Sometimes I'm working along, and all of a sudden I will notice that a track or more will be gray in color and its clips can't be selected or moved. If I right-click drag over them to select them, I get a context menu instead of the blue select box. Everything else on the other tracks is selectable and normal. Yesterday this happened with a MIDI drum track, then at one point it stopped doing that and I could select clips etc. Tonight it's two audio tracks that I copy-pasted from another project. What am I doing?

Update: I think this has something to do with Envelopes. When I open the envelope lanes, then the clips themselves are movable. Any clue as to what I'm doing that makes tracks unresponsive and that can be resolved by opening envelope lanes?

I would try to move from smart tool to anything, and see if different.
Then back to smart tool and try again.
 
I've encountered similar stuff with newer Sonar, where I click on clip header and they don't get selected etc - just numb to anything. Then it can suddenly start to work, and do so the rest of the session.
 
The same with hovering on edges on clips, and nothing happends. I think it is to do with smart tool loose track or have a funny work mode or something. If I select the tool directly for move or something it works.

I tried that, it doesn't seem to change anything. I have learned that expanding the automation lanes makes the parent clip again selectable, and when automation lanes are collapsed, the envelope is still yellow instead of gray, (like it used to look in older Sonar versions). I am guessing this is some sort of feature I don't understand rather than a bug, but perusing the help doesn't offer up any suggestions. ???

The ghost automation envelope on main track still goes dark green for me(Everett) - when track is not selected anymore.
So I have a workaround selecting custom clip colors to it so it remains to be easily spotted.
 
You mention "parent" are you working within track folders as well - or is it just what I call main track for take lanes or automation?
 
The issues I've had with unresponsive editing/selecting are as yours random - trying to narrow down when it occurs. Vague memory that I was changing screensets a bit - and will try that a bit again.
 
Behavior was confirmed at one time by Icontak as I recall mentioning this. You try to select clips by clicking on header and everything remains gray. would be good to track down and report if it can be repeated.

Sounds like you've switched a track from 'Clips' mode to some other mode. Check the setting in the drop-down box below the track name.

Kylotan
Sounds like you've switched a track from 'Clips' mode to some other mode. Check the setting in the drop-down box below the track name.

^^^^
 
It does sound like you've changed the Edit Filter.    Shift+Clicking on an object will do that.