I posted my problems, incorrectly me thinks, in the features forum. 
(unfortunately, all 6 of my posts yesterday do not exist in timeline)
 
The reporting of these wonderful experiences are more relevant here.
 
8.5.3 project not finding joy with X3e:
 
The "solution" for this project was to clone all 100 tracks. I hope someone has a better solution.
 
My move to X3 has been an unhappy 4 weeks. Asio inputs lost, way too stupid AD installation, lost sound fonts, no colors, and no easy way to change track icons.
 
The "solution" for this project was to clone all 100 tracks!  And deleting 100 tracks. Lots of verification. And wasted time.
 
More, redundant, description below:
 
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I have been working on a project created in 8.5.3.
Track icon drag/drop was just one of the many functions that were/are not working.
 
A cloned track behaves correctly.
 
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x3  old project   track color does not follow bus color
 
I change the bus color but the track color does not change.  
I have verified preferences settings to follow bus.  
  And for the old tracks the color selector does not show "follow bus" only default.  
New tracks work correctly.  
Cloning a track shows the bus color.
 
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No doubt Loki will provide me more challenges than I desire.
 
 
 
 
 

There have been significant changes with regard to color choices between your 2 Sonar versions. Sadly a backward step (as many believe) as there are not the color choices in the X series as previously.

Mind you the whole screen is arranged differently.

Check out Duckbar at sonarmods.com It goes a long way to fill the gaps that many feel exist when Cakewalk changed to the new Skylight interface. Duckbar is a great 3rd party program written by a pro Sonar user. It in no way damages your existing installation of Sonar and can be completely uninstalled without leaving a trace if you decide against it.

this particular project would not respond to icon drops and color defaults.  Cloning the tracks worked.
But I spent too many hours trying figger it.
 
Have not tried other big projects with x3 yet.  I hope for joy and love. But expect sadness and disdain.