permanent subs with vobsub/gnot no work!! I've followed the guides, please help

There isn't too much to say about it, you choosed the wrong custom colors. Make 3 black ones & 1 white one, and tick only one black one. Experiment a bit till you know which case represents the subtitles themselves (so that they become white) and which case represents the screen (this one has to be ticked, all other ones shouldn't be ticked!)

That wasn't in the guide! argh. How do I preview this? I've tried the preview option in save and encode and also looked at the original screen (the one where you set credits start before save and encode) and it doesnt work. I only get 4 colors, 2 blacks and 2 yellows.

open the avs file in VirtualDub again & again after every change to see what's the effect, until you're satisfied. And you've got many many many colors, when you click on the square you can choose.

Its not working I'm not using pure nandub, just gordian knot, okay I select the colors but I still cant preview then when I open the avs file in gordian knot. I tried reopening the avs file after selecting the subs and still it doesnt work. So what you're saying is go the pure nandub route? I havent learned how to use nandub :( I also renamed the avs file to the same name as the subs in case it didnt know what sub file to use and yes I seleteed them in "select vobsub files', checked the box etc. The subs are in a different folder too would that affect anything?