HER Version 3 FAQ

HER version 3 is a "trialware" or "shareware" program, meaning that you can download it for free and try it out for 30 days at no charge. To use the program beyond 30 days requires "program registration". To register the program, your PC needs an Internet connection (but an alternative non-connected registration method is also available). ONCE REGISTERED, THE TRIAL VERSION BECOMES FULLY FUNCTIONAL (no separate download of the program is needed, other than getting the latest update). After installing the trial program, you can check for the latest update by running Record Keeper (RK) and clicking on "Check for Update" in the Help menu.

To get the trial download, visit our download page at this link.
There are tips for downloading on this page if you need help.

Another way to get the program is to order it on CD for $7.50 at
http://www.dataplus.biz/her3/purchase.htm
This is the same file as you would download, but it is made available for those who may have trouble downloading the large (50+ megabyte) file. The CD charge is just for the CD and does not apply toward program purchase.

Once you have the program file, you simply double-click on the file name (from Windows Explorer) to begin the installation process. If you have the CD, you just click on the installation icon after inserting the CD into your PC. Once the program is installed, you should first run Record Keeper (RK) in order to display the "Product Registration" form which allows you to continue to TRY the program for free or to REGISTER if you decide that the program is right for you.

When you've tried HER long enough to decide that it is right for you, it is time to get out of trial mode and register the program. To do this, go to the Product Registration screen (it appears when you start up RK), and click on the round button that is appropriate for you. If you never purchased HER version 2, choose the first option -- "New Customer". If you purchased HER version 2, choose the 2nd or 3rd option according to when you purchased version 2. The third option is for v2 customers who purchased v2 on or after 5/31/03 (and can register v3 for free). The second option is for HER v2 customers who purchased before 5/31/03 (and can register HER v3 at reduced price).

Now click on the "Purchase or Register Program" button (your PC must be connected to the Internet). You will now be led trough a series of secure windows to complete the registration and you will be asked for credit card info only if applicable to your situation. If you cannot connect the PC to the Internet, see this link.

If you have previously registered HER v3 and want to install it on another PC within your household, please see this link.

Note: If you have updated the program to a newer version since you first registered the program, online re-registration won't work! See "Registering Manually" below for instructions.

You can reinstall the program on the same PC or on other PCs within your household. Just install the base program first (the large one) then install the latest program update. Get these from our download page. The latest update always includes all previous updates.

Now when you get to the Product Registration screen (and your PC is connected to the Internet), click on the [Reinstall] button if your PC is connected to the Internet, or on the [Register Manually] button if not.

If you clicked on Reinstall, you will then need to enter your order number (a number like "ST12345678") and the email address you used when you registered the program.

If you clicked on Register Manually you will be prompted for the name you used to register the program and the (long) serial number (see below).

All of this information is available on the receipt you got when you registered. It is also available from the Help menu of RK on another PC that has the program installed and registered. If you've lost this information, you can send an email to support@dataplus.biz giving your full name and email address.

Registration or reinstallation is normally done via an Internet connection. In special cases, where your PC can not connect to the Internet, or if you are re-registering a newer HER version (than when you first registered), you have the option to register the program manually. If at all possible, first install and register HER on a PC that can connect to the Internet (to get your serial number and registration name).

To register manually, go to the Registration window in RK and click on the "Register Manually" button. You will need two pieces of data to enter...

If you were able to register one installation with a PC that is Internet-connected, this information is available from within the HER RK program. Go to the Help menu on that PC then to "About HER-RK" to see the serial number and name to use -- the name is labeled "licensed to".

If cannot get your registration information, you will need to contact DataPlus Solutions so we can get the serial number for you. At that time please tell us the registration name you wish to use (normally this is your name).

The download file or the CD both install HER v3 in "Trial Mode". The program then becomes fully functional as soon as you register it. All of the data you entered in trial mode stays intact and continues as-is when you register the program.

The time-limited "trial" mode of HER is fully functional EXCEPT that you cannot export or import lesson plans via the Online Library with Lesson Plan Manager (LPM) -- and certain reports in Record Keeper (RK) have "Unregistered" markings on them. Once you register the program, these markings go away and LPM becomes fully functional. In trial mode, you will be able to view a summary of online lesson plans in LPM even though you cannot export/import them.

Both RK and LPM programs may be updated periodically with program enhancements and fixes. You should always make sure you have the latest versions before asking about a particular problem you may be having (it may be fixed in the latest update). Note: the version numbers of RK and LPM are typically not the same.

EACH PROGRAM UPDATE INCLUDES ALL PREVIOUS UPDATES -- so if you missed one or more updates, no worry! Just install the latest update and you get them all.

