CONTROL SURFACE - Please help me with this issue.

Hi guys.
I am running Sonar X2a (producer), and I have just bought a control surface:

It is my first control surface I have used, and I bought it for a few reasons:
1) I believed I could use the 4 faders to control 4 tracks (only).
2) The knob configuration perfectly mirrors that of the EQ in the Prochannel's EQ module.
3) It has other buttons that I could easily configure to the main ones (like play).
 
THE ISSUES:
1) When I load the default template (it doesn't have its own there), it always has
    8 faders in it. I can only control 4 (obviously), and as it selects 8 tracks it would make
    assigning a next-group-of-tracks button pointless. - Because it would just skip over the
    4 that don't have faders. 
    Is there a way to delete the 4 non existent faders from the template?
 
2) I can NEVER get the shift function to work. Every time that I use midi assign on a button,
    holding shift does absolutely nothing (it just does the main button function and ignores the
    fact I am holding down shift). - Admittedly I don't understand what the shift-learn button does
    (is that related)?
 
3) Not as important but am curious:
    Is there any way to get a single fader working like the "channel strip mode" (for rotaries)?
    I envisaged parking my hand on the control surface (on a single fader and knob), and selecting the track
    I want to manipulate with the mouse. - It seems there is no setting for the fader (only 1 knob).
 
 
I kind of need to get the first 2 working quickly so I can get back to working.
 
Thanks in advance.
 
 

John
You'll have to program one using the generic control surface template. Hopefully you got a MIDI implementation documentation that will tell what does what.  

Some time ago I have followed that advice: I have installed a compiler tool chain, took IDL from SDK and started to program my own DLL...
 
But I think for normal users, configuring the Generic Control plugin is a simpler solution
 
For the topic: you can try to setup "Cakewalk Generic Surface" instead of "ACT MIDI Controller".
 

Right. Thanks Mike. Perhaps a better word would be "configure". 

Often there is no documentation. But never fear use the MIDI learn function to configure the template.  
 
No, no need for any further hardware except a MIDI port And no need the other software either. 
 
 

Latest driver here (always back up):
http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=support&tab=driver&serie_ID=16&PID=c30cba8640f25535ca77f5124b6c5a9d&OS=x91
 
Manuals here:
http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=support&tab=manuals&serie_ID=16&PID=c30cba8640f25535ca77f5124b6c5a9d&OS=x107
 
 

Deleted to keep things simple.

Please read the plugin documentation and watch ACT videos to understand how it works (may be several times). I am so stupid that I in fact could not realize the whole story till I have written my own DLL, I hope you are smarter then me 
 
There are just several tips for your problem:

• Strip parameters are bound to tracks (which are specified by WAI, bound to "BaseTrack" and "Number of Track Strips" in the configuration window). These parameters/controls are independent from what you currently select in the interface.
• ACT (lower part of the configuration window) controls current selection (plugin, pro-channel, fx)
• If "Both" is set, both assignments are applied. So if you use the same MIDI command for "Parameter 1" of Strip 1 and "ACT Controls" (1), both parameters will be changed simultaneously. That mode is only useful in case you do not unsigned one physical control to strip and ACT parameters. 
• If "Both" is unset, which parameters (stip or ACT) are controlled is specified by "ACT Enable"  (which is assignable to button on your surface, so you can fast switch). In that case you can assign the same physical control (fader,rotor,button) to some strip parameter AND ACT parameter.
• if "Lock Context" is set, ACT will control the context during which this flag was set. Again you can assign some button for this switch. Then, for example, you can select something in pro channel, "Lock" the selection, open some VST and still control parameters of that pro channel module.

Sorry for so long text, but I hope that can speedup a bit your learning curve...

Edited... You should unset "Both" permanently and assign some (special, not shared!) button to "ACT Enable". May be my explanations/english are too bad. Sorry.

Thanks for the help!
 
I really need to go to bed now because its 4:30am here.
 
Again. Everything is working now.
 
Thanks. 

justmebrah
Everything is working correctly now with 1 exception.
When I click on the EQ module the knobs don't detach from the strips.
When I was using the normal ACT controller (that had 8 tracks), the controls were completely 
contextual. - If I clicked on the EQ it controlled only EQ things. If I clicked on a track strip
it controlled only the fader and pan.
 
This controller appears NOT to be able to be used contextually.
If every time I adjust and EQ gain knob it destroys a track's pan settings, that is obviously useless to me.
 
I would appreciate someone clarifying why this is happening and/or telling me how to correct this.  

 
In the Cakewalk Generic Surface properties page, you have to have a check mark in the "both" box under Use ACT or Strip Params. Do you have that box check marked?
 
The problem I discovered is that my controller assignments are not remembered by SONAR, but they are supposed to be remembered. I have to keep re-assigning the knobs to the ProChannel EQ knobs every time I re-open a project.
 
Another couple of things to note:
 
You can still use the ACT Controller Plug in with your M-Audio control surface, even though the M-Audio CS only has 4 sliders. Just don't assign any controllers to 4 slider pads on the ACT Controller Plug In, leave them blank.
 
Also, the Cakewalk Generic Surface and the ACT Controller Plug In can both be used at the same time in the same project. Just make sure controllers assigned in one are not assigned in the other.
 
For example:
 
Your M-Audio controller has 12 rotors, you can assign 8 of them to cells on the ACT Controller, and assign the other 4 to fields on the Cakewalk Generic Surface  properties page.
 
There is a learning curb to using the Cakewalk Generic Surface and ACT Controller Plug In. It's really a good idea to read about using them both in the SONAR Reference Manual or SONAR Online Help.
 
As stated above, I've experienced a problem with the CGS and the ACT Controller, so my vote is in for an update for them both. However, the word around is that Cakewalk doesn't have it high on the list to update these plugins. Nevertheless, Cakewalk has released to the public the source code for the ACT Controller plug in and other SONAR software controller plug ins (see this thread: http://forum.cakewalk.com/Mackie-Control-protocol-source-now-available-scroll-to-p3-m2908006.aspx ), so that the SONAR community could adopt development for them and share progress with the community. That could possibly be good for us, but I hope Cakewalk will continue developing and updating controller plug ins, as well.
 
Hope that helps

The generic is definitely working correctly for the tracks now. There is still no way to switch over to the busses
though. - I checked online and this seems to be an issue for everyone.
I think the best way to handle it is to have an ACT profile that I load just when I want to mix the buses (and just deal with the annoying extra 4 tracks?
 
Also Azslow: I am an extremely high level programmer in an animation programming language.
I'm in a position where I need to start writing my own DLL's that would work with a .NET interface.
If you know about this (and can help in that area), please message me here. I am willing to pay for
help in that area.
 
Thanks.