Thanks for the quick reply and welcome.  I am using Sonar Home Studio 6.0 but so far it is not opening .wrk files.
I would like to use Win 7 instead of  the present Windows 98 SE system, and General Midi Modules instead of E-mu Proteous 1 Module.  Would appreciate your help, thanks.
 
Regards

Same for me.
Any and all .wrk files open in any version provided the version isn't older than the one they were created in.

BrownEE
Thanks for the quick reply and welcome.  I am using Sonar Home Studio 6.0 but so far it is not opening .wrk files.
I would like to use Win 7 instead of  the present Windows 98 SE system, and General Midi Modules instead of E-mu Proteous 1 Module.  Would appreciate your help, thanks.
 
Regards

Just for clarification, the "*.wrk" file itself contains only project and MIDI data in it. If you have any audio (or uninstalled plugins referenced) you will get messages of "this or that not found" when opening the file. Is that what you mean by "not opening?"
 
To open wrk files, is best to copy the ENTIRE "Cakewalk Projects" folder from the old machine and paste it to the new machine... with the structure in tact. This will allow referenced audio files to be found.
 
The plugins would require the old versions to be installed, but there are newer versions of most anything available. Is basically a "remix" venture with that, but audio and MIDI portions should both open.

BrownEE
Thanks for the quick reply and welcome.  I am using Sonar Home Studio 6.0 but so far it is not opening .wrk files.
I would like to use Win 7 instead of  the present Windows 98 SE system, and General Midi Modules instead of E-mu Proteous 1 Module.  Would appreciate your help, thanks.
 
Regards

I just happen to have Sonar Home Studio and it will open wrk files. I tried it. I was thinking that Home Studio might not open wrk files but it does. 

A bit behind the discussion, but some words.
I too have one file, that could not be opened with Sonar (because of missing audio reference). For my luck I had access to an older Version of Cakewalk (CW9) which at least allowed to open it - only giving an error message. So I opened it here and resaved.
 
But I have another "issue"
As much as I love Sonar, but I think the handling with older project files could be better. BTW - This was a reason I bought Artis one and a half year ago. It could open my (dozens) wrk files!
 
To make it clear: The time when we had wrk files was the time of WaveBlaster, Sound Canvas and General Midi / GS Standard. So pretty most (if not all of them) wrk files followed that standard. If I remember right, the first cakewalk I got was bundled with my WaveBlaster.
 
So, after the first enthusiasm, I found following limits when opening a wrk file in Sonar:
- At first I worked with the Windows GM Synthesizer. Not very nice but at least it works. I loaded the wrk and could play the file, the voices were correct. But I found two issues: The Microsoft GM Module uses Windows Sound, Sonar normally ASIO. Ok, I changed Sonar also to Windows Sound, but when I loaded additional VSTs, for instance a DrumModul, I got remarkable latency differences between the VST and the Microsoft GM. Finally I could not route back the Audio Output to the DAW for final processing. At first I needed a while until I understand why I had these issues.
- Second shot was to work with coolSofts Virtual Midi Synth. Here I had the same problems. 1) No Audio route back, 2) latency differences between VSTI and CoolSoft Engine . Another Problem was: When I changed projects, then the Cakewalk Engine very often gave no more audio, so I had to restart Cakewalk, sometimes even th PC to get Audio working again.
These solutions have in common: I had to manually reroute the Midi channels after loading, as there is no default GM Template here. And after manually adjusting I either had to save as cwp or dismiss my changes as Sonar does not support to save as wrk again. For different reasons I did not want to convert all my wrk files, but "keep" them adjusted only.
- Now I found another solution. I bought a used Sound Canvas. So I had no latency issues any more, but had an external device and to route the audio back - but not in the DAW. This is only a solution to listen to the files, but also to much work :-)
- I found the article relating the TTS-1. So I tested this. At least the first shot was nice: Use no Midi Device and load the wrk file - voila it plays (almost) out of the box. But it is not the best solution. I prefer to set a Midi device, so I have to toggle these settings often. I would prefer a tick box, that you can use the tts1-1 as your Standard General Midi Device that is used when you open Midi/WRK Files. In this case the Midi Channels could be set when loading/importing the project without making you to fiddle around with port settings. Workflow:
GM-Setting On -> loading wrk/midi -> Play the song. 
Another addition would be, if the Bakers could update the TTS-1 to a valid VSTi.  In this case The project can be loaded and we have a nice real GM Compliant Multitimbral VSTI. SO I could load my old project with one click, play around with it, load additional VSTIs and render all in common to audio. In the Bakery I asked this as idea, maybe some of you older wrk users like the idea of tts-1 as VSTI and GM-Template also ? Then vote here in the Bakery please :-)
 
http://bakery.cakewalk.com/Idea/15903/VST-Version-of-TTS-1-please-configurable-gm-gs-compatible-standard-midi-vsti
 
 
 
 

SigiZ58
A bit behind the discussion, but some words.
I too have one file, that could not be opened with Sonar (because of missing audio reference). For my luck I had access to an older Version of Cakewalk (CW9) which at least allowed to open it - only giving an error message. So I opened it here and resaved.
 
But I have another "issue"
As much as I love Sonar, but I think the handling with older project files could be better. BTW - This was a reason I bought Artis one and a half year ago. It could open my (dozens) wrk files!
 
To make it clear: The time when we had wrk files was the time of WaveBlaster, Sound Canvas and General Midi / GS Standard. So pretty most (if not all of them) wrk files followed that standard. If I remember right, the first cakewalk I got was bundled with my WaveBlaster.
 
