... should NOT be so f-ing cumbersome.  What development have you been doing for all of these years?!
 
It just shouldn't be as big of a deal as it is.

I know. It was a hassle removing the magic marker from my screen when I would switch from Toontrack to Addictive and then to Slate.
 
Now I use drum maps.

I wish I could use drum maps.  Drum maps are the source of my complaint.  Sonar should be a tool for people to use to make music.  And we generally use tools to make things easier.  Some parts of it, like Drum maps for example, appear to have been designed to satisfy the need for twiddling and cursing that resides deep inside geeks and boffins.
 
Seriously ...

It is not that hard. Both FXexpansion and Cakewalk manage to add the information needed for the VST2.1 effGetMidiKeyName opcode in their plug-ins. Ask the other plug-in manufacturers to do the same. Drum maps and adding entries to master.ins are the only other solutions.

I can't imagine how exposing that parameter in a vst like battery would be helpful, especially when i replace snares vith various barnyard noises.

swamptooth
I can't imagine how exposing that parameter in a vst like battery would be helpful, especially when i replace snares vith various barnyard noises.

scook
It is not that hard. Both FXexpansion and Cakewalk manage to add the information needed for the VST2.1 effGetMidiKeyName opcode in their plug-ins. Ask the other plug-in manufacturers to do the same. Drum maps and adding entries to master.ins are the only other solutions.

Thanks, I'm suggesting my DAW "manufacturer" make it possible for me to make those display changes for myself.  The biggest problem from my perspective is them having tied text values for display purposes to routing and translation.  All I want is an easy way to a list of drum kit piece names instead of a sideways piano keyboard when I'm working with drums.
 
No secret handshakes.  No procedures on the web site the result in silent drums.
 
 

rfreeze
 All I want is an easy way to a list of drum kit piece names instead of a sideways piano keyboard when I'm working with drums.

I'm trying to envision this. Is it possible to "mock up" what you mean?

Modify the master.ins. Update these two sections:
 
1) Create an entry in in ".Note Names" like
[My Drums]
35=Acoustic Bass Drum
36=Bass Drum 1
37=Oink
38=Rooster Crow
....
81=Open Triangle
 
2) Create an entry in ".Instrument Definitions" like
[My Drums]
Patch=1..128
Key[*,*]=My Drums
Drum[*,*]=1

bapu

rfreeze
 All I want is an easy way to a list of drum kit piece names instead of a sideways piano keyboard when I'm working with drums.

I'm trying to envision this. Is it possible to "mock up" what you mean?

Sure.  In this pic the top left is what I want, the lower left is the default.  Specifically, I want the upper left without having to define mappings, I/O and other such tech stuff.  I just want to see the name of the kit pieces whether they're are "cowpeeonflatrock" or "Kick" or "Snare".  The worst part of this is that by following the instructions on the cake site, I ended up with the picture ... but now the drums are silent.
 
Hopefully I'll find what I want via instrument def, but my hope is limited.