Hello, all. It has been a while since I posted one of these. The basic premise is I will be posting a real time review/report of what I'm doing and finding and observing as a new user of Sonar Platinum 2015 (Feb "Braintree" release as of the OP).
 
In the past I did these for various pieces of hardware I bought (unboxings) and programs (installs) with some impressions on whatever it was I was working on. Back then I had absolutely no idea what I was doing and I'm still a novice but I guess I can't call myself a beginner anymore (thus "not so" complete beginner).
 
This will likely not be of interest to pros but some folks seem to enjoy them and through the absolutely amazing support and generosity of the forum I am now a proud Sonar Platinum user. Thank you gswitz and all those who contributed and to the forum in general. It was a truly unbelievable act of kindness and really most of what I know has been acquired here. As awesome as Sonar is this forum is the most powerful tool at our disposal.
 
There were many comments implying that I need to be up to date so I can root around the program and continue contributing to the forum and of course, whether I updated now or later, that is what would have happened. I guess that will happen sooner. So instead of starting a ton long winded posts and/or threads as I poke around I figured I'd post this and just keep it all in one place.
 
It is good timing because I am in the middle of doing some final tracking on my current project and then some mixing so I'll be performing a bunch of general tasks which will allow me to give Platinum a bit of a utilitarian workout. The current project was created in X3 so hopefully it will remain stable. Usually I keep projects in the version they were created in but I'm hoping and anticipating this one will survive the transfer.
 
I am working on this so the posts will be sporadic and I'll post stuff as I notice stuff. I may run into problems I need help with. I may gush at things I think are cool. I may get peeved at any weirdness/bugs I find. That's the point of the real time review. I'm just a guy trying to get crap done with the software. Maybe it will be helpful, interesting or entertaining or maybe it will just be lame and annoying. Either way it's happening.
 
Cheers and again thanks to all you awesome doods and doodettes. Kindly excuse any typos and/or brainfarts throughout.
 
 

So I actually downloaded and installed yesterday but we may as well start from the beginning....
 
I used the Offline install procedure instead of running the Comand Center thingie. I just don't particularly like having extra software running on the DAW unless necessary and I keep the system offline most of the time anyway. However when I performed the offline install I actually did all the steps on the DAW as opposed to transferring the files around. Little easier that way and I figured since it's the less documented way to do it I would figure it out. I worked off the following video to make it happen...
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roIgly_GjoI&feature=youtu.be
 
That will work but leaves out a couple details that may or may not affect your install.
 
I typed up the following in the original thread. Even though I did the download on the same system I was installing to I included the steps for transferring the files.
 
 
1) Go to your store account's Products page using your online computer
2) Click on Connected Products (it's kind of a dropdown above your older products)
3) Click on the Platinum section which will expose all the downloads for Platinum
4) Download whatever you want from the list (if you own previous versions you'll own a lot of that stuff already)
5) If you need the Addictive Drums, Melodyne or other included stuff you have to click the other dropdowns because they are not under the Platinum section but that has nothing to do with registering Sonar.
6) Put all your downloads on an external drive or whatever you use to move files around between systems
7) Right click the Platinum installer and select Run As Administrator (I always use Run As Administrator but a double left click should launch it anyway... you should also close all other programs and turn off your antivirus temporarily)
8) Once you go through all the install windows open Platinum (or Artist or Studio)
9) In the vid it says to create a project but you don't need to do that. Just close the Open dialog if it pops up so you have a blank instance of Sonar
10) In the global menu (at the top of the screen) click Help > Offline Activation > Export Activation Request
11) Choose a location on your computer to save the file generated (like your desktop)
12) Transfer that file to your online computer
13) Log into your Store account again and click Activate
14) Click "Select A File" (if you use script blockers you need to allow the Cakewalk domain for this to work).
15) Browse to wherever you saved the file (like your USB key or desktop)
16) This will generate a new file that you need to download (the vid doesn't really show this)
17) Transfer that file back to your DAW
18) Open Sonar and click Help > Offline Activation > Import Activation Response
19) Browse to wherever you have your new activation file stored and select it
20) Apply it and a Toast message will pop up saying Sonar is now activated. The Offline Activation entry in the Help menu will disappear as well... I'm assuming until your membership lapses.
 
So a little bit of effort and seems like a lot of steps but it's actually pretty easy.
 

Beepster, I think you may have misinterpreted the events of yesterday. The vig is due next Saturday.

After I had everything installed it was getting a little late but I did poke around a little and want to post those initial observations while they are still fresh. Then I will delve into the program more thoroughly and report back as I go.
 
