First off--- I'm really just learning Sonar.. so here it goes.

I arranged a project with 9 tracks, all roland gm and roland gm drums on ch10. ( and used a roland drum map).

I have all of the same INS definitions on both machines- moved the edirol um2 interface along with the project. moved both midi modules with the project. - the only difference was running on laptop vs desktop. - all other hardware was the same.

So I packed up at 11 last night and got to church this morning and loaded my project on the laptop and my project had no instrument names.. no instrument definitions, everything was blank.. the midi data was there but the meters didn't move and nothing played. YIKES!
The only thing I had was midi data!

I literally had to assign each midi channel and device again and instrument name for each channel. ( all of the channels were blank) -

Compounded trying to remember just which instrument should be which channel since they were all blank. Beyond the first three tracks, it just got too tedious for the amount of time.


it was a major headache and I had to abandon it and go solo.

What did I do wrong?...... Ideally i want to work on my studio machine with big monitors and lots of room, then put the file on a lipstick drive and go. ( taking modules and interface with me ).

Do I need to save the files in some specific directory, are there other files that go with my CWP ( project file). This was a huge pain!

Ive looked in my books and searched but not sure what you even call what procedure it is I'm doing?...other than moving a file between computers expecting the same results.

Thanks.

WG

Was the midi device checked in the preferences on the laptop before you opened the cakewalk file?

to be honest.. i'm not sure, it was used with the laptop the last time.. ( midi device ) - But I made a new project file starting on the desktop --
the only difference was specifying a drum map when i was on the desk top.

so.. this was not supposed to happen I hope.
what steps would be involved to move a project from the studio to my laptop ( with identical hardware, and ins specs?
with the expectations that all of the instrument would be there so I could plug everything into a mixer and go without having to rework everything?

thanks for answering!

RW

Well you could do what I've been doing successfully as a solo performer and I export a stereo mix of my backing tracks and just use Win Amp and any old laptop for playback. Never ever had a issue. You just get your mix right and that's it. 
 
http://www.cactusmusic.ca/johns_rig.htm
 
I used to play using live MIDI back in the 80's. There will always be the potential for something to go weird on you. Stereo Wave or MP3 files are very dependable. 
 
Are you using soft synths or outboard hardware? this is not clear. 
 
 

definitely a CWP... i even checked before i made a fool of myself and posted .... so... theoretically, everything should load up and i shouldn't have to reinvent the wheel?

I think what happened is that Sonar didn't find the device the same way on your second computer and so didn't map it up to it. Obviously, if you restart with all your gear connected on the one computer it works fine, right?
 
If you unplug your device, open the project, it will find missing devices and re-route probably, right? Like... master bus having no output. That sort of thing.
 
I'm guessing your laptop is not configured the same. Like, did you have to go into preferences and put a check next to the midi device?
 
That would do it, I think.
 
I'll defer to more knowledgeable people here, though.