Mono efects permanently make a track mono?

Because I record rap music, most of the tracks I'm recording live are mono, so I set up a track template with several tracks with my commonly used FX on each (Waves Mercury EQ, compressor, & limiter). I used the mono versions of these FX (when there is one). But now I just realized, if I start with this template, and add a stereo file to that track (such as a full beat for a mixtape song, or individual instrument tracks of original beats) the track that the file is on will continue playing mono even if I remove all FX from the track. Most cases I can fix this easily by inserting new audio tracks and cutting and pasting, but in some cases fixing it can be problematic and the easiest way would be to switch the track back to stereo playback.

Does anyone know what causes this and/or how to fix it?

Quick question. Are you saying that you cannot set the input on a track with mono FX to stereo? Which "mono FX" are you using (the reason I ask this is I only think of FX as audio or MIDI, not "mono" vs "stereo")?
 
If you have stereo inputs assigned, a track should record in stereo for you (if you view "All" versus the default "Custom" at the top of the track view, you can expand tracks to see inputs, outputs, etc.).
 
Additionally, if already recorded, you can right click on a mono clip and "convert to stereo" rather than cutting/pasting it anywhere.

Sonar only sets the interweave to mono for you if the first effect in the chain is mono. The only thing is, it doesn't update the interweave button (bug). However, if you then flip the switch to mono, it won't let you change it back to stereo as long as that first effect in the chain is mono.

If you insert a mono effect after a stereo effect on a stereo track, the signal is summed on two channels. However only one channel is processed by the mono effect, so you could get phase problems as Plugin Delay Compensation is only applied to the processed channel. So if you're going to mix mono and stereo effects, it's best to keep the mono effect on a mono track and send the output to a stereo bus with the stereo effect on it.

I think I got that right :)

This thread has been quite the eye-opener for me. I think I have inadvertently triggered these comments in the past but didn't understand the signal flow enough to realize what was happening.

There is a signal flow diagram in the documentation

thanks, exactly what i was looking for :)

scook
There is a signal flow diagram in the documentation

I'm not sure that diagram is completely accurate.  For example, it doesn't show prochannel on busses.
 

Yes  it is a switch and all it means is the PC can be pre FX bin or post.

Paul P
 
Well, then the diagram should be updated.  At first I thought it was saying that the PC was in parallel, then figured that didn't make sense so it had to be either/or (as mettelus points out).
 

There is a feedback option at the bottom of the page

Yes PC based version gets updated. The web based version gets corrections/changes between updates.

the input area in the diagram could do with fleshing out a bit http://i764.photobucket.c...alFlow_zps624ec1e0.jpg

Right click the PC. 

There is a Post/Pre button in the ProChannel section of the Track Inspector and Console view. There is also an option in the popup menu in the ProChannel tab of the inspector

ignore this