JTOL but you'd think the industry would establish a standard protocol for using all the stuff they want ton$ for. Makes no sense to me that they don't. No $$ No worries!

lfm
Controllers like Presonus Faderport with previous/next quickly gets lost in track folders and you have no idea where you are. Even newer Faderport 8 does not have buttons to directly position on one of many tracks.
 
Maybe it's just me wanting that position thingy?

Faderport follows focus. So you just have to move focus to required strip. Something like Akai APC Mini can help, 8x8=64 buttons (really more) which can focus strips directly. With color indication for Solo/Mute and may be some other functions as a bonus

azslow3

lfm
Controllers like Presonus Faderport with previous/next quickly gets lost in track folders and you have no idea where you are. Even newer Faderport 8 does not have buttons to directly position on one of many tracks.
 
Maybe it's just me wanting that position thingy?

Faderport follows focus. So you just have to move focus to required strip. Something like Akai APC Mini can help, 8x8=64 buttons (really more) which can focus strips directly. With color indication for Solo/Mute and may be some other functions as a bonus

Thanks.
I had a faderport, and also ran StudioOne at the time, beside other daws too. And especially S1 which don't have all  outs from VST in track view, but only in mixer etc it was a mess to feel where you were. And folder in track view but now visible in mixer - Faderport added nothing but confusion.
I did look at maybe using the 8x8 Novation Launchpad mini - but it seemed so targeted towards daws that support that protocol and clip launching etc.

lfm
 And folder in track view but now visible in mixer - Faderport added nothing but confusion.

The visibility with folders is in fact a problem... And no surface can be better then other there.
 
For Launchpad. There is no "protocol", from (any!) DAW perspective it is just a "MIDI keyboard" with feedback as color LEDs under pads. Console 1 (as the hardware) is the same, with less buttons but with many encoders. Avid is the same, but with moto-faders. But EUCON is quite different from MIDI (and OSC) since it pretend to be "smart", either make it such is a good idea the time will show... F.e. Yamaha 01V is also "smart", that is the reason for rather complicated way to make it work as a DAW controller compare to a configuration for absolutely dumb devices with the same physical controls.

lfm

azslow3
For Launchpad. There is no "protocol", from (any!) DAW perspective it is just a "MIDI keyboard" with feedback as color LEDs under pads. 

One would like just the active track button to light up - so some kind of protocol is involved I think, and don't think it is as customizable as some other hardware defining midi controller, if toggle button or not etc.
I think it's Bitwig and Live that support it as I recall.
 
For just over $100 it would be a very efficient solution to track positioning at least.

The "protocol" is not so complicated, if pad sends "C4" note, sending "C4" note back to the controller defines the color for this pad, based on the value (0 - dark, 1 - green, 3 - red, etc. , http://community.akaipro.com/akai_professional/topics/midi-information-for-apc-mini ). Such protocol is not hard to support. I can create such preset for AZ Controller within 15 minutes and than "Sonar will support it" as well.
 
As I understand, APC is not customizable. But Mackie Universal also has just 3 fixed preset. That is in fact a good thing for DAW controllers since there can be no users with "it does not work FOR ME" (because they decide to play with reconfiguration without understanding what they are doing).
 
On the other hand, AVID is much more complicated... EUCON plug-in is not open source, EUCON protocol is not published in open (or I have not found it).

88KeysBW
1. Is there a special order that these components need to be installed to work correctly?  I've tried Eucon then Sonar plug-in and then connecting Artist Mix.  I've also tried Eucon then connecting Artist Mix and then the Sonar plug-in.  No love so far.  Any guidance?
2. If I have the components installed correctly by sequence, should I have the Artist Mix console on before I start Sonar?  Does it matter?

I'm still doing some testing but will have your answers tomorrow for the Tip of the Week. I have it working 100% reliably, at this point I'm just trying to figure out the simplest option. A lot of the advice on the web is very specific about "you must do this first, you must do that second" but what I'm finding is there are really only a couple things that really matter.

Craig,
Thank you for the post.  Unfortunately, I'm still dealing with the same result.  After performing the installations as you described and ensuring the Sonar had the proper control interface plug-in installed there still seems to be no "consummation of the marriage" between Artist Mix and Sonar.  (I did get a chuckle from your reference though.)  As I walk through the steps as you describe them, I am receiving an extra prompt for a Network Interface selection that you are not receiving.  I've detailed my experience below and would appreciate any feedback that you have.  
(I have plenty of screen shots but do not seem to have the ability to include them in this thread.  The "Attach Picture" icon doesn't give me the option to upload any images and pasting them in simply results in an empty frame.  I tried using Chrome and Microsoft Edge.  Am I missing something? )  
Anyway, I'll do my best to communicate without the aid of the screen shots.
Missing "consummation":
1. Brought up a project in Sonar Platinum
2. Turned on Artist Mix console- note: the AVID logos did not go away even after waiting over 5 minutes
3. Opened the EuControl application
4. Received a pop-up asking me to choose my network interface.  I had 2 choices: "Qualcomm Atheros Ar8171/8175 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet" and "Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165"
5. I selected Qualcomm Atheros Ar8171/8175 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet
6. I located the EuControl the icon in the task bar
7. I right-clicked it and selected Restart EUCON applications
8. I was again presented with the pop-up to choose my network interface - same 2 choices.  I chose: Qualcomm Atheros Ar8171/8175 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet
9. The Artist Matrix console then showed green rectangles at the top of each channel (instead of the AVID logo) but did not show any signs of making the connection to Sonar.
10. I checked the screens within the EuControl Settings.  On the Assign tab, the Application value (top left corner of the screen) has the value of: on.  Not Sonar or any other application.  Is that similar to your experience?
11. Since there was no connection made between the AM console and Sonar, I tried again and chose the other available Network Interface in the initial pop-up from the EuControl application: Intel(R) Dual Bank Wireless-AC 3165.
12. Unfortunately, same result: the Artist Mix console shows blank green rectangles at the top of every fader - no connection to Sonar.  
I checked both of the Network Interfaces in Device Manager and they both appear to be working properly.
My AM console is hard-wired into my Dell's Tower through the only Ethernet Port.  I connect to the Internet via wireless connection.  
Any thoughts?
Thanks again for the post.  Hoping you and/or others can help solve this puzzle!
Geff

Glad you got it working, and I'm also glad to hear there's a new software.
 
I assume one explanation why what worked for me didn't work for you is I have only one option for ethernet. I specified it and after rebooting, was never asked again.
 
 

Check out the Friday's Tip of the Week for Week #116. I think it all comes down to when you start the EuCon services.