Enable/Disable FX Chain Module Automation does not work reliably...

And a final edit: This is apparently an old issue I've inadvertantly stumbled upon (which is just my luck)...
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/FX-Chain-automation-only-works-when-ProChannel-is-open-m2743458.aspx
 
So I guess the rest can be safely ignored but I'll leave it for the curious...
 
Original repro steps...
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Edit: Let's turn this into a Problem Report thread. This is however an intermittent issue so I don't know how successful it will be. Here are repro steps...
 
1) Set up multiple audio tracks going to a single bus (I have four tracks going to the target bus)
 
2) On the target bus insert a PC FX module and insert some effects (I am using three Sonitus effects in mine which are DX and perhaps that's where the issue lies). This module is at the very end of the PC Chain but that may or may not matter.
 
3) In the Bus create an automation lane and set that lane's filter to "PC FX Chain > Enable".
 
4) Create a momentary on/off action in the newly create bus automation envelope (mine is about 5 seconds). So it will be off at first, on for a few seconds then off again.
 
5) Open the Prochannel Inspector (you will go back and forthe between the bus PC inspector and any random track and/or closing the Inspector entirely)
 
6) Hit playback starting sometime before the On signal and let it play past the off signal
 
7) Do the above with the PC Inspector of the Bus visible (which seems to make the on/off work more reliably) and without the bus Inspector visible (so click on a track so the PC Inspector swithces to that track or just close the Inspector or whatever... just as long as you have navigated away from the Bus Inspector the FX Chain resides on).
 
Intended results: The FX Chain turns on/off creating the desired audio effect.
 
Actual results (in my project): The FX Chain does not turn on/off reliably and the failure rate increases significantly when the Bus Inspector is not actually showing the PC FX Chain module on screen.
 
If this can be confirmed this can go to the Problem Reports area.
 
Thanks, guys.
 
Original post...
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In my seemingly neverending quest to find solutions to getting a group of tracks to all change at once for a specific momentary sound I have created an FX Chain module that does a bunch of stuff (with effects inside the module). I have inserted the FX Chain Module as a PC module at the end of the PC chain so it occurs immediately before the fader.
 
Essentially I just want that series of effect and settings in the module to take effect for literally a few seconds then totally go away again.
 
I created an on/off envelope on the bus containing the FX Chain module. So for that few seconds the FX Chain Module turns on, does it's thing then turns off... or at least it is supposed to.
 
It works. It has worked... but not reliably. When it works it works completely the way I intend it to. I obviously designed and implemented it properly. Unfortunately it does not work reliably. I have no idea why. It seems that for whatever reason it just decides to not turn off sometimes.
 
I can increase the likelihood of it successfully disengaging (turning off) if I have the bus selected and the FX Chain visible in the PC Inspector.... however that is not a guarantee. It only brings the chance that the "Turn Off" automation will actually turn it off. It really should not matter that the FX Chain module is visible though. It should just obey the automation.
 
If it is NOT visible (which I need it to be if I'm looking at/tweaking something else) the reliability factor goes WAY down. It still sometimes works but at a very poor failure to success ratio.
 
This of course is a problem... and a rather annoying one because this is already a MASSIVE detour from how I actually wanted to make the effect change happen.
 
Is this a known issue (on/off automation of FX Chains not working reliably from an automation envelope)?
 
I can't even imagine what kind of help anyone could provide me to solve this one. It seems like a serious bug of some sort and I can't recall seeing any reports like this so yeah... I don't even know how to proceed.
 
Cheers and sorry... I'm just a little frustrated right now.

I have updated the OP with repro steps. It seems intermittent though so I'm not sure if this can actually be nailed down as a bug... and I am at least one version behind (Gloucester I think... maybe Foxboro... I'm an idiot for not remembering... I know).
 
Cheers.

Update: Since the previous problem report implied that maybe this could be resolved by putting the FX into the FX Bin/Rack instead of having it as a PC Module I contemplated that (despite possible signal chain issues which fortunately were likely minimal in this case) for quite some time last night and today. I needed to plot out how exactly this would work because I needed the envelopes I already created to affect the chain in the bin/rack the same way it was in the PC.
 
I got it all sorted out in my head before taking action and just tried it out... but there is apparently NO option for the Enable/Disable buttons in the FX Bin/Rack from my bus Automation lane filters.
 
So in the FX Bin/Rack I can't even enact that on/off message like I could in the Prochannel. Of course in the Prochannel where I can it doesn't work without the module being visible.
 
Since this is one of my first forays into automation in Sonar I gotta say... this is not instilling a lot of confidence. So far every single thing I've attempted to do with automation has turned into an utter failure and has wasted a ridiculous amount of time.
 
I am now going to have to come up with a completely NEW plan and honestly I have absolutely no real idea how to make it happen. This is very frustrating because the sound/effect I am going for is there... it just refuses to be automated.
 
You all know I love Sonar and am generally positive but automation is unfortunately looking like something I really cannot say good things about.
 
Sorry for kvetching but I just don't understand why this is so screwed up.
 
Off to figure out plan #eleventy... oof.

Hi, Rocky. Thanks. I'm contemplating some various new paths and that type of stuff will be part of the things I test... I'm just trying to envison how it will work. This has actually turned into a multi bus scenario as it is so I have to consider how it will all play together.
 
I guess it will end up being another crazy long post trying to explain exactly what I am attempting so I'll forego that but there is some level automation on the actual output of one module, a pile of effects on another (in another bus) and some other fancy stuff that would all work very elegantly if I could just automate the power button(s).
 
The other problem in formulating a plan similar to this while avoiding the FX Chain issues is apparently some of the effects I'm using don't seem to allow their individual bypass/power buttons to be automated (only individual elements). THis seems to vary between effects though (so some allow this while others don't).
 
What I have also discovered is that the power buttons in the FX Rack/Bin don't seem to expose themselves to automation which I am quite surpised to learn (or I am totally missing something). Otherwise I could just yank all the FX out of the chain, have them in the rack and automate the Rack power buttons (which is more effort but would work... if those buttons were automatable).
 
I just did another test to see if I could actually automate individual parameters WITHIN specific effects WITHIN a PC FX Chain and it worked on at least one effect and the changes still worked even if I navigated away from the PC Inspector that contained the module. So that may expose some more possibilities.
 
The next thing I am likely going to test is maybe creating PC FX Chain Module buttons that if mapped correctly might cause the same effect as a full "off" signal. Then I'd have to find an external solution to the volume level automation. All that is WAY more work though and I'm not sure if it will solve the problem.
 
This type of problem solving is likely good for my education I guess but damn... I just want to automate a segment that is literally under five seconds.
 
lulz... just my luck. I always stumble into the silliest crap.
 
Cheers and thanks again.

Thanks, man. It is indeed a buzzkill and actually quite a shock to me. All this time I just kind of assumed that this type of automation was possible because it's so simple. Now that I'm trying it out it's turning into a major issue.
 
I'll get it sorted though. I'm stubborn (and crazy) like that.
 
Cheers.