The version you currently have is displayed in the Home forms of both RK and LPM. It is also displayed if you click on "About..." in the Help menus of RK and LPM. The version is also displayed in the startup windows of both RK and LPM.

To get the latest versions of RK and LPM (they come together in one download), do EITHER of the following...

If you have to reinstall HER from scratch, you must first install the base program (the large file available from our download page or on CD) then install the latest update.

How the Program Does Things

Although this takes you through more steps than you needed in HER version 2, the advantages are...

You only have to do step (5) above whenever you create or update the lesson plan template in LPM. You can build your lesson plan as you go through the year and re-apply it in the Assignments window as needed. This way you don't have to create the entire lesson plan ahead of time.

You can also start applying a lesson plan mid-way through the plan (at a selected sequence number) at the time you apply the lesson plan template. One use of this feature is if you decide to switch lesson plans mid-way through a course.

A course can have more than one lesson plan (very many if needed). The lesson plans are sequenced and if two lesson plans get the same sequence number, they will be scheduled concurrently, falling on the same days.

These are just the basics of how things work. You might want to print the above five-step list as a reference. You can always change your mind on which lesson plans go with which courses, the order of the lesson plans, etc. The program is designed to allow you to change your mind!

Changing Lesson Plans in Mid-Course

If you decide to change the curriculum for a course midway through the school year, here's how.

Note: when you change the lesson plans for a course, it affects all students currently taking the course.

Note: RK version 3.0.4 (and later) has a solution that lets you remove the old lesson plan(s) from a course when changing lesson plans. For earlier versions, you have to add the new lesson plan(s), sequenced AFTER the old, apply the template, then delete the assignments you don't want in the Assignments screen. Here are the details...

1) Create a new lesson plan in LPM that covers the new curriculum. You should start with actual lesson #1 even if the student won't be starting with lesson #1. By starting with lesson 1, you will be creating a complete lesson plan that can be reused later. You can also insert new lessons into a lesson plan later if you wish.

2) In the Assignments screen, make sure that all assignments that are actually done are checked as 'Done'. This assures that they cannot be removed when a new LPM template is applied to the student.

3) In the Course setup screen, select a course that gets the new curriculum. Now click on the [Lesson Plans] button to open the "Lesson Plans for Course" window. Do not delete the old lesson plan, but add the new lesson plan(s) giving them sequence numbers above the old lesson plans. [In RK v3.0.4 and later, you are able to delete the old lesson plan(s) and add the new.]

4) When the Assignment screen opens, click on [Use LPM Template] and apply the LPM template for the course. You can use the either the option that says "Only new ones from LPM" or the "After the last 'done' assignment" options if you want to start using the new lesson plan starting with lesson sequence 1.

If you want to start the new lesson plan mid-way (not necessarily at the first lesson), check the box that says "Start Mid-Lesson Plan" and fill in the prompts. [With RK v3.0.4 and later, choosing this option will allow you to force the start date of the lesson plan (this ties to the ability to remove the old lesson plans from the course).]

Now apply the template.

Assignments will schedule after the last assignment for the old lesson plan in the course. [RK v3.0.4 will allow a forced start date.]

5) Delete the assignments you don't want from the old lesson plan. A good way to do this is to filter the Assignments screen, showing only the course you are working with. Now use the "Delete Multiple Assignments" tab to delete the old (not 'done') assignments you don't want. Be careful that you are selecting only the assignments from the old lesson plan(s). Now the new assignments from the new lesson plan should schedule right after where you left off with the old lesson plan. [In RK v3.0.4, future assignments from delted lesson plans will be removed automatically for you (after you agree to a prompt).]

When you click on [Use LPM Template] from the Assignments window, you get a new window called "Using LPM Templates". In the center of this window are three options for "Assignments I Want to Add"...

I suspect that option 3 is confusing folks. Many think that this it can be used to force a certain date for template assignments. This is NOT its purpose (and the user is warned about this). NOTE: I will probably remove this option in a future update because it is rarely used and can lead to confusion.

Normally a lesson plan begins scheduling with the Begin date as defined for the related course in the Student-Course Record . If a lesson plan is sequenced after a preceding one, it will start after the end of the preceding one. If, however, you need to force a lesson plan to start on another date, click on the box labeled "Start Mid-Lesson Plan" in the "Using LPM Templates" window. This will allow you to pick the start date AND allow you to start with the first lesson or some other sequence number if you wish. NOTE: I will probably rename this box to someting like "Forced Start Date or Sequence Number".

