First time Sonar user: questions/concerns

For old-timers, Cakewalk sometimes seems to have taken a step backward. And that may be the case, but it can also be what allows them to take two steps forward.
 
By using the CCC, if you have a catastrophic computer failure, you're fine - everything you own is in the account recognized by the CCC, and can be re-downloaded. There's no more "I can't find my install disc!!" or "I left my install disc out in the sun!" (although as pointed out, you can back up the files you download). Also you'll be told if you have the latest version of your programs, and can download any updates.


The main tradeoff with "download only" is if you live in an area with internet bandwidth limitations, because then it can take a loooong time to download everything. Also, a CCC is one more "moving part" compared to something like a DVD. However by and large I think the CCC is working well, and it will continue to evolve.
 

The Grim
you can download the files from your cakewalk account and install them manually, you don't have to use ccc
 
also, the install files that ccc downloads are stored in the path indicated in ccc's settings, so you can back them up if you like

This.
 
The only thing I really see in the CCC that might be convenient to me is the rollback option. Compared to X3e, Platinum ( 2016.12 version, the only one I have installed on my offline DAW) is a crash fest so moving forward I can see how the ability to easily pretend that the last install didn't happen would be useful.

I wish to thank you for your responses! Notably to Grim and Cactus Music, who promptly notified me that my software downloads are indeed available to me in whole, and where they are. Had I made the effort to look around in the right place, I would've found them! LOL. Thanks a bunch, guys. I feel much better now.
 
I also understand Cakewalk Command Center much better, and my Cakewalk Account page. However, I haven't decided whether I really need the Command Center or not, considering I'm trying to minimize the load of apps I truly need.  Thanks again! :)
 

I'm thinking you might be one with a 120 SSD C drive and are worried about space? 
I found by deleting the contents of the Command center folder, once I had copied it to an external drive, freed up a lot of space. 
1. Command center might be a little buggy still and if you deleted the folders and content don't worry about the green light, Its probably using info from your registry. So getting rid of it will possibly involve a reg edit. 
2.I would also like to know. It seem to be all on line and only shows tips in the help module.
3.We now have docking windows. For me if I double click a midi track it will open in the PRV at the bottom of my screen. You have to undock it and re size to be able to work. This is a feature I dislike compared to the "old " way. I find myself taking all this extra steps just to get what once worked perfectly fine. Once it's set up it stays that way for the life of the project. 
4. My Professional version was never renewed  by me as I moved to PLat. So it shows orange and dated Aug 2014. It's still mine to use but I'd have to pay money to re activate updates.  
 
CCC program takes up very little room and you'll find it's the best way to work with Sonars new system. 
And if you back up the content of the CCC folder to a back up drive. You can still roll back buy putting the appropriate version back on your C drive. Manual download and install is a PITA, I did it for a whole year because I had very little internet back then, 3 GB per month. I would not recommend manual downloading, it way to much work compared to CCC.
Working offline, I keep my main DAW offline. Takes 10 seconds to enable and disable my ethernet in device manager. 
I just updated my main DAW using the files in the backup drive. You still have to be online to run CCC but then I disable my ethernet once I'm done
 

This is my current view...this is as minimal as I thought of setting it. Per Cactus Music's explanation, I'm trying to understand the docking/undocking and the window positioning and how it relates...?
 

 
ABACAB: I enabled "Local Help" as you stated, and that's an extremely helpful option to have at my disposal! However, I can't still for the life of me understand why simply clicking a track doesn't pick/select it. Am I missing something? How do I pick a track?
 
CACTUS MUSIC: I'm trying to absorb what you are explaining, but still unclear as to how this relates to picking a track. Once again, to get from for example Track 1 to Track 3, I have to click Track 3, then choose (in the View menu) Piano Roll view. I know it's only three mouse clicks, but I think it's unfortunate how we have to perform the simplest function in three clicks when it should be one. (Clicking Track 3 once -- there, I can edit there now.)

Grundberg
4) SONAR ARTIST AUTO-RENEWAL?
 
After the first year of my Sonar Artist purchase, will I be given an auto-renew & auto-charge option for the next year of updates? I don't plan on renewing and I wish to be aware once the times comes.

Depends on the payment plan.

The one-time payment plan has no provision for automatic billing, it is up to the user to decide what to do at the end of the membership period.
 
The monthly payment plan will continue billing until the user tells Cleverbridge to stop.

Cactus Music
You double click just like always. A single click highlights. It been like that forever. 
When you click the undock button it will turn blue and you can float it around. If your is disappearing try changing the max/min tab in Windows Explorer in the very top right corner. 

That's strange on the first part, selecting a Track.
When I double-click on the number of a Track, it highlights all tracks.
 
I mean, otherwise, I could pick via Tracks-Pick Tracks in the PRV, but that's still extra effort to simply select a Track.

Oh I see what you did wrong. As above it's always been the actual midi track you click, not the track inspector. 

Grundberg
I have no clips in my Track Pane right side grid/work area; it's all blank. (Per my image in Post #14, all tracks are collapsed to single-line.) I double-click that right side and it highlights the Track, but doesn't "select/pick" it for PRV editing. As you stated, highlighting a Track has nothing to do with the PRV editing.

Clicking on a blank clip won't work.  If there's no data in the clip, there is nothing to open in Piano Roll.  Please use the method described below.
 

Grundberg
Isn't the highlighted Track supposed to automatically appear in the PRV grid? Just the same, isn't the PRV supposed to reflect the highlighted/selected Track? That's the way it's been in past DAW's I've used, unless I'm still not understanding...

 
No.  But you can click to select one, or ctrl-click several, and then on main menu, use Views > Piano Roll View, and the selected tracks will be selected within the Piano Roll when it opens up. The keyboard shortcut is Alt-3. 
 
You can also select additional tracks in the track view, then Alt-3 to see all selected in the existing Piano Roll.  But you have to make an action to get them visible in the piano roll.
 
As far as I know, Cakewalk Piano Roll has never worked the way you seem you want it to.  The track view and piano roll do not move hand in hand sync with selection as you describe. 

chuckebaby
 
when you open the PRV, use the "Track pane" to switch between tracks.
In the PRV there are some drop down menus.
 
View/ Show Track pane
Tracks/ Pick tracks
 
this is where you can cycle between tracks easily. pick all the tracks you want in the track pane then simply click on the track you want to edit. BUT be sure to lock the others you don't want edited or you may start editing everything.

Great tip chucke!  Forgot about that one.
 
Here's a link to the help on that topic : http://www.cakewalk.com/D...lp=EditingMIDI.10.html

chuckebaby
if you click on a blank track (in the area where the clips should be but there's no data yet)
instead right click and choose Views/ PRV . Then that track and its respective VST Synth will open in the PRV.

 
Based on your instructions, this is what I'm getting when I right-click that area:
 

 
But SOMEHOW, I did accidentally see the Views part when I tried to screencap this (via Paint Shop Pro), involving CTRL and/or SHIFT along the way...!
 
But on your Pick Tracks instruction, I believe that makes sense. Maybe I've been doing it the counter-intuitive way all along.

abacab
It works the same way in X3, which I still have installed.  So what exactly changed when you upgraded to Artist?

That's a good question. I'm sure it was the same in Sonar X3, but it just occurred to me that I'm taking an extra step having to access the Menu every time I want to change tracks for editing. Know what I'm saying?
 
I'll have to reinstall Sonar X3 and see exactly how this function behaves differently. I just thought choosing a track for editing in the PRV would be a lot more intuitive than this. (shrug)