Hi Guys:
I'm wondering if anyone ever tried this and figured it out. I know the "change to synth" trick in Plug-in Manager, but it doesn't seem to ever show up as a synth in the rack (though I can see it in the list in Plug-in Manager), hence it doesn't seem to work. Maybe this is a suggestion for an update: devise a direct way to control plug-ins like Guitar Rig 5 while they are still understood by Sonar to be VST effects.  Any ideas? 
 
Thanks in advance!

I am not sure how to set this up, but as an audio FX I triggered this inadvertently a few years ago. The controller section of GR5 does take MIDI input and record them even as an audio FX. I had been playing back a track and mouse clicking on different patches (in X3) and they all "took" which drove me bonkers. I remember that resetting/removing controllers from GR5 fixed it, but do not remember the detail of what I did.
 
NI would be a better place to send an email directly. They pointed me to the controller section when I emailed them, but did not seem that they were entirely familiar with SONAR.
 
I am not sure if the VSTs can be forced to be instruments, but others may have insight to this one (I seem to recall seeing a way to do this, if even using a generic VSTi host to pull GR5 into).

Starting with X3, there is no need to configure effects as synths to get them to accept MIDI data. It should still work but the new method is the "Enable MIDI Input" option in the VST2 drop down above the Guitar Rig UI. This is a per instance settings. Once enabled create a MIDI track with echo on setting the track input to your controller and the output to Guitar Rig. Now right-click the feature to control in Guitar Rig, select learn and train Guitar Rig with your controller.

Thanks guys! Scook, the VST2 drop-down box method still works. 
 
Now I can watch Dr. Who and enjoy a Double IPA in peace.
 
Much appreciated,
 
Dan