HomeSchool Easy Records version 3 has 'True' unit study support. This means that you can create a unit study lesson plan and a unit study course and have them apply to multiple regular courses that students are taking. The points earned are taken from the unit study assignments and applied to the appropriate courses. This is done through 'subject areas'.

Note: The ability to handle true unit studies comes with a price (learning curve). This is probably the trickiest area of the program to learn, but once you do, the results are very beneficial.

Now the unit study assignments will appear for the unit study course that you set up. This keeps the unit study assignments separated from regular assignments when you are viewing the Assignments screen. When it comes time to calculate a progress report or report card, the power of unit studies kicks in! At that time, the unit study assignments 'give' the points-earned and points-possible to the appropriate regular courses. The program 'knows' how to do this because of the subject-area tie and because you told which regular courses tie to which unit study courses.

Each day with an assignment marked as 'Done' is considered a day of attendance. For multi-day assignments, each day that the assignment schedules on is counted. Field Trip days are also counted as attendance days. This only applies to courses marked as "REPORT" in the Student-Course Record. Note: If an assignment that is marked as 'Done' is manually re-dated to fall on a "no assignments" date (in the Calendar), it will still be counted as a day of attendance.

Assignment Dating

Auto-Dating
-----------
In HER version 3 (v3), "auto-dating" is always turned on so your Assignments will automatically get dated for you according to the repeat pattern of each course and according to the days with "no assignments" in the Calendar. The repeat patterns for courses are found in the Student-Course Record.

If you were a HER version 2 (v2) user, this should save you time from having to enter all of those dates. See Note 1 below if you want to "disable" auto-dating.

Each time you open the Assignments screen (or select a new student or click on ReDate), the auto-scheduling recalculates all dates BEYOND the last assignment marked as 'Done'. If nothing for a course is 'Done' (as in just starting a course), the start date of the course is used to start auto-dating. The course start date is defined in the Student-Course Record.

Special Rule
------------
Auto-dating applies to ...
(a) All assignments that come from lesson plan templates (from LPM)
(b) Hand-entered assignments or assignments imported from v2 AS LONG AS
NO LPM TEMPLATE ASSIGNMENTS ARE MIXED IN with the hand-entered or
v2-import assignments FOR A GIVEN COURSE. As soon as you apply an
LPM template to a course having non-template assignments, auto-dating
applies ONLY to the template assignments. See Note 2 below.

Start Date of a Course (I repeat a bit of info here)
----------------------
Assignment auto-dating for each course begins with the start date of the course found in the Student-Course Record. As soon as at least one assignment for a course is checked as 'Done', a change to the course start date has no effect because auto-dating always begins AFTER the last assignment marked as 'Done' and ignores all prior assignments. This is true even if there are some assignments not checked as Done prior to the last one that IS checked as Done. Auto dating only applies to assignments after the LAST one marked as Done. If you check or uncheck 'Done' in some assignments, then click on ReDate, the auto-dating occurs again according to these rules.

Note: Do NOT give a course a completion date in the Student-Course Record until the course is actually done if you want to use lesson plan templates from Lesson Plan Manager (LPM). If the course has a completion date the templates won't work for that student/course.

Bumping Assignments Forward
---------------------------
You can pick any of the following methods that suit your needs...

For all students and all courses:
- Create a "no-assignments" type of event in the Calendar for the dates you want to skip, save the change, then re-open the Assignments screen.
- Example: Spring Break (no assignments for any student).

For all courses for an individual student:
- Create a "no-assignments" type of event in the Calendar for the dates you want to skip, restrict it to the chosen student, save the change, then re-open the Assignments screen.
- Repeat this for another student if needed (there is no option for "a few students at a time").
- Example: A certain student needs to skip all assignments for a given number of dates but other students schedule normally.

For a certain student/course:
- Example: A certain student needs to skip assignments for a given number of days for a certain course.
- Beginning with RK version 3.0.4 you can insert 'Skip Assignments' to schedule around certain dates. This is like bumping future assignments ahead in time...

- Other methods (besides using 'Skip assignments': Go to the last assignment marked as Done (you may need to mark it) and do either of

Bumping Assignments Backward
----------------------------
For individual students and courses:
If your student is working faster than scheduled, you can go to the last 'Done' assignment and change the date to an earlier date then click ReDate.

Note: you cannot change the date of template assignments that are not checked as 'Done'. This is the job of the auto-scheduler.

For all students and all courses:
If you had a no-assignments calendar entry, you can shorten its duration.

