Anyone using the Novation controllers to control the Pro Channel?

I have the Zero SL MKII and it's a decent enough device, I have problems using it to control the Pro Channel. Is anyone having any success? I have a MIDI template set up on it and I can assign the hardware knobs and faders to the PC modules using ACT when the device is not in Automap mode. And when that happens it's working great! However, when I restart Sonar the assignments are gone and I have to remap everything again. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong here.
 
I have it set up as a generic control surface in ACT and knobs and faders are assigned properly. But something changes when restarting Sonar and I don't know if it is how I've configured the device to work with ACT or if it's the device it self that have a some hickups in it's MIDI communication.
 
Is there a fool proof way to do this? Currently it's set up after the instructions in Cakewalk's knowledge base.
 
 
Any advice is highly appreciated

Hi, having spent some time reading about the pro channel and HW control, it seems there are a bunch of problems in that area, apparently related to Cake's strategy to make the ProChannel VST masquerade as some kind of propietary internal plugin.  The VST-ness of it gets obstructed by the technique they use to artificially lock it into Sonar.  Predatory business practices, not unlike Digidesign at all.   

I did read one thread where someone suggested to another member here who had your same problem with Behringer hardware that 'using a template' would solve it, but I don't know what that means....

Hey!"

Sorry for the late return to this party - but I have valueable info

I thought in the OP here that it was a problem with how I used and set up my Novation device and couldn't figure out what I did wrong. But John T posted a thread with simmilar problems that I were having, with much better description of the problem. It turns out, I was way off! The thread can be found here.

Michael, I understand that you have some principal issues with PC but in this case, it has nothing to do with that. The Pro Channel is absolutely ACT assignable since X1a (I think it was - it's an old feature now) and I had it assigned to my MIDI controllers through ACT so no issues with the functionality and hidden evil VST agendas anywhere. But thanks for your input

Sycle1, I thought of the same as you at some point but then again, my Novation powers up and down with the computer so no worries there or with any other boot order I tried. And the controller worked with Live and Reason as expected, and Automap for that matter, so the problem was definitely with Sonar.

But in the end, in the aforementioned thread, John T came to the rescue and found a sollution to the problem in this post and if anyone are having simmilar problems with ACT, I recomend to follow his guide there.

It turned out it was a problem with ACT and not with Pro Channel, the Novation thingy or my brain and technical abilities. It was something that went wrong with the .XML file that ACT uses to remember what's going on from time to time. Delete it and start Sonar and everything works amazingly well! In fact, it works so well that I keep forgetting to use it with Automap at all!

So if ACT is acting up on you, there might be a problem with an XML file and the problem is easily fixed. I'm a very happy camper with this

Hey Eric!


I've tried that. Didn't work. Same goes for the Sonitus plugs. Can't get them wrapped for some reason. There's probably a workaround with those, tho

Yeah, I know. I just though it was worth a try when I first set up ACT

I guess it's good to have some use for the good old mouse still!

Ha ha good stuff Michael!

Well, I hope you are having success with ACT. It's a litlte moody but when it's up and running, I don't know what I'd do without it to be honest. There's room for refinement but it's one of the things that makes Sonar a winner for me.

I've been involved with a few ACT threads on seting it up. There's a couple ACT gurus here that can assist you if you run into trouble. Let me know and I'll see if I can dig up some of the threads if you need then.

Good to hear you've got it up and running

I've noticed the same thing but have no idea. I've only seen it on a very few parameters like the Slope-dial in the EQ. In general they work as expected. If you see it a lot, perhaps the MIDI values that the rotaries are sending out is inverted inside Automap?

Ah, I see.

I just use the User-mode on the controller, with some great tips and tricks from this article: http://www.cakewalk.com/Support/kb/reader.aspx/2007013069. Perhaps it is a template thing where the rotaries feed the messages backwards? Check with the HP/LP Slope controls in the EQ, if they work as expected then I'll assume that the MIDI template you're using is "inverted" because they are backwards here. I used the template I downloaded from the knowledgebase article and renamed everything, called it "ACT Template" and set it to load as default template. And after I figured out to set the MIDI ports correctly in Automap it was hassle free.

However, I've replaced my Zero - too many buttons and I only used the rotaries - with the much smaller Nocturne. The principle is still the same tho

thank you.  Why is it that I never see all the really informative stuff in the knowledgebase until I have already either re-invented the wheel or beat my brains out trying?  On the bright side, I learned a lot, maybe I can pass the help on to somebody else.   thanks again...