gryffnn, You're absolutely right. Reading most manuals do nothing for you the 1st time thru, because you need to experience whatever it is or the terminology goes right by you. It's that way with ANY kinda training, not just computer software. At GM, we used to have the new machine operators read the manual for three days before they ever set foot on a die-cast machine. Then someone finally realized that they didn't understand a word of it. 'Course, that doesn't do much for Ron's problem, and he's right...like most manuals, it assumes at times that you know more than you might. I favor the ones that take the "this is a bat, this is a ball" approach and assume you know nothing. The times that they talk down to me are made up for by all the times I DO know nothing...ok...most times. heh heh Beav