Differences from HER v2 (for former v2 users)
-----------------------
- v2 could not bump backwards (changing to earlier dates) -- v3 can
- v2 could not allow each course to redate to its own day-of-week
pattern -- v3 can
- v2 did not automatically redate your assignments each time you opened
the assignment screen -- v3 does. So with v3, changes to your school
Calendar are automatically applied to your assignments. In other words,
bumping is automatic.

Notes
=====
Note 1: "Disabling" auto-dating.
Since auto-dating can't be turned off, you can "trick" the program into not auto-dating by going to a future assignment and checking it as 'Done'. Now all assignments prior to this one will be "hidden" from the auto-scheduler. For non-template assignments, you can then manually change the dates of any assignment prior to the last 'Done' one. For template assignments, a date still may only be changed if 'Done' is checked. You can then un-check 'Done' if you wish and the date won't change the next time auto-dating occurs.

Note 2: Mixing Template and Non-template assignments
If you combine template assignments with hand-entered or v2-imported (non-template) assignments, auto-dating will apply only to the template assignments. This is because the non-template assignments can no longer have a predictable sequencing (when mixed with a template). This is true only for the individual student/course that has the mixed assignments.

Installing HER on extra Computers / Networking

Licensing
---------
The HomeSchool Easy Records licence agreement allows you to purchase one copy (actually one license) of HER v3 and then install it on as many computers as you have in your home (a single household).

Data Sharing
------------
For 'live' data sharing, it is assumed that the additional PCs are networked together. If the PCs are networked, you will be able to share ONE set of HER data across all computers -- at the same time ('live'). If the PCs are not networked, your HER data is valid on ONLY ONE PC AT A TIME and to move data from PC-to-PC requires backup/restore to a CD or other media so that you can carry the media from PC to PC (see 'Data Moving' below).

To share data on a network, designate one PC as the PRIMARY PC (usually a desktop or a PC that is turned on most often) and treat the primary PC as your actual data source. The data source is set from the FILE menu of both RK and LPM. When you install, the default data source (folder) is the folder where HER is installed -- typically this is
c:\program files\dataplus solutions\ RKLPM

Data Moving
-----------
If you want to move data between PCs that are NOT networked you just need to remember that the data is only valid on THE LAST PC ON WHICH A CHANGE IN DATA WAS MADE. Call this the "current data". To move data from PC "A" (which has the current data) to PC "B", do a backup to a disk or flash drive on PC "A". Now carry the backup to PC "B" and do a data-restore operation (from the File menu). This must be done for both RK and LPM (if you are using LPM). Now if you edit or add data on PC "B", that becomes the "current data".

Installing on Other PCs
-----------------------
You can install HER on other PCs after the primary PC is set up with HER. When you do so, go to the File menus of both RK and LPM and change the Data Source to "point" to the HER installation folder on the primary PC.

Registering
-----------
To register the program on another PC see this link.

How are final grades created?

Final grades for courses are always calculated from actual assignment scores. One exception is that if you were a version 2 (v2) user, your final grades were imported as-is from your HER v2 data -- even if they were hand-entered in v2. In HER v3, you cannot hand-enter final grades as they must be calculated from assignments. If you are needing a quick way to get a final grade, enter at least one assignment per course (make sure "Show" and "Report" are checked in the Student-Course Record) then create a Report Card for the grade-level you want. This will calculate the period grades and the final grades.

With HER v3, you can carry over a course from one school year to the next without having to create separate courses to split things up as was necessary in HER v2.

As long as a course is checked as "Show" in the Student-Course Record, it will appear in the Assignments screen. As long as the course does NOT have a completion date it is considered an active course. One special note: for carry-over courses, you may need to make use of the 'forced grading period' (in the Assignments screen) for each carry-over assignment in order for the assignment to fall into the correct grading period on the report card.

HomeSchool Easy Records keeps your data in two separate files -- one for RK and one for LPM. By using separate files, you will always be able to get your data back if you ever have to reinstall the program. But you have to do the backups! It is VERY IMPORTANT to run backups of your RK and LPM data frequently (at least weekly is recommended).

Be sure to do backups of the primary PC and save your data to media that is NOT the same hard drive as where the primary HER installation resides. If you are running HER on just one PC, that is the 'primary' PC. If you are sharing data across a network with HER installed on other PCs, the PC that contains the data is the 'primary' PC.

You can run backups at any time by choosing the backup item of the File menu or by choosing the backup option when the program is about to close. Remember that you back up RK and LPM separately. [A future update may include the LPM backup when you run an RK backup.]

The backup file names are listed below. These files can be read by the program and are not 'human readable'.

