You could just turn off the start screen and then it defaults to the old pop-up...
preferences/advanced/uncheck "show start screen on Launch" 

Bob, thanks for the in depth information.  It took you some time to test all of that and it is much appreciated.  I works just like you said.  Problem solved.
 
You're the Man!
 

Robert's analysis is very helpful.
 
So I found this thread because I just realized a bunch of my audio for multiple projects are all in the same global audio folder, and for my purposes this is a tangled mess.  Robert's analysis helps going forward, but is there a way to sort out which audio files go with which project, and move them back into the appropriate Project Audio subfolder; and if so will the audio files still be recognized when I open the project?

MorganT
Robert's analysis is very helpful.
 
So I found this thread because I just realized a bunch of my audio for multiple projects are all in the same global audio folder, and for my purposes this is a tangled mess.  Robert's analysis helps going forward, but is there a way to sort out which audio files go with which project, and move them back into the appropriate Project Audio subfolder; and if so will the audio files still be recognized when I open the project?

I think this is what you're looking for:
https://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=SONAR&language=3&help=FileManagement.5.html
 

MorganT
Robert's analysis is very helpful.
 
So I found this thread because I just realized a bunch of my audio for multiple projects are all in the same global audio folder, and for my purposes this is a tangled mess.  Robert's analysis helps going forward, but is there a way to sort out which audio files go with which project, and move them back into the appropriate Project Audio subfolder; and if so will the audio files still be recognized when I open the project?

You could just use the 'file >Save a copy as' function and check 'copy all audio' and 'create one file per clip' to save the projects with their own audio folders. It is very quick, and once done you can delete the audio in the global folder.

Thanks Bruce - very helpful!
 

I think this is what you're looking for:
https://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=SONAR&language=3&help=FileManagement.5.html



This shows how to change the location of the single global audio file, but I didn't see how to re-capture the audio files to their proper audio subfile within each project folder.
 
 
So what would be the benefit of having all audio files from all projects lumped together in a single global folder - why is this the default now?  At least to my way of thinking, it makes more sense to have them all in their own subfolders for each project - whether those audio subfolders existed in a global audio folder, or within an audio folder within the project's folder (as used to be the default.)  But I'm not seeing the benefit of dumping them all in one place...

MorganT
This shows how to change the location of the single global audio file, but I didn't see how to re-capture the audio files to their proper audio subfile within each project folder.

Did you scroll to the bottom?

Nope, missed it - thanks!

MorganT
 
 
So what would be the benefit of having all audio files from all projects lumped together in a single global folder - why is this the default now?  At least to my way of thinking, it makes more sense to have them all in their own subfolders for each project - whether those audio subfolders existed in a global audio folder, or within an audio folder within the project's folder (as used to be the default.)  But I'm not seeing the benefit of dumping them all in one place...

 
Hey Morgan.
IIRC Sonar only defaults to the global folder if you create a new project and start to work on it without giving it a name. If you create the new project and name it as a part of that process I believe it will default to its own audio folder inside the project folder.
 

Hmmm... not sure that's been the case for me.  My first step is always to name it when starting a new project before doing anything - but perhaps it's related to the project template I'm starting from that creates that environment before I name it.