I recently got an Alesis VI49 keyboard, but I'm having difficulty using ACT Learn (especially the one that appears as a single button in the top right in plugins for example) to map the controller's knobs and buttons to different parameters. They aren't being learned or recognized when they are. I'm not sure if it's the keyboard or if it's Sonar. I'm using Sonar X3. I already posted a support question to Alesis, but I don't have much faith in them.
 
I posted a gallery of what I've done so far at this link (imgur.com/a/f4wyZ), but I was wondering if a Sonar user more familiar could respond back, like if I have done something wrong or such. I don't feel like I have, but as I said, ACT Learn isn't working for plugin parameters... I'm also confused why Options for the ACT Controller Surface lists limited things when using the R1/R2 rotaries for example.

Craig Anderton has posted a number of very useful posts on ACT and has written articles as well:
http://blog.cakewalk.com/act-with-hardware/
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr12/articles/sonar-0412.htm
 
I have struggled with ACT at times, especially getting it to work consistently.  Craig can explain it better than me so see if either of those help.

I followed the instructions in the first link (except for the MIDI Shift thing since I don't really have use for that). It seems what I learned on my own with trial and error... I was already doing all of that. I still cannot get any kind of ACT Learning with the keyboard. When I enable ACT Controller on the surface page, it shows automatic mapped controls, but they don't actually correspond to knobs on the VI49. I twist them ALL yet nothing updates. Likewise, when I try to use ACT Learn to map one manually, I get one of the following responses:

• nothing, no notification, simply like nothing happened (95%+ most of the time)
• notification showing that 1 parameter and 1 control surface was mapped. clicking yes and testing it out results in no change though
• notification showing that 2 parameters (???) and 1 control surface were mapped. clicking yes and testing out results in no change though

I do know that there are no drivers to install for it, no firmware updates, etc... it just ships with plug and play drivers. It is possible to map controls, but on manually via Automation Lanes (using Remote Control) or if I were to run in Cakewalk Generic Surface Mode and manually map there too (though it looks like I have no control over what parameter I want there either) - both of these were in the gallery I posted. ACT Learn is not actually grabbing onto parameters/my keyboard when I attempt to use it.

Are you sure you did the linking described in step 4? Slide 5 doesn't look like, it unless it's a "before linking" shot.
 
I also said "don’t use MIDI out with ACT, as it’s not bi-directional" in step 3 because sometimes that causes problems.
 
 

I found that having the output on or off didn't seem to make a difference. Still doesn't. I'll turn it off from now on though.

You were right, I didn't assign anything to ACT at first. I didn't think you had to when you'd be using ACT Learn after and making the connection there after. I did that and it actually worked like it should!

BUT it is fussy with VST3... it shows it was mapped automatically when you select a plugin, it shows assignments can be made, it shows values changing when I move the knobs, but until I actually click play, nothing updates. VST2 updates plugins without having to click play first.
 
I wish ACT would let us import a picture and then manually apply controls over it, so we could get a visual representation that matches what is actually in front of us. The VI49 editor is like that. The VI49 has 12 knobs, so how would I be able to assign the extra 4 for example?