If you need to reinstall HomeSchool Easy Records you can then recover your data by using the 'Restore' items in the File menu of RK and LPM. This will fetch all of your data from your backup files and you will be right where you were at the time you last ran a backup.

When one school year is completed and you are ready to start a new one, use the following steps. Do not attempt to delete anything from previous school years unless you really don't want certain things kept in the database. Having old data available is always a good idea -- it is part of your permanent homeschool record.

If you were a HER v2 user, you used 'Basic Setup' to select a given school year but this is no longer done in HER v3. HER v3 allows more flexibility by allowing you to still see courses that may be carried over from a previous school year.

Tips on Getting the Most out of HomeSchool Easy Records

On many forms, you can filter and sort what is shown, then when you print a report from the form, the same filtering/sorting will apply to the report.

To scroll up/down a form and keep the cursor in the same field, press the Control+9 keys together to go UP the list and Control+0 keys together to go DOWN the list. I couldn't get the up/down arrows to do this so this was the next best thing! - Vince D.

If you aren't seeing enough information in some of your HER forms it may be that the screen resolution setting of your PC display isn't set high enough.

When running HER v3, the recommended minimum screen resolution you should have is 1024x768. If you're not sure what this is -- it's the number of dots or "pixels" that can appear on your PC screen. The higher the numbers, the more you can fit on your screen. Higher settings show you more but also reduce the size of words and images (the good old tradeoff).

To see and possibly change your screen resolution, go to Start->Settings->Control Panel and click on "Display". Now click on the "Settings" tab. Here you should see settings for "Screen Resolution" or "Screen Area" which you should be able to change.

If you want to quickly enter courses and final grades, here's how. You may want to do this if you are just starting to use HER and you want to "catch up" on courses from previous years. You may also need to quickly create a report card or transcript. Here are the steps...

1) Create the Courses you need by defining each one in
the Courses window
2) Apply the courses to the student using the Student-Course
Record window
- Make sure the Report and Show boxes are checked for
each of these courses
3) Open the Assignments window and give a single assignment
for each course and grade it.
- This is manual assignment entry (no need for
lesson plan templates).
- Pick a date that is at the beginning or end of the school year
(for creating a final grade, this date isn't that important).
- The assignment text doesn't matter but it might be something like
"Year summary".
- Give points-earned and points-possible to yield the final
grade you need
(The size of points-possible doesn't really matter. Use 100 as the
easiest way to figure a percentage).
- Close the Assignments window.
4) Open the Report Card under the Reports menu
- Select the student and student level and click on Create Report
- This final grades for the courses for the chosen student level
- Repeat this for any other student levels needed
- You can now print a transcript it will show final grades

If you need report cards, you will need to create at least one assignment in each grading period (back to step 3). This also requires you to define the dates of the grading periods in the Calendar window. You won't be able to show attendance, however unless there are assignments on for every day of attendance (normal record keeping).

Problems You May Be Having

If you are a Vista user, be sure to install version 3.2.0 of HER Record Keeper (or a later version, if available) from our download page. It fixes a number of problems created by the Vista operating system, including issues related to printing assignments.

Note: HER v3 did not experience problems when it was developed (before Vista was available).

Also please follow these recommendations if you use Vista...

- Install and run HER v3 when logged in to Vista as an "administrator" user
- You may have to uninstall HER first if you didn't install HER as administrator
- To uninstall HER, go to the Control Panel, then to "Add/Remove Programs"
- Now for each icon or menu item that you use to start up HER (for both Record Keeper and Lesson Plan Manager), go to the properties setting and check the box that says "Run as Administrator" (usually under the Compatibility tab). To get to the properties setting, right-click on the icon or menu item and then click on "Properties".
- If you have problems starting LPM via the smiley face in RK, try starting it from a desktop icon or menu item (using the above tip).

Note: Running as Administrator is known for sure to fix the "ECom form not open" error.

Vista: HER Built-in Help doesn't work

Microsoft didn't do us any favor by withdrawing support for traditional help files (.hlp format). If you are a Vista user and your Help files don't work for you, follow the procedures at this link to get things going again.

Note: This is fixed in RK version 3.1.0 (now in beta test -- click HERE to get it).
Some people are getting the error like "C:\TEMP\HSR2DAT.MDB is not a valid path" (or some other longer path) when attempting to import your HER version 2 data. This happens even though you didn't select this path when you searched for your v2 data -- and this path may not even exist on your computer! This is a bug that is being fixed, and the only work-around is to use Windows Explorer to actually create the exact path and folder that is being requested and copy (don't move) your HER v2 data (hsr2dat.mdb) into this folder. Now try the v2 import again. Note: the v2 data file, hsr2dat.mdb, is the same as your v2 backup file -- it is also found in the folder where your HER v2 is installed.

