Not sure if this is the right forum for this message, but I'll try here.
I have Cakewalk Sonar Professional and just got the new Korg NanoKontrol Studio surface control.
USB driver loaded just fine, but would really like to find an easy Nanocontrol studio setup template in Sonar.  Under control surfaces, this item is not listed.  Someone suggested to use the Mackie mixer layout, but it didn't work at all.  Is there an alternative to starting from generic ACT layout and programming everything myself ??

I have a nanoKontrol 2 and got it to work well with a control surface implementation done by a Cakewalk user Azslow.
 
Check out his site
http://www.azslow.com/
 
You do have to do some setup but it was well worth it for me.  The other option is to go through and midi learn all the stuff. The nanoKontrol 2 had a mode you could set it up in for Mackie control and then use a generic Mackie control layout that mostly worked.

I just ordered a nanoKontrol studio, and can only hope that it does what Korg says it will - according to them, all you have to do is press a combination of keys to go into Sonar control mode.  I am NOT hopeful; I don't use Cakewalk any more, and I've been with them from the beginning, but Ableton Live and Maschine are SO much better and easy to use with their respective control surfaces.  Maschine Studio and Push 2 are what dreams are made of, except neither of them have comping (yet), which is the only reason I bought the lifetime version of Sonar.
 
ACT absolutely sucks; all the presets are for outdated, tired old technology, and Cakewalk doesn't seem to give a ****.  I am really, really disappointed with them... all the software stuff I can usually use as plugins into Live or Maschine, but why the hell should I have to? 
 
I call serious **** on Cakewalk for its lack of control surface support, especially in this day and age. 

Maybe I was a little harsh, so I'll try to explain a bit more.
 
I run Maschine as a VST in Ableton Live.  I have both a Maschine Mikro and a Mashine Studio.  Both will not only control transport functions in Live, but I can even use the Mikro to access all of Maschine's and Komplete's power, and even return to Live mode and launch clips.  (I just got a Maschine Jam which is sort of overkill, but I got a really, really good deal on it, so I probably won't return it...)
 
I can run Maschine VST in Sonar ok, but have to use my mouse for everything.  Sonar has a Mackie Template; so does Maschine's Control Editor, but it simply does not work.  Neither have a LOT of controllers I've tried that were supposedly Mackie compatible, and work with Ableton   Only if I use the VS-100 (or is it the 700?) template do I get anything at all in Sonar (a couple of buttons on a single track - totally unuseable).
 
And my little Maschine Mikro will do everything in Live....
 
But sheesh, I'd LIKE to be able to use Sonar once in awhile... But I sure as hell don't want to waste my time programming an ACT that won't work (and I've already tried everything I can think of), and Live with Maschine is so painless and powerful....
 
I own and use Live and Maschine.  I suggest the Cakewalk engineers get demo units and see how its done.... :)

Just found this thread. Am looking to add a nanoControl Studio to Sonar Pro. Any new experiences using this with Sonar? Thanks.

Billy86
Just found this thread. Am looking to add a nanoControl Studio to Sonar Pro. Any new experiences using this with Sonar? Thanks.

There was and still are 2 options:
1) follow user manual to setup it in Sonar. If that does not work and you see "Connecting..." in the Control Bar, follow http://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,341.0.html and set "Disable handshake" option.
Pro: you can get it working, with feedback, within several minutes
Cons: it will do what Korg has decided it should do in Sonar. You can not change that
 
2) Use Startup Preset in AZ Controller and then adjust the preset for this surface (add LED feedback, jogger, other functions you want/need)
Pro: it can do what you want and you can change that any time
Cons: you will have to spend some time to learn how to define the configuration
 
I mean these 2 options cover everything, you either do not want define the functionality yourself (1) or you want define the functionality yourself (2). Not sure what you mean by "new experience", I do not see any place for it