The actual install of the main program was fast and easy. Took no time at all. They have seriously parted out all the components so it's easy to avoid reloading the bulky this that's and the others (like loops, effects, presets, content, etc). I literally ONLY installed the main program and as of this Braintree release there seems to only be a few extras that really need to be added on top of that. Everything else is already installed from previous versions.
 
This was actually the fastest install of Sonar I've had. Take that as you will.
 
The first thing I looked at as soon as I opened it up was the new Control Bar. I had been asking for the module scrolling for a LONG time. I always found it extremely annoying and disruptive having to replace modules in the CB as I worked. So I was obviously very pleased to see those happy little scroll arrows on either side of the Control Bar.
 
However they have also implemented something else I wanted which was compact modules (or Small) that just mush all the needed stuff into a smaller space. Excellent. The collapse module stuff was even better...
 
BUT the thing that REALLY blew my mind was that with a fully collapsed module I could just hover over it and get the ENTIRE module to drop down and be accessible. With that I can have every module I use or think I may use crammed into view and know I can just hover/click over it to do what I need. Was not expecting that and man am I ever happy about it.
 
Of course there is also the Custom Module which is cool but seems to be more geared toward old school users who wanted all the older style buttons back. Not sure what I'll use it for at this point but hey... easy access to menu items is always nice.
 

what's a vig?

 
:-/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vigorish

Now the final thing I checked out yesterday before I went off to Beepster snoozerland was the one and only bug that had consistently been driving me nuts in X3. The following is a merged thread(s) of the reports I made here on the forum.
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/Track-View-jumping-to-parent-track-when-selecting-Takes-m3047905.aspx
 
They had been confirmed but I foolishly had not made my own report (lazy, stoopid, busy). I was very worried it had not been fixed but Alex checked it out and said it had. Not that I didn't believe him but I had to check it out myself yesterday and lo and behold... no screen jumping when clicking/selecting between tracks.
 
The problem was I use/create many lanes for my guitar parts. I like to try out different performances as I work. I use dual inputs many times while recording or create doubles. This means going back and forth between two tracks with take lanes open to see how things sound together while I comp. What would happen is as soon as I moved to the second track's set of takes and clicked on something the screen would jump to the Parent Track. Then I would have to scroll back down to whatever I was looking at. Very annoying.
 
That seems to be gone now.
 
The point is I did not officially report that. It was only confirmed through the forum. I had never seen any other reports of this behavior (oddly enough because it seems like something that would make people angry).
 
So either it got fixed through a coincidence or someone else reported it or the Baker's are indeed keeping an eye on what we are all kvetching about here and doing something about it.
 
Whatever it was I am quite happy about this particular fix.
 
The only other bugs that used to kick my butt regularly were in X2 and were loooong gone by the time X3e released. Now I'll just have to see if any new weirdness has been introduced.
 
Other than that, as I said the project I will initially be working on in Platinum is something created in X3. I did a Save As so that I can revert back and finish it in X3 if need be but I'm hoping to finish this final tracking and then mixing in Platinum. This should be a good test of how complex projects transfer over.
 
Cheers.

scook
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vigorish

I see. I have an abundance of belly button lint and toe jam. They are a culinary delicacy and if brewed as a tea have curative properties.
 
Beeps fuzzjam. More potent than rhino horn without all the guilt.

As you so rightly point out the new Control Bar is a real inspired upgrade. It solves all the issues we had with the original. I have Platinum running on a laptop with a small display screen and I have the Control Bar working on it nearly as well as it is on my wide screen desktop display. 
 
I know you are a X1 user and never had the pre X series version but the customizable module is not a bone thrown to the older user but an enlightened approach to adding quick action to an already very quick interface.  
 
Sonar 8.5 never had a Save As button. Something I wanted for a long time. Nor did Sonar 8.5 have the ability to create your own buttons. In one big addition CW has given us all that and a great deal more. I don't know who is behind this but I suspect it could very well be Benstat that is behind  this.
 
 
He is the one that added toast to our beloved Sonar. 
  

Aaand due to the other thread in regards to AD AdPak choices I decided to try goofing around with updating from AD1 to AD2. I had massive problems trying to install AD1 when I first install X3 and here I am again wrangling with their online store.
 
Love your product, XLN but not everyone uses Internet Explorer, nor do they set it with the most lax security settings possible (which seems to be the requirements to make your installer work) and I find your claims that 95% of your users said they keep their DAWs online all the time rather spurious.
 
Your website is a script laden nightmare these days as well which I absolutely hate.
 
Now I will have to dig out all my old notes on how to set up IE to allow your strange elaborate and paranoid installation system to operate.
 
That is all.