I use my 02R96 to control SONAR transport every day... one day it just stopped working, I open up the control surface preferences and there is nothing listed.  I had two control surfaces, the 02R96 and the Presonus Faderport (in the recording booth), both missing.  It was a drag at first because it took me weeks to figure out how to setup the 02R96 with SONAR.  Thankfully via google (no luck with forum search) I was able to track down my post here where I finally figured out the correct values but I lost an hour doing it.
 
Any idea why/how this would happen and how to prevent it from happening again?  Seems pretty random.  At least this time I think I actually have my 02R96 control surface saved (forgot to do that last time oops).

It could be that you didn't have them on when you started Sonar or not on long enough. 
 
You can save your setup as a preset if you wish. 

I often lose the port assignments for some reason, if you have lost the control surface file itself (.chm) maybe you saved the file somewhere else or moved it? Search your hard drive for *.chm I suggest.


By default it's put in C:\Program Files\Cakewalk\Shared Surfaces folder and you can add it any time within the preference UI within Sonar.
 
BTW your signature shows X3D, I would recommend upgrading to X3E.
 
Cheers...
 

Yes I would recommend updating my signature, actually.  Haven't been on here for a while...
 
I guess I saved it as a preset within the cakewalk generic surface?  None of my gear has been off and I hadn't even restarted my computer when this happened, which is why I have no idea how it happened...

Current settings are saved in ctrlsurface.dat  (in user hidden folder, use Search to find it). In case it is corrupted or lost, SONAR rebuild it with empty configuration. Most probably your case. But the same can happened in case you have started SONAR as a different user (check your Windows login settings).
 
If you save plug-in settings as preset, it is saved under "Shared Presets" folder ( also user hidden folder) and the file name is the preset name (so you can search it directly).
 
In case plug-ins are lost/corrupted/unregistered, the configuration should still be there. But surfaces will be unusable.
 
*.chm are help files, plug-ins are *.dll (the name part is the same).

Your ports for your FW and/or USB may have been shut off because of your power option/saving settings. Make sure stay 'Always ON'
 
CJ

azslow3
*.chm are help files

 
Doh! Quite right... Been a long time since I created one of them....

Except when upgrading Sonar versions, the only time I've seen this is when there was a USB issue and the control panel was not 'in the system' when Sonar started.  Control surface turned off?  Too many devices drawing current on USB port?  Intermittent USB cable connection?  Powered USB hub and power unplugged to hub? Changed USB port to one with power saving enabled?
 
Glen