I know this has been asked.... more so in X3...but how do I pull up the help files, other than the "online" stuff that seems to be only available.
 
There are a lot of LITTLE things that seem different.... no show stoppers...  but for the life of me, I can't figure out how to just "search" the help files, looking for what I want to do.
(btw...this is one of those little things... WHERE are the help files!) 
:-)

btw, the latest complete help files I have are the .pdf files for X3.  It's like you have to go to the table of contents to look.   Need the search function.... puullleeeeeze!!!

If you installed the "SONAR Help and Tutorials" package, the local CHM is installed on your machine. The default path is "C:\Program Files\Cakewalk\SONAR Platinum\SONAR.CHM"
 
Select "Always Use Local Help" in Preferences > File > Advanced to force SONAR to use the CHM. To see the Advanced Option, make sure the Advanced radio button is selected at the bottom of the Preferences dialog.

I put links to all the help files (there's a bunch : plugins, synths, sonar, etc.) in a Windows Task Bar toolbar so I can call up a help file to anything in Sonar just by dropping my mouse to the bottom of the screen and selecting the appropriate one.  And I don't have to be in Sonar which is often useful, as when I'm reading these forums.
 

Good tip Paul. And Scook.... Again. I asked back in X3, but could not find your answer back then. Thx (again)!

I currently use the searchable Sonar X3 PDF manual (2094 pages) (Ctrl - F to find things)
http://www.cakewalk.com/Support/Knowledge-Base/2007013322/SONAR-X3-Reference-User-and-Quick-Start-Guides
 
 . . . but hoping there's one available for Sonar Platinum soon, haven't seen it anywhere

Thanks for the tips, I just last night was trying to use the playlist and had to use google, In 8.5 the help files were easily reached and I always used the search. I'll try the short cuts now.