So, after the first enthusiasm, I found following limits when opening a wrk file in Sonar:
- At first I worked with the Windows GM Synthesizer. Not very nice but at least it works. I loaded the wrk and could play the file, the voices were correct. But I found two issues: The Microsoft GM Module uses Windows Sound, Sonar normally ASIO. Ok, I changed Sonar also to Windows Sound, but when I loaded additional VSTs, for instance a DrumModul, I got remarkable latency differences between the VST and the Microsoft GM. Finally I could not route back the Audio Output to the DAW for final processing. At first I needed a while until I understand why I had these issues.
- Second shot was to work with coolSofts Virtual Midi Synth. Here I had the same problems. 1) No Audio route back, 2) latency differences between VSTI and CoolSoft Engine . Another Problem was: When I changed projects, then the Cakewalk Engine very often gave no more audio, so I had to restart Cakewalk, sometimes even th PC to get Audio working again.
These solutions have in common: I had to manually reroute the Midi channels after loading, as there is no default GM Template here. And after manually adjusting I either had to save as cwp or dismiss my changes as Sonar does not support to save as wrk again. For different reasons I did not want to convert all my wrk files, but "keep" them adjusted only.
- Now I found another solution. I bought a used Sound Canvas. So I had no latency issues any more, but had an external device and to route the audio back - but not in the DAW. This is only a solution to listen to the files, but also to much work :-)
- I found the article relating the TTS-1. So I tested this. At least the first shot was nice: Use no Midi Device and load the wrk file - voila it plays (almost) out of the box. But it is not the best solution. I prefer to set a Midi device, so I have to toggle these settings often. I would prefer a tick box, that you can use the tts1-1 as your Standard General Midi Device that is used when you open Midi/WRK Files. In this case the Midi Channels could be set when loading/importing the project without making you to fiddle around with port settings. Workflow:
GM-Setting On -> loading wrk/midi -> Play the song. 
Another addition would be, if the Bakers could update the TTS-1 to a valid VSTi.  In this case The project can be loaded and we have a nice real GM Compliant Multitimbral VSTI. SO I could load my old project with one click, play around with it, load additional VSTIs and render all in common to audio. In the Bakery I asked this as idea, maybe some of you older wrk users like the idea of tts-1 as VSTI and GM-Template also ? Then vote here in the Bakery please :-)
 
http://bakery.cakewalk.com/Idea/15903/VST-Version-of-TTS-1-please-configurable-gm-gs-compatible-standard-midi-vsti
 
 
 
 

Your idea is not only doable its the way I do many projects myself. A Standard MIDI File is just data that is easily edited. It will work with Sonar and any DXIs or VSTis you have. Depending on what is in your wrk files you should have no trouble using up to date Soft Synths to play them with far greater sound quality. Most soft synths are not SMF aware but that is not a problem. For example drums from a SMF (standard MIDI file) are based on a drum map that maps to GM (general MIDI drums). Those can remapped to any drum player. Often there is a map just for that with your drum synth of choice. Sonar Platinum has a number of drum synths that will work fine as long as there is a converting drum map that comes with it. 
 
You have the right idea. It only needs execution on your part. No need to ask for any added features they are all there already.  

Thanks for your answer John.
I asked this because I like it comfortable :-)
In the moment I have to
1) Change my Midi Settings each time or
2) Load the tts manually every time I open the file
 
I would prefer (much less clicks) a way to open a wrk/midi file without having to change my midi settings each time I open a wrk/midi file. The more as I have in different configurations several midi devices. It should be much easier to open a wrk file and play without configuring each time 5 minutes :-)
So I want to have a TTS-1 based GM Template, which in the initial phase of loading the file only uses 1 (configured GM) Midi device, so that the channels are set correctly and not by accident, what happens when more then one Midi device is configured in the system. So a setting that allows to set a fixed GM Midi Synth (Like TTS-1) is the only comfortable solution in this scenario, as it allows you to keep your standard midi settings untouched in case you load a midi/wrk file.
 
This setting could be named like: Set TTS-1 as Standard GM-Synth for MID/WRK Files
It should work as if this setting ignore all other midi devices when loading a mid/wrk file. And if you dont want this, you can simply uncheck this option.
 
Or different approach:
In the moment the program works (simplified) so:
If no midi device selected
  choose tts-1
else
  use midi device config
end if
 
My wish would be:
if no midi-device selected
   - choose tts-1
else
    - if GM-Flag Setting is True
       -- choose tts-1
    - else
       -- use midi device config
    - end if
end if 
 
Did I miss anything here ?

SigiZ58
 
This setting could be named like: Set TTS-1 as Standard GM-Synth for MID/WRK Files
It should work as if this setting ignore all other midi devices when loading a mid/wrk file. 

Hi. IIRC, if you select "None" as MIDI output in Preferences, it will do that.
TTS-1 will be used for play back, until another is chosen.
All the best.

Zargg

SigiZ58
 
This setting could be named like: Set TTS-1 as Standard GM-Synth for MID/WRK Files
It should work as if this setting ignore all other midi devices when loading a mid/wrk file. 

Hi. IIRC, if you select "None" as MIDI output in Preferences, it will do that.
TTS-1 will be used for play back, until another is chosen.
All the best.

Hi Zargg,
 
thank you, this I know and wrote also,  why I prefer another solution.
 
Kind regards

SigiZ58

Zargg

SigiZ58
 
This setting could be named like: Set TTS-1 as Standard GM-Synth for MID/WRK Files
It should work as if this setting ignore all other midi devices when loading a mid/wrk file. 

Hi. IIRC, if you select "None" as MIDI output in Preferences, it will do that.
TTS-1 will be used for play back, until another is chosen.
All the best.

Hi Zargg,
 
thank you, this I know and wrote also,  why I prefer another solution.
 
Kind regards

Sorry. Must have slipped by me.