I hated it when I was told "Read the manual" too.
In the end I read a bit, experimented a bit, and read a bit more.
If you read the manual first, it will make very little sence, especially if you are new to the many terms that it refers to.
I suggest to print the maunual out and staple it into chapters. Read only the chapters that relate to your current issues.
The next thing to do is download my very simple screen and just use that first. It is a lot less cluttered with confusing controls. After a time you can add other controls as you need them.
http://cnczone.com/modules.php?name...p=visit&lid=195
What control cards are you using?