Hello rogerh
You're right - too long to read. I was lucky to receive a hard copy manual with Silver quite a few years ago, and even that was awkward to find stuff in because the index is poorly written.
I don't understand why in the world they keep trying to make TB "install-able". It didn't use to need "installing". All that was necessary was to copy all the files off the CD and just run them. The old TB Editor exe that came with V5 and earlier, and the TB System exe, could be put ANYWHERE and double-clicked to run. You can still do that with the v6.007; I put everything on a secondary drive, on thumb drives, or anywhere else. There seems to be some kind of problem with the "New" editor that gives people grief, but I have now tried that v6.007 version (on a Win 7) and it sorta works ok. But I just simply prefer using a free 3rd-party modern text editor, and just operate with the TB Sysyem.exe. TB v6 downloads with both the V5.3 and v.5.5 TB Ssysem. When you go to bind a program into an EXE, it offers you the choice as to which System version to use.
Now what this means is that the editor has nothing really to do with the binding (other than maybe have some exasperating error pop up), and basically you are binding with older TB System EXE's which are quite old by now, but do work. The main difference between the V5.3 and the V5.5 System is that the latter does not require that the famous dll's have to tag along with the bound EXE. The 5.3 System requires them. But the bad part is that there are a few bugs in the v5.5 which cause some program to not work right even though they work OK with the v5.3.
So what I do is:
Use a 3d party text editor to compose the code and save it (as .tru or .txt, or .anything for that matter)
Then run it with the "old" editor (which is now not apparently available unless you buy one of the "legacy" old editions of TB , e.g., Silver for $45, or Gold $145); which editor will invoke the v5.5 System.EXE to bind with.
OR: Run the [program using the TB System.EXE v.5.3, which is robust, which I have because procured years ago.
Then I try to run the program with the v5.5 System. If it runs OK, I'll bind it with that version to circumvent having to have the dll's ALWAYS present with the bound EXE.
If it can't be made to run with the 5.5 System due its quirks and bugs, then I have to bind it with the v5.3 and be saddled with transporting the dll's around everywhere with the EXE.
None of the above involves using the v6 editor. All you need is the TBlibs, and the System EXE's. If you get the legacy versions I think you get the v5.5 Sytem.
So, I don't know what might have happened to your "installation". But look to see if you can find the TBlibs and the 2 System.EXE's. If you have those, just copy them off somewhere save and follow the above procedure. It should work.
Now, as to reading through the enormous manual, you won't find anything about your intalling problem. It mostly just tells all about the various features and more or less how to work them, etc. The only nice part is that as a PDF file you can search for what you want. Still a bit tedious however.
If you are "new" to True Basic, and need some specific question answered about how to do some specificc coding thing, I could probably help. The other guys, like BigJohn Arscott and Dr. "rtarara", who used to frequent this forum in the past, would probably have had more answers to your current problem, but they have not been around lately.
Anyway, hope this helps a little.
Regards,
Mike C.