why - oh why - do I live in fear of a metronome dropout.  Im dealing with one right now - where the file seems to have actually saved with a metronome dropout....  often Ill have to go in and reset the buffer size - it seems to happen whenever I have some other soft synth in the project.  Its extremely frustrating..  its too the point where ill have to go in and create one with a soft synth... which I'm really tired of doing
 
I've rebooted sonar,...  rebooted my computer...  

thedukewestern
the file seems to have actually saved with a metronome dropout...

What does this mean exactly in terms of symptoms? We're talking about SONAR's audio metronome, right? Are you saying the metronome drops out at the same point in playback every time? How is the metronome output routed in the project? Possibly some volume/mute automation got enabled on the Metronome bus or some other bus that the metronome is passing through...?
 
EDIT: If you're saying there's just no recording/playback click anywhere in the project, definitely check the routing from end to end. 
 
 

That's definitely not it - although thanks for the reply.  In this particular example - the sonar audio metronome simply stopped working.  It happened as I changed the subdivision.  The metronome is often hit or miss - and Ill have to reboot the program, open the same project and it will work fine.  Its as if its a soft synth that misses notes if it finds the buffer size disagreeable with the work load.  
 
This particular instance I had only recorded 4 actual tracks - I've checked all of the obviuous troubleshooting things - this happens pretty regularly

I spoke with Joe over at support - and toggling the fx bypass icon on and off seemed to prompt sonar to generate a click once again...
 
thanks Joe!

Interesting. Sounds like a problem with the state of the Grooveplayer plugin that's used to generate the click. Toggling FX bypass to fix anything is a new one on me.

For reference, I found a couple of old threads referencing silent metronome due to FX Bypass being enabled, but it doesn't seem to be a universal or common problem; one of these is several years old:
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/Metronome-still-intermittent-m2497129.aspx
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/metronome-disappearing-SOLVED-m3298027.aspx
 
 

Thank you mr brundle - yes both of these describe exactly what I have experienced.