Anderton's Last Post: "But if you could just take a "snapshot" of the current preferences setting and save it for later recall, it seems that would solve 99% of the people's needs who want streamlined preferences."
This idea sounds excellent to me, Anderton. Did ya'll miss this? I would imagine this must have been suggested to or with Cakewalk already. If not, I am a YES vote!

@worstcaseontario - 
 
You had posted the following earlier " It worked a treat. This is kinda a relevation", and at the end of that post, also "I'm so excited".
 
Where I come from, those sound like 'happy thoughts', so it made sense you were happy with it all, even though I am not sure what a 'relevation' is - it still sounds like a happy word.  (I am gathering it might have meant to have been a 'revelation')
 
I had not taken your original post as any sort of down in the dumps troll post either, I remain happy that you are happy with it all.  :)
 
I suppose that there may be some number of commonly, but repeatedly, things done with preferences by different kinds of Sonar users, so maybe some sort of multi-profile approach for preferences would be helpful.  A good idea, after all.
 
Bob Bone
 

@worstcaseontario - 
 
You had posted the following earlier " It worked a treat. This is kinda a relevation", and at the end of that post, also "I'm so excited".
 
Where I come from, those sound like 'happy thoughts', so it made sense you were happy with it all, even though I am not sure what a 'relevation' is - it still sounds like a happy word.  (I am gathering it might have meant to have been a 'revelation')
 
I had not taken your original post as any sort of down in the dumps troll post either, I remain happy that you are happy with it all.  :)
 
I suppose that there may be some number of commonly, but repeatedly, things done with preferences by different kinds of Sonar users, so maybe some sort of multi-profile approach for preferences would be helpful.  A good idea, after all.
 
Bob Bone
 

 I fixed my spelling, thanks. Kinda sad, I was being so careful.

worstcaseontario
...why this option is global, but that one is per project...

Notice that if you open Preferences without having a project open there are fewer items listed, i.e. only the global options. Opening it with a project open, the project's settings are merged in with the rest. I would prefer the global and project options to be separate, or at least identified as such.

I do understand that there is a little digging to be done to find some preferences and make them stick, but IMO there are so many things that Sonar tries, and can do, it's not surprising there is confusion over where to put any particular option. There are so many different workflows that one person's button would be another's preference.
I think one of the objects of the skyline interface was to work towards a simpler and more consistent placement of preferences. If enough users get on board, and put forward ideas to have something changed, then I think the programmers would be more than willing to make the changes required. The features request site is one of the best parts of Cakewalk.
There is so much depth to Sonar it really is not surprising that even the best power users are occasionally surprised by something they didn't know existed, or didn't realise worked a certain way.

worstcaseontario
 I fixed my spelling, thanks. Kinda sad, I was being so careful.

You will frequently find 'edited' next to my posts, as I often seem to SUCK at hitting the right keys.  We have ALL done it, so don't sweat it.  :)
 
Bob Bone
 

Anderton

worstcaseontario

Anderton

worstcaseontario
 That's actually amusing. But on whose face does this put egg on? The users who are asking for features they already had, or the Word guys for allowing this to happen?  

As I said on my twitter feed recently, "Definition of power user: Someone who reads the manual."

No arguement with the wisdom of your "tweet"(is that right?), man. But if some Microsoft Word programming guy told me, to my face, that it was MY fault I couldn't find where he hid something, I could easily take it as kinda insulting. How about you?

Before the invention of the PDF and decades of evolution, I might have agreed. But programs have hundreds, even thousands, of options and there's no way they can all occupy center stage. This is why I like PDF files (and the internet) - if I want to see if something exists, or how to use something in a more efficient or intelligent way, I search on it. Even taking the Sonar documentation as an example, sometimes someone will ask a question here and I'll find a link to the documentation that will help. But many times, while checking out that link, there's some additional tip or shortcut or whatever that I didn't know - so I learn something too.

 I stepped back and thought about what actually sticks in my craw about all of this, and will try to illustrate my perspective with examples from my real life. I am not a professional Word operator. I am a professional machine and forklift operator, and I am good at it. Sometimes in my machine and forklift operating day, I need to make a page-size sign saying something like: "Caution-Pallet Load Uneven", or "Keep Head and Arms Out of the Mixer at All Times!" or "This Lunch-bag Is the Property of worstcaseontario- Do Not Touch". My workplace suggests to me that I might wanna use Word for this, seeing as it is already installed on all the computers in the plant. I stand at my little terminal and compose my sign, and a co-worker will look over my shoulder and say," That would really catch the eye better if the letters were out-lined ". I might agree. I will look at the first level of Word options, not find exactly what I'm looking for in the words that I am looking for, realize that if I don't go down the hall to shut off the ammonia very soon the plant will explode, print my sign in it's un-outlined version and just hope that it catches people's eye well enough. When was I supposed to consult the documentation? Beforehand? Again, I am not a Word operator.
 When he first started his position, my supervisor knew nothing about Word. He is now VERY agile with it. So long as I am there to shut the ammonia off in time, he has all day to study Word.(Nothing at all against him. Great guy.)
 Do you see where I am going with this?
 If a Microsoft Word developer came up to me while I was making my sign and said "Oh, I see you are using or product, might you have any suggestions for features we might add?". I will say " Yeah, you could make it so you can out line the letters of the text". The Word guy will say "But you CAN. You just have to...". I will then interrupt with "I gotta go shut the ammonia off so we don't all die". When I get back to the Microsoft guy, it's to check his credentials and make sure he is properly signed in to my plant. I don't think I am an idiot. Idiots never think they are idiots, mind you.
 I will NOT read Microsoft Word documentation in my spare time. Same way as I will not do cycle counts or sort pallets in my spare time. Microsoft sold this product as a solution to my employer, and I judge solutions by how well they solve.
  My comments are not to take shots at Word. I don't care about Word. I am sure it is all it should be.

You would have torn your hair out in Sonar 8.5.3 - INCREDIBLE power, for the power user, but quite a collection of dark arts voodoo and mysticism to utilize that power.  You had all kinds of keystroke combinations to learn to get things to happen, and it turned a lot of people off.  At the same time, those that invested the time to learn those key combos were very happy with what they could quickly cause to happen in the program.
 
One of the main reasons for the complete redesign of the user interface that began with Sonar X1, was that Cakewalk wanted to make Sonar a lot easier to learn, to attract new users and/or crossover users from other recording software.  In addition, they felt the redesign would, over time, assist even the power users with workflow improvements.
 
It is entirely possible that, when development resources become available, some benefit in the same theme to a redesign of some or all of the parameters in Preferences could be realized.
 
I think that if this forum continued to explore potential improvements to the use and control of Preferences, that they might take action to make some improvements.
 
Great thread, 
 
Bob Bone
 

 Thanks for all your thoughts, Member robert_e_bone. No one has ever "great thread"ed me before.
 Oh that rant was directly at that little "side bar" I quoted regarding the Administrator's quip about Word focus groups and the conclusions drawn from them. I think sometimes I could be grouped with the people who want features they already have, and felt like there may have been the potential of exposure to ridicule there. I agreed that the situation is ridiculous, I'm just not as certain who gets the ridicule. Word is kinda forced on me. Sonar is not. At all. I even have alternatives owned and installed. To make clear: My post #58 has nothing to do with Sonar.