I want to deepen my MIDI tools knowledge. I have 2 MIDI tracks with manually placed notes.
I want to learn the MIDI tools described in the Help file, but if I click on Process > Apply Effect, everything is grey.
 
Selecting clips makes no difference.
Opening the PRV and lassoing some notes makes no difference.
What's the trick to get at the MIDI tools?
 
SPlat Manchester.

Personally, I leave the MFX plug-ins in the FX Rack and avoid the "Apply Effects" route. To apply affects there must be an effect in the FX rack. Use "Process Effect" from the clip menu to destructively add an effect to a clip if no effects are in the rack.

Is it just me or does the apply midi effect  right click function not really function as you would expect anyway?  For example, if I load the quantize plugin and adjust the settings to where I want them,  then choose apply midi fx 》quantize, this opens a new instance of the quantize plugin with no settings and I have to dial them in again. Pointless no?

When using "Apply Effect" from the Main Menu I get an "Apply Effects" dialog not a second instance of the plug-in.

There are 3 different methods to process MIDI clip by effect. Note that all 3 use different instances/settings for plug-in, even in case the plug-in is the same and process the same clip:
1) "offline" processing. Destructive. Right click on clip, "Process effect" menu. Also "Process" Sonar menu, except "Apply effect/ Audio/MIDI " sub-menu.
2) "online" capable processing, non destructive.
2.a) MIDI FX bin in the track
2.b) MIDI FX bin in the clip
 
To destructively apply effect(s) from 2.a, use Sonar menu "Process/Apply effects/MIDI".
To destructively apply effect(s) from 2.b, use Right click menu "Bounce to Clip(s)"

Hoo, boy. I love Sonar, but it's so convoluted.
 
First I went to the browser, decided to try the Chord Analyzer and put it into the FX bin. It openend as any FX would.
 
So now I think, OK, now what do I do? OK, try what tenfoot said, right click on clip.
I get a popup menu and I follow my instincts:
 
Process Effect > MIDI Effects > Cakewalk FX > Chord Analyzer.
 
Now I have a SECOND Chord Analyzer open! And this one has OK/Cancel/Audition/Help buttons.
Well, I click Help and I get the MFX Chord Analyzer help page. It tells me to first select some notes. I try this but it does not work. Some head scratching, then I realize the second Chord Analyzer is in a Modal dialog. OK, close the duplicate Chord Analyzer and select some notes. So far, so good.
 
Next I read down the help and it says I must go to the Process menu and select:
Process > MIDI Effects > Cakewalk FX > Chord Analyzer to open the Velocity dialog.
 
I try this but only get as far as the second step because suddenly a "Apply MIDI Effects" dialog opens. So I click OK and the dialog disappears. But so does my Chord Analyzer!
 
And I still do not know what chord those three notes I selected are.
 
AAAAARGGGGHHH!
 

Try dropping the Chord Analyzer in the FX rack of a MIDI track and play a clip with the Chord Analyzer UI open to see how it works.

jpetersen
I try this but only get as far as the second step because suddenly a "Apply MIDI Effects" dialog opens. So I click OK and the dialog disappears. But so does my Chord Analyzer!

That's because there's a check box for deleting the plug-in after you apply it. This is so you don't still have the effect in the rack, otherwise you'll be processing the already processed signal. Same thing with audio...you can uncheck it but bypass at the rack itself it you prefer.
 

Well, the "Offline" part of the MIDI effects in the Help is just plain wrong. If there is no effect, it stays gray, and if there is an effect, you get the Apply Effects dialog.
 
I discovered by pure accident I can find out the chords by actually pressing Play and letting the Now cursor run over the notes. Nowhere is this explained.
 
It is NOT possible to select some notes and press Audition to see the chord because to get the Audition button, you have to have the Modal dialog, and with the Modal dialog you cannot click past it to select any data.
 
And the bit about Velocity is a copy/paste error, I discovered.
 
More wasted hours with Sonar. I'm giving up.
 
I'm going to post a Problem Report, then I'm going to sleep. I have work tomorrow.
 
Thanks for your time, gentlemen. Without all your help in this forum I'd never get anything done. This forum is the strongest part of Sonar.

@Craig, @scook: Our posts just crossed each other. Thanks - yes, I realized the second time I tried there was this checkbox. But it's set to default on, every time. Why would I want to delete the effect after I used it?
 
But the Help is incorrect and must be fixed.
 
Will do that now, then beddy-byes for me.
 
Good night!