John
I've been using automation from back in the Pro Audio days. I used the Studio Mix back then. I can't say the W and R buttons have been even a slight problem. Actually for me its been rather convenient having them.
I am unsure of a reason for this thread. If we look back at the OP it is my understanding that Dave didn't know what R was for. That was answered. Now its about something entirely different in that some few seem bothered that by default reading automation is on.  Really! Is that a real problem? 
 
BTW Dave could have avoided this thread if he had just read the manual. Now there is a constant help showing what everything does. Apparently Dave can't be bother to have that on either.
 
I have always thought of the automation in Sonar as being one of its strengths.    

 
Dave, don't let this discourage you from future questions, we like to help.
 
Rocky
 
Rocky

John
I've been using automation from back in the Pro Audio days. I used the Studio Mix back then. I can't say the W and R buttons have been even a slight problem. Actually for me its been rather convenient having them.
I am unsure of a reason for this thread. If we look back at the OP it is my understanding that Dave didn't know what R was for. That was answered. Now its about something entirely different in that some few seem bothered that by default reading automation is on.  Really! Is that a real problem? 
 
BTW Dave could have avoided this thread if he had just read the manual. Now there is a constant help showing what everything does. Apparently Dave can't be bother to have that on either.
 
I have always thought of the automation in Sonar as being one of its strengths.    

John, the help is SO helpful...
lol

Dave000
I think that the reasoning behind why it is set to default on is illogical.
Why would a new track with NO data in it need to be automated?
 
No offence, it’s just how I see it.

I think the point is that it doesn't hurt anything to be enabled in the absence of automation data.  The most common case for disabling it would come later after automation data has been added and the user wants to disable for comparison without having to delete data.
 
So having the default being enabled makes it the fewest steps for the most users in the most common use cases.
 
 

John
I've been using automation from back in the Pro Audio days. I used the Studio Mix back then. I can't say the W and R buttons have been even a slight problem.
 
.....
 
Now its about something entirely different in that some few seem bothered that by default reading automation is on.  Really! Is that a real problem? 

 
I'm sure you'll understand this, but I only wanted to let Keith (and OP) know that having automation on by default isn't helpful for everyone, and that the current behavior could be changed in order to make SONAR an even more user-friendly DAW. As for the potential user confusion (which actually happened to me) I mentioned in the second half of my first post, it comes from the inconsistency between the state of the track's R button and the state of the lane's R button. I don't know how the track's R button behaved during the period between Pro Audio and X1 (since the only versions I owned during the period were version 2 and X1, and I didn't really use the latter), but at least the automation lanes introduced in X2 confused me when I started re-learning automation in SONAR a year or so ago. The videos below will help people reading this thread understand why it's confusing (at first at least). 
 
1. As you can see, for those who prefer to disable automation read by default (for easy identification of automation written tracks), the inconsistency between the R buttons is confusing. (In this example, volume and pan are the only automation envelopes/lanes I created)

 

2. I removed the default EQ from the ProChannel module sometime ago, so the track only contains three automation parameters (volume, pan and automated mute) by default. Notice that the track's R button is still half lit after I removed the envelope/deleted the lane (this could be a bug, though).

 
 
So I suggested the improvement that would make some of us happy, without hurting the workflow of majority of users.

I would prefer to think for myself... the way it seems here... I should say “I record everyday” I want the record buttons ON as default and ready to record when I setup a new track…
Truly I prefer a clean slate…  “Nothing on”
So I guess it’s ok that I keep turning the R off if some need the help figuring out how to setup Splat for their own needs… I’m Sorry, I did forget who I was dealing with… lol

Dave000
I would prefer to think for myself... the way it seems here... I should say “I record everyday” I want the record buttons ON as default and ready to record when I setup a new track…
Truly I prefer a clean slate…  “Nothing on”
So I guess it’s ok that I keep turning the R off if some need the help figuring out how to setup Splat for their own needs… I’m Sorry, I did forget who I was dealing with… lol

Dave000 -
 
Check out track and project templates.  If your tracks are more/less identical, you could use clone of a track that you already configured to your liking instead of the standard add new track function.
 
Or, especially you have several things you change from default, create a template of a track and instantiate new tracks from the template via "Insert > Track Template ..."

There is no reason to turn off read automation. None. It has no meaning when there is no automation to read. 

Dave000
I understand the templates I have made many but these days I have just 2 , 1 is 14 mic setup for drums and a blank 1 but as we all know the R comes on each track as you create it and as I record as many as 20 versions at once in a loop, when I stop I have to run down all of my tracks and turn 0ff the R. 

 
If you don't use automation at all, you really don't need to turn off read automation. But if you want to, take advantage of Smart Swipe (a new feature introduced just last month) to disable all R buttons at once. Just click the first of the enabled R buttons and drag the mouse all the way down.
 

 

Also, it might be a good idea to assign a keyboard shortcut (e.g. Alt+C) to Clone Tracks. This way, you can quickly create a new track or tracks with R disabled using the shortcut.
 

 

 

Dave000
Wow! your mouse skills are amazing BUT you are missing the point! I DON’T WANT TO DEAL WITH IT!

A simple thank you might have sufficed. he was trying to help you by giving you a work around.
im guessing you will receive more reply's to your future questions by answering posts this way.

BobF
Fire up Theme Editor and change the color of the Automation Read buttons to solid black for all states. 
Problem solved!!
 

 
Well done, Bob. BEST ANSWER. 

BobF
Fire up Theme Editor and change the color of the Automation Read buttons to solid black for all states. 
Problem solved!!
 

I thought of that days ago, but it don't fix the problem... and how do In know  that down the road if I hit the wrong thing and mess up a track and it has something to do with the R being active. Like I said I don't get it because I don't need it, if I needed it I would know how to use it... it's not dumb to not learn what I don't need... I would just be a waste of my time... like this full post seems to be.. lol I done here! Carry on! :)

Can't you just hide it using the Custom feature of the track header filter?

icontakt

Dave000
and how do In know  that down the road if I hit the wrong thing and mess up a track and it has something to do with the R being active. 

 
Switch off the [R!] button in the Control Bar Mix Module. It bypasses all read automation in the project. I THINK it will solve your issue. I don't globally bypass automation read, so I can't be sure. 

At this point, I'm honestly not sure what the actual "problem" is.  I just tried the global toggle and it does appear to work, but the buttons simply turn to greys instead of blues/whites.  Maybe that will do it for Dave.

Maybe we are all so experienced that we completely forgot about one potential automation-related problem that can easily happen to the OP or any new user who absolutely does not need automation.
 
Here's the scenario:
 

1. He accidentally/mistakenly clicks the Automation Lanes button on the track (this happens, doesn't it?). The Volume automation lane opens.
2. He wonders, "What's this?," and clicks the button again. The lane disappears. "Phew, what was that? Anyway, it's gone. No problem."
3. He continues working on the project and saves the project.
4. A few days later, he tries to adjust the track's volume fader in the Console view. The fader jumps back. "What's going on!!!"

 
IIRC, I've read in this forum that this (except step #2) actually happens to even an experienced user occasionally. Personally, I think clicking the Automation Lanes button for the first time should create a lane with a parameter-unassigned envelope which does nothing.
 
Anyway, I think none of the workarounds suggested in this thread can prevent the above potential problem from happening.