Hi Everyone.
 
I have spent the last 10 days editing 130 projects using Sonar Platinum (Kingston) and Drum Replacer (To extract midi notes from previously recorded kick/snare audio travks) Now, on about 70% of the files I have work on, upon opening the file, as soon as I push play the file change asterisk appears next to the file name.  When I try to close the file, the save changes dialogue appears and must be clicked before the file will close, even though nothing has changed.  Resaving the files does not help - it just happens again next time the file is opened. I have also removed all instances of drum replacer to no avail.
 
This is particularly inconvenient when using the playlist, as none of the files that think they have changed close automatically - the dialogue must be clicked every time.
 
Even more frustratingly, whatever has changed in the files, this behaviour happens even when I open the newly edited files in X3.
 
This did not happen to every edited file, and I can't find a consistent (or any!) difference between the files exhibiting the seemingly errant behavior and those that don't.
 
Hoping someone clever has encountered something like is before!
 
Thanks:)
Bruce.

This is usually caused by a plug-in that has a random element in it (eg. an LFO) which "fires" as soon as the project is opened; the plug-in's state has changed (since this element is reflected as a settable parameter) so SONAR detects the change in state and sets the project changed flag accordingly (and correctly).
 
It is a pain in the backside, I agree, but I can see why it happens.

Thanks Kperry. I don't think that I have added any plugins that contain random elements - but you have started me on a process of eliminating the few plugins I did add to see what I can find.

It might be a buggy plug-in too of course :-)

Found it - I had used a template to create tracks to render the output of superior drummer to. A part of that template was an instance of Breverb. Any track from the template containing breverb, whether it was active or by bypassed, was causing the asterik. Removing and reinserting in the plugin didn't help. I had to save the fx as an fx chain preset, move the audio to a new audio track, then reinsert the fx chain.
 
Impossible to say where the fault lies - too many variables! I have noticed a few quirky behaviours in track templates in Kingston though.
 
All good now - thanks for our help Kperry:)

Interesting. I fixed a ton of these spurious project dirty issues in an earlier release  a couple of months ago but never came across this one. I can repro it with Breverb. Apparently they send out an update display message if their UI is open. SONAR is responding to that and apparently dirtying the document. I'll fix it.

Awesome!  That's what I call responsive.  And, thanks for the bazillions of them you fixed in prior releases, as well.
 
I have seen that in the past too, so at least I have an idea of why these can occur now.  Generally, I have an attitude of deliberately ignoring any wayward asterisk, if I know I have not deliberately make any change, but it would be great if plugins wouldn't fib to Sonar about changes in the first place.
 
Bob Bone
 

There is 2 other ways that could cause what the OP describe. One if you open a project and you left click anywhere inside Sonar window before the project loads. Two if you run Sonar as an admin and load and edit a project then later run said project without admin and just play it the next time you load that project you will see the * next to the file name.

Noel Borthwick [Cakewalk]
Interesting. I fixed a ton of these spurious project dirty issues in an earlier release  a couple of months ago but never came across this one. I can repro it with Breverb. Apparently they send out an update display message if their UI is open. SONAR is responding to that and apparently dirtying the document. I'll fix it.

That's brilliant Noel! Thanks for chiming in.