Note: I believe this is fixed in RK version 3.0.3 (click HERE to get latest).
If you open a form (also called a screen or window) and it turns out to be a tiny box that you cannot expand, try the following tip. NOTE: you may have to scroll down the screen to find the window or the tiny box.

When the problem form is open, press the Control+Shift+X keys together, then close and reopen the form. It should now be the size I intended it to be when the program is first installed.

Some forms are designed to be re-sizable in which case you can drag the edge with the mouse and expand the view (usually vertically). The program then will remember the size and location of the form the next time it is opened. It is this "memory" that seems to be messing up and occasionally causing certain forms to have this problem.

Some users have been alarmed to think that their lesson plans "have disappeared" from LPM when they are in the Lesson Plan Summary form. This turns out to be a filtering issue. As soon as the user changes the form filter from "Unit Studies" to "Regular" (or vice versa), the lesson plans appear! Basically, in this form, filtering is ALWAYS ON -- so please be careful of which way it is set.

Most forms allow you to resize them in order to see more lines of data. To resize a form, click on the bottom edge of the form and drag the mouse downward. This should stretch the form vertically so you can see more data. If you don't have enough room on your screen to do this, you probably don't have a high enough screen resolution (see topic).

NOTE: This problem should be fixed in RK version 3.0.2. Please see our download page if you don't have this version or higher.

Are you getting an error (such as error 52) when attempting to backup to a CD or flash drive?

In order for HER v3 to do backups directly to your CD, the CD must be formatted "as a drive letter". This formatting is called "Drive Letter Access" or "DLA". But you may say, "I can see drive letter 'D' (or whatever) when I use Windows Explorer to view my CD drive". OK, but what you are seeing is the drive letter of the CD DRIVE -- not necessarily the letter OF THE CD itself. You may also say that "I can write other files to the CD and I don't have DLA". Yes, this is true if you use Windows directly to copy files. Windows XP, for example, allows you to drag-and-drop or otherwise copy files onto your CD -- but this is not the same as when you are within another program such as HER you need direct access to a CD disk. Then you usually need DLA to get there.

If the above steps don't work, getting DLA to work on your PC depends on your PC and the software needed, called a "DLA driver" is usually supplied with your PC when you purchase it. Otherwise you may need to find and download your own DLA driver. If you don't have it, you should first check the documentation that came with your PC, then contact the company that supplies your PC.

For more information on DLA, here are some helpful links (please let me know if any of these links get stale).

If you can't get DLA to work, you can manually copy your data files to a CD or other backup media by using Windows Explorer. This is the same as doing a backup. The files you need to copy (and their typical locations) are...

c:\program files\dataplus solutions\RKLPM\herlpm1d.mdb (v3 LPM data)

Windows Explorer doesn't show full file names

Microsoft has "helped" us in a way that really is no help at all. The default setting in Windows Explorer is to "hide extensions of known file types". The file name "extension" is the part of the file name after the dot (period). For example in the file name "hsr2dat.mdb" the file name extension is ".mdb". When the file name extensions are hidden, all you will see is the name "hsr2dat". This is confusing to 99% of users. So to see the full file names, do the following...

The first time you associate a lesson plan (from LPM) to a course (in RK), all of the materials from the lesson plan will copy over into the Materials Manager (MM) of RK and will be automatically associated with the chosen course.

Also, as of RK version 3.0.3, new materials added in LPM are automatically copied into the Materials Manager of RK if the lesson plan is in use in RK. The association of the added material to courses still needs to be done within RK, however (automation of this last step is on the wish list). If you don't have RK v3.0.3 or above please get the latest update.

First check that you can view web pages with your web browser to prove that you are connected to the Internet. Then check the following...

As a test, temporarily disable your Internet firewall and virus scanning software and see if you can get to the online library. If that doesn't work, go to Start->Settings->Control Panel then to "Internet Options" then to the "Advanced" tab. Under "Browsing" check the box that says "Use Passive FTP".

Earlier versions of RK could get error messages related to "read-only" files if your RK or LPM data file had become "read-only" somehow. This is fixed in RK version 3.0.3. Please get the latest update.

If you have already started putting data into Record Keeper (RK), but you want to start all over again, you can wipe out all of your RK data just as if you had just installed it for the first time. To do this, get into the RK program then press the Control, Shift, F11 keys all at the same time then follow the prompts. This is a hidden feature because it has pretty serious consequences! But if you really want to start with a clean slate, this is the way to go. This feature is not built into LPM.

