assignment and Library to avoid errors
Resolved: If curriculum is set to not show in Assignments, but you enter it in the curriculum drop down box, the result is a message to change that setting instead of re-entering multiple versions of one curriculum
Resolved: There was an error when attempting to enter expenses in the Library or Events forms.

The upgrade to 1.1.22:

Resolved: In Report Manager, when selecting Reading List and filtering by student an error was generated.
Resolved: In Assignments/Events forms, when selecting a date - sometimes a message was generated that that date is a holiday, even when it was not.
Resolved: In Assignments you could not enter a Start Time before 8:00 am.
Resolved: Removed the requirement to select a curriculum in the Assignments form. You can still select a curriculum, but you do not have to select a curriculum to create a record.
Updated: In the 'Full Schedule' report 'Directions will now show multiple lines (instead of only the first), and 'Notes' will now show and with multiple lines.
Updated: Changed the report title to read 'Schedule' instead of 'Activities' for the Full and Simple Schedule reports.
Resolved: In Assignments if you entered more than 150 characters in the directions textbox you would receive an error when you saved the record. Now the control limits to 150 and there is no error.
Resolved: In the Report Card report there was an error in the formula figuring the grade point average by subject.
Added: Drop Down Calculators drop down and add when the plus key ("+") is typed.
Added: The school calendar in the School Information for has drop down boxes to select a month or year to go to as the month-by-month approach was slow.
The table in each of the entry forms has been upgraded and reworked. Entry controls are the same as in the single record view (e.g. Points Possible column in the table has a drop down calculator.)
In the form record filter and in the report manager, additional date options have been added (including "Last Week", "Next Week", "Last Month", "Next Month","Last Term",etc.)
All reports have been re-evaluated for speed, accuracy and usefulness.
Resolved: The drop down grids which are used to select such things as Student or Curriculum have been reworked. Their functionality is particularly improved when adding a new record.
Reports now remain in the same folder as the application, so that upgrades affect them. If you move the data file to a location other than the installation folder, the reports will reference the information there.
Some changes have been made in how the application shuts down. This is in an effort to resolve the "CHRONICLES caused an invalid page fault in module MSADO15.DLL ..." that occurs for some users while shutting down the application.

Version 1.1.7

Report fixes to resolve the “unable to locate database” error when opening the Full Schedule, Simple Schedule and Reading List.