Trying to just do a "File" "Export" "Audio" function to have either a WAV or mp3 file for transporting...  specifying "Entire Mix" in the option box, and the other usual options;   16 bit, etc.  And it goes off and is doing some track processing, taking a long, long time, seems like it's processing each track, not doing a mixdown.  I tried another project, to get an mp3 exported, and it works.  This project doesn't.   Any idea what' wrong ?
One other clue is that as soon as I tell it to EXPORT an mp3 for this, the failing project, it does not come back with the mp3 options window as it should. 
Is it possible I've set some option within this project that messes up the export function ?

Ugh...  this is horrible...   I've pretty much mixed and finessed and eq'd this project, all ready to go, and can't do an export audio.  Any way I can possibly recover from this ?

Compare possible differences between a project that exports normally and the problem project.
Is the "Fast bounce" checked? Some VSTs don't tolerate fast bouncing.
Are all tracks routed through Master Bus as recommended? Then try using Master bus as the export source. That way you can be sure everything is in control and routed similarily.
I remember reading some posts about mysterious failed exports which don't give any messages or warnings, but I can't recall any details.

Two thoughts:
 
Just want to mention that if you have adjusted timing on clips either by adjusting the transients or by audio snap, that every time you go to export, it will regenerate those... and it take a while. If you see the status message something like "processing audio..." that's what it's doing.  I usually bounce those tracks to get rid of that constant reprocessing.
 
Did you select the appropriate range for exporting? Say your song is 3 minutes long, but you have some drum midi track that when pasted in is 10 minutes long... then unless you specify start and finish, the song will be 10 minutes long for the purpose of export.
 
Those are two things I can think of.
 
Oh yea maybe one other thing.  I have Sonar Platinum. Once in a great while it stops exporting in the middle of it... just stops.  When that happens I cancel it, try again, and it works. Go figure.
 
Rick
 
 
 

Which version of SONAR are you using?

sorry...  Studio X3.  I called Cakewalk tech support direct today, and we went thru the problem.  It seems in this particular project only, the software takes off when I do the Export function, and begins "processing" all the selected tracks for some reason, one at a time, and after that is all done THEN comes up with the mp3 options box.  When I fill that out, and hit the button, it then properly goes ahead and does the requested mixdown.  So I haven't lost all the detail work in the project, thank God...   
What it is doing while "processing" the selected tracks, who knows...  it seems like it's bouncing each one independently....   but for now at least I can output a mixed WAVE or MP3 file, albeit at a much slower pace.

Select all of your tracks and do a bounce to clip, then try exporting again. Should be instant.
 
Also, I would never export straight to MP3. Export to wav first, import it back into your project on a blank track for comparison.
Then use your "good" wav for MP3 conversion

I just went through the same problem the other night. I could export, but then I couldn't find a Wave file for what I exported. I unchecked the blue "Run/Stop the audio engine" at the top of the screen and everything worked as it used to. I found my files saved as Wave files in the usual place. I also named them with the F word since I was frustrated, but I don't think that had any affect. 

There is a very very "rare" issue where ONE muted clip makes all the whole export silent.
I have experienced this in rare cases. (Since Sonar X1)
That is why we avoid muting a clip.