Moving from HER Version 2 to Version 3

HER version 3 has many new features that have been requested by users over the years. As with any program, added features can mean an added learning curve and this is the case with HER v3. The good news is that you can TRY version 3 for 30 days before you commit to using it. Your HER v2 will coexist with v3 and you can continue to use v2 while experimenting with v3. If you don't like v3, just remove it and continue with v2.

Some of the advantages of moving to version 3...
- reusable lesson plans (lesson plan templates)
- auto-dating of assignments (manual date entry is still optional)
- reusable courses
- share lesson plans over the Internet (save LOTS of work planning)
- create reusable lesson plan templates from your v2 data
- all of your v2 data carries over to v3
- subcourses are supported (subcourses can be rolled into a parent course)

RECOMMENDED reading (on this page) before you make the switch...
- www.dataplus.biz/her3/help/faq/herv3faq.htm#LPCA
- www.dataplus.biz/her3/help/faq/herv3faq.htm#ADating

Reasons for sticking with HER v2...
- You've been using v2 for years and are almost done homeschooling
- You have only one student or you don't need to re-use or share lesson plans

NOTE: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ONE OR TWO GOOD BACKUP COPIES OF YOUR HER V2 DATA IN CASE YOU EVER NEED THE DATA AGAIN. Filename is "hsr2dat.mdb"

You need to keep HER v2 around as long as you want to do any of the following...

Reasons for Keeping HER Version 2 on Your PC
--------------------------------------------
1) Importing lesson plans from v2 into LPM
2) Importing v2 data into RK (normally done just once)
3) Recreating old v2 reports

You really only need to worry about (2) at the time when you first install HER and start using RK, in other words you should only need to import your v2 data once into RK.

If you aren't concerned about ever running v2 again as in (3) above, all you REALLY may need, is the HER v2 backup file which is called "hsr2dat.mdb". Save it to CD or some other long-lasting backup place. Do a 2nd copy just for assurance.

Why would I need my v2 Backup?
------------------------------
Once you start using v3 and have imported your v2 data into RK, you will do regular backups of your v3 data from within the program. Remember, this means backing up both RK and LPM -- but this is easy as you exit RK. After that, you will only need access to your v2 data if you want to import more v2 lesson plans into LPM.

You would only need your v2 backup if somehow your HER v2 program gets deleted (along with its data). If that were to happen, you would need to copy your v2 backup file back onto your hard drive, preferably into the c:\dpsher folder where it was originally. In this way, LPM would be able to find it and allow you to import more v2 lesson plans.

An Idea
-------
If you want to keep HER v2 on your PC so v3 LPM can see it, but you don't want to see it in your Start menu, you can just delete the v2 Start menu items that to you don't want by right-clicking on them and choosing "Delete". This will delete ONLY the menu shortcut -- not the program itself.

Note: HER v2 does not have an uninstall feature. To "uninstall" you would need to delete the folder that contains HER v2. This folder is "c:\dpsher" unless you changed it when you installed v2. Remember your v2 data is also in this folder so don't delete the folder unless you have your v2 data backup done!

--- end ---

In HomeSchool Easy Records version 2, weekdays during the school year are considered "school days" unless marked as "no school" days in the school year calendar. This assumption makes it easier for you to track attendance - you don't have to check days as "attended" all the time. The "Days Attended" (for student x) counts all weekdays since the 1st school day (in Basic Setup) (call this "A") through the most recent day with an assignment (for student x) (call this "B"). Then it subtracts any days marked as no-school days in the school calendar and any days marked as absent (for student x). Then it adds in any weekend school days.

For "Days Attended" it doesn't matter how many days in between "A" and "B" actually have assignments or how many minutes are in the assignments. The time recorded in the lessons only counts toward "Days Earned" which appears only on-screen in the School Year Calendar. Days Attended appears on the Report Card and the Progress Report.

When you first install HER v3, you will be asked if you are a former v2 user which will allow you to find and import your v2 data into v3. You can also get RK to ask you again for your v2 data even after you have been using v3 for a while -- just go to the Setup menu and select "Look for Version 2 Data" -- then follow the prompts. See Notes 1 and 2 below.

When it comes time to import your v2 data, you will be able to get it from the 'live' location on your PC (the folder where HER v2 is installed -- or even over a network) OR from a v2 backup (disk, memory stick, network drive) that you have.

Note 1: You should be able to import v2 data more than once without creating any duplicates of students, courses, assignments, etc. You may need to do this if for some reason you cantoned to user v2 after importing to v3 at an earlier time, then you want to get the latest records from v2 to v3.

