thank you very much Blair.
I think the big thing for me at the stage that I'm at, is to understand the deal with the numbers 1, 2, 3  and 4.
I am unable to get a clear understanding of the labeling rme uses on totalmix.
control room and main in particular are very unclear.
the way I have found to make things work is to step all the way back and say this:
there are inputs and outputs.
there are tracks and channels.
to route them, you have to route them by the numbers.
no matter what they are labeled, it is only logical that each track or channel could be given a number (from 1 to 4).
now hook them up.
I'm starting very simple. I only have a couple things I'm hooking up here. a microphone. and then 2 speakers (studio monitors). and the headphones.
I'm getting the hang of it. it's taking some work. but I am getting there.
I am actually quite good with electrical schematics and sequences of operation and such with machines.
this recording routing thing should be right up my alley.
a huge thing for me is understanding that for outputs, 1 and 2 means my speakers (studio monitors) that I have hooked up to the babyface xlr outputs.
and that for outputs 3 and 4, that means my headphones.
for hardware inputs, I only have 1 input (with a possiblility for 1 more analogue....................I am not interested in digital inputs for now).
for software inputs, I only have whats on my daw.
see, I'm getting there.      :-)          :-)             :-)

thank you so much Jeff.
I just did what you said to do.
it worked great.
it is immensely helpful.  thank you again very much.     :-)   :-)   :-)

None at all - AN 1/2 now appear in the control room section on the right...

Check signal routing in the matrix and/or reset the mixer.

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME