maybe it's the fact that I have 26 tracks...maybe its that each has a bunch of clips with different pan and gain envelopes...
 
first time ever that this sort of thing has happened...and I haven't changed any settings or anything...
 
but somehow...out of the blue...I opened my project and every single one of my gain and pan envelopes had simply disappeared...
 
any ideas?

They are hidden.
Opening in an X and saving and trying 8.5 all the envelopes are hidden.

i don't understand...opening in an x and saving?
 
any way of unhiding?
 
I appreciate the response...just not clear...
 

See page 717 of the 8.5 Reference Guide, in the section Showing or Hiding Envelopes.

One relevant sub-section there is:
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To Show or Hide All Envelopes

1. In the Track view toolbar, click the drop-down arrow that’s next to the Envelope tool to display the Envelope Options menu.

2. Choose either Show All Envelopes or Hide All Envelopes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Perhaps you somehow accidentally HID the envelopes?

nope...nada...and im certain I didn't change anything or accidentally click something...
 
the envelope tool selection (show or hide) doesn't even change or become marked anyway...
 
think I found a big stinky bug...and it could probably cost me a release date for next CD in time for holidays...since I have a lot of work to totally re-do and wont be able to to finish in time to send off for mastering...
 
maybe I should be using something a little more professional...
 
up until this point ive faithfully used cakewalk (since pro audio 4) with only small problems but nothing like this...judging from the amount of issues people seem to be having with even the new version...im wondering if I shouldn't rethink my recording strategy and just learn a new program to invest in...

...maybe I should be using something a little more professional...

Like backups? I hear all the pro's do it.
 
Just yankin' yer chain, man. It's frustrating when a project gets corrupted, but it's something you have to assume will occur eventually - regardless of which DAW you use. Windows itself can corrupt a project, regardless of whether the edition you use has "Pro" in it or not. It happens. It's happened to me more than once.
 
Not that it's relevant nor helpful in any way, but I'm pretty sure that missing envelopes are not a SONAR bug. If it was, somebody else would have surely encountered it by now (I've been on 8.5 since the day of its release).
 
Switching DAWs isn't the answer. It'll just drop you in at the bottom of the learning curve and be a distraction from the music for a year or two. You're far better off sticking with a DAW you already know well enough that you don't have to think about it.
 
Just start doing those backups.

I feel ya on the backups man...I thought auto-save would save me but it didnt...the size and quality of the projects im working on would take a bit longer to continually make said backup (im assuming you mean a bundle file)...not to mention the fact that its rather hard to come by the extra space I would need (even with almost 6TB on board)...the piece is just over an hour long...192kHz (for DVD-A)...and has 30 tracks (more coming)...disk space is at 37%...buffer running (rec/pb) at 1024...
 
its just missing the pan and gain envelopes I had placed in various clips...
 
as far as switching DAWs...I have no problem working on anything really...ive been on protools...Cubase...reason Record...a couple more...I can find my way around pretty easily so not too steep a learning curve...its just that ive been using cakewalk (pro audio and sonar) for so long and so faithfully that it would be a shame to have wasted this money...cos it has been a cost-cutter value...guess I get what I pay for...
 
I have adobe CS6 prod prem with Audition...I may try porting everything over there...maybe slowly phase out cakewalk...sadly...

Hi. Maybe try downloading the new demo, and see if it opens there? It could rule out project failure. 
Or as mentioned earlier, they could be hidden (a keystroke combination?).
I would hang around here, because someone will hopefully be able to help you (they have for me in the past). 
Best of luck.

The question is - are the "hidden" gain & pan envelopes actually working when you play the project back?
 
If they are you know it's just a display problem.
 
If they're not then you need to go to the last backup you made where they were present.

This is another reason I only use SAVE AS and never SAVE.  Save is destructive with no recourse.
 
I always save to a new name: Great Tune 0815 a.cwp, then Great Tune 0815 b.cwp,...
 
 
I used SAVE AS with ALL programs that provide for it. And have removed/replaced the SAVE button from the button bars so I do not make a mistake.