Note 2: Beware if you have changed student IDs in v3 so that any are different from what they were in v2. Different student IDs will be treated as different students and the records will not combine! The Student ID is usually the student's initials such as 'ABC' (capitalization does not matter). So 'ABC' is the same as 'Ab' but 'Alice C' or 'ABACK' will be a different student to the program. Tip: make sure you use the same Student ID letters in v3 as you did in v2 to avoid confusion. You can change existing Student IDs in v3 at any time without creating any problems.

All purchases are handled by a very good (third-party) company called eSellerate. If you have questions about a credit card payment for the eSellerate CD or for a purchase of your HER license, please contact eSellerate directly as follows. We (DataPlus Solutions) do not get directly involved with these transactions.
https://store2.esellerate.net/store/support/Default.aspx
Or email them at support@esellerate.net
Or Phone: (402) 323-6600

Wish list and known problems

We publish a list of suggested program changes and additions (the "Wish List") combined with a listing of reported program problems (the "Fix List"). Our philosophy is "don't hide reported problems". To view the list please click on the link below.

The column titled "Priority" is the actual order that I am working in. The lower the priority number, the sooner I will get to it. Note, as the "votes" roll in on HER-Discuss (our discussion group), the priorities can change!

Click here (PDF file) to see the program history and what has been fixed in each version of HER for both Record Keeper (RK) and Lesson Plan Manager (LPM).

Beta releases occur prior to formal releases. If there is currently a beta version available, you can try a beta release by following this link. The items that should be fixed are listed in the "ready list".

Catch-All

Note: This is a repeat of info covered in the HER-Discuss message board -- click here to learn more about joining this list to stay up-to-date on the HER program.

If your version of Lesson Plan Manager is 3.0.0 you need to upgrade to 3.0.1 or above to fix the "Owner ID" problem. This problem gives the wrong "Owner ID" to any lesson plans you create. To see the ID you are using, start LPM and click on "Import/Export Lesson Plans" which brings up the "Export/Import Lesson Plans" form. At the top of this form is "Your Owner ID". If you see "VFD042280403" you have the wrong ID! (That's my ID -- Vince Dugar -- designer of the program). This is sort of OK except that if you export any lesson plans to the online library, your plans will have this wrong ID and it can be deleted by anyone else with LPM version 3.0.0. who hasn't yet upgraded to LPM version 3.0.1 or higher.

To see the lesson plan ID of each plan you created or imported, double-click on the Course Name in the Lesson Plan Summary form of LPM. If it ends in "VFD042280403" it's the wrong ID. I call this the "VFD" lesson plan ID.

How to see the Owner ID of online lesson plans...

1) Open LPM
2) Click on "Import/Export Lesson Plans"
3) Click on the Import Tab then click on
   "Get Fresh List from the Internet"
4) When the Online-Library Lesson Plan Index window appears,
   The "LPID" just below the "Title" box shows the full
   lesson-plan-ID. This number ends in the "Owner ID"

If the Owner ID is "VFD042280403", that lesson plan needs to be re-exported by the lesson plan creator AFTER they update to LPM version 3.0.1 or later.

A quick way to scroll through all lesson plans when in the Online-Library Lesson Plan Index window ...

Click on the top line in the Quick Find list
- Now use the down-arrow key to scroll down the list

Remember to change the Filter at the top of the window to see both Regular and Unit Study lesson plans.

HomeSchool Easy Records Version 3 FAQ
(Frequently-Asked Questions)

Main Topics

Contents

How the Program Does Things

Tips for getting the most out of HomeSchool Easy Records

Problems You May be Having (items marked *** are fixed in an update)

Moving from HER Version 2 to Version 3

scroll down to see more...

Getting Started with HER Version 3

How the Program Does Things

Tips on Getting the Most out of HomeSchool Easy Records

Problems You May Be Having

Moving from HER Version 2 to Version 3

Wish list and known problems

Catch-All

HomeSchool Easy Records Version 3 FAQ (Frequently-Asked Questions)

Main Topics

Contents

How the Program Does Things

Tips for getting the most out of HomeSchool Easy Records

Problems You May be Having (items marked *** are fixed in an update)

Moving from HER Version 2 to Version 3

scroll down to see more...

Getting Started with HER Version 3

How the Program Does Things

Tips on Getting the Most out of HomeSchool Easy Records

Problems You May Be Having

Moving from HER Version 2 to Version 3

Wish list and known problems

Catch-All

HomeSchool Easy Records Version 3 FAQ
(Frequently-Asked Questions)