Apologies if this has been asked, I can't find it in the threads. I have a Roland a pro 500 as my main midi interface to my laptop and there are a number of synths that are connected to the USB bus, but I don't always use the midi over USB.

After setting the midi in and out ports for the apro (including the controller surface ports), everything works fine.

Whether I work away from home with no midi, or turn on a synth that has a USB connection, sonar professional rearranges the midi ports. it doesn't remember what port midi was going out on etc, it just knew it's the second port and uses that, even if it is now replaced by another port.

Once I add or remove a midi port, I have to go through all the track settings and controller surface to reassign the inputs, outputs to the correct port.

Hope I make sense with this. I would have thought that sonar would recognise and map midi the the port name, not whether it's the first or second in the list etc.

I have the same problem for years.

Welcome to the forum!
 
I change systems/harware frequently as well. A workaround for this problem that I have been using for years is to set your midi ports how you want them, close Sonar, then backup Sonars "ttseq.ini" and "control surface.dat" files. Whenever you wish to return to this configuration after any unwanted changes just restore the backup to it's original location.
 
I have several different hardware configurations backed up. It makes changing your system configuration very quick and easy.
It is also possible to change midi input/output port order etc by editing the ttseq.in file once you are familiar with it.
 
The files are located at c:\users\[your user name]\appdata\roaming\cakewalk\SONAR platinum.  You will need to enable "show hidden files" under file explorer options. More details and other Sonar versions locations here: 
 
https://www.cakewalk.com/...;help=INI_Files.5.html

Many thanks,

I'll give it a go when I get home.

I tried that tip but it didn't help. Let me give you an example of what I'm doing.
 
The A-Pro midi controller has two inputs, A-Pro 1 for the keys and A-Pro 2 for the controllers etc. If I happen to have the Deepmind 12 switched on, but not enable the input, my midi inputs in Sonar look like
 
1: Deepmind 12 (not checked)
2: A-Pro 2
3: A-Pro 1
4: Some midi input from a VST I am using
 
And the Controller surface settings are
Input: A-Pro-2 , Output: A-Pro
 
I went to record some midi sequence from the Deepmind and just for convenience, I thought I'd use the Deepmind usb midi port instead of playing it through the A-Pro keyboard. As soon as I enabled the Deep Mind midi port, Sonar shifted all the reverenced down by one, ie
 
Controller surface settings are now
Input: Deepmind , Output: A-Pro
 
and all my Midi input for other tracks have now changed from port 3: A-Pro 1 (the controllers Keyboard) to Port 4: Some midi input from a VST I am using.
 
Its as if Sonar does not associate the inputs and outputs to the names of the ports, it just sees Port 1, Port 2, Port 3 etc and if something high up on the midi inputs list becomes enabled during the session, Sonar ignores the re-ordering of the ports and if Sonar was originally sending something out on port 1, it will continue to send it out on port 1, even if that port destination just changed.
 
I can send screen shots of the settings if it helps show where I am coming from. Sonar will allow me to arrange the order of the output ports, which helps a little, but it will not allow me to re-order the inputs and for some reason when I have other usb midi devices switched on, Sonar pushes the Apro ports to the bottom of the list which affects everything in the project including the control surface.
 
 
 
 

I get the problem. Indeed, Sonar does not associate device names to port numbers. In a recent update there was an attempt to address this but I don't know how successful it was.
 
In the scecenario you are describing you would like Sonar to know that the Deep mind USB is the same as the Deep mind connected to the USB port of the A-Pro. That can't happen. They are entirely different inputs and outputs.
 
The ttseq.in is where the midi I/O assignments are stored. You need to re-order your midi inputs and outputs so that they are where you need them, then backup the ttseq.in for that setup. Midi outputs are easily re-ordered in Sonars preferences. The only way to re-order midi inputs is to edit the ttseq.in using notepad.
 
Firstly, the simplest solution would be to have the devices connected how you will use them, set the port order how you want them, exit Sonar then backup your ttseq.in file.
 
If you do wish to be able to change them easily, first plug everything in as you normally use it with the midi I/O where you need it then exit Sonar and make a copy of the ttseq.ini.  Next plug in the alternative setup using the Deep mind USB. Make sure the midi outputs are in order under preferences, then exit Sonar. Now make another backup of your ttseq.in.  Open both of the backup copies of ttseq in notepad. Comparing the two, find the midi input port order settings. Re-order the second version with the addition of the Deepmind USB how you need it (so that the Deepmind usb now takes the port number of the a-pro usb where it was previously located) Save the edited file. Now you have two backup copies of the ttseq.in.  Put one in a folder lebelled something like 'Deepmind midi' and the other 'Deep mind USB', along with a shortcut to the ttseq.in folder location in Sonar. Now, when you want to use Deepmind USB, before you open Sonar go to the 'deepmind USB' folder, right click on the edited ttseq.in file and choose "copy", click on the shortcut and paste it over the ttseq.in  Sonar. That's it.  When you start Sonar your ports will be in the correct order. Use the same method to switch back to your other setup without Deepmind usb.
 
It is a bit of a hassle to get your head around, but it is quick to load and does work perfectly once setup. I use it to change large amounts of midi I/O whilst preserving port order for remotes etc. Whether it is worth it to change a connection method just on a whimsy with no real advantage is up to you:)
 
Hope this helps:)
 
 

Thanks Bruce, but still no joy. Its as if Sonar decides itself what order to arrange the inputs. I started with this in ttseq.ini
 
[MIDI Input Devices]
0=2 Boutique
1=3- SYSTEM-1
2=3- SYSTEM-1 CTRL
3=Boutique
4=DeepMind12
5=A-PRO MIDI IN
6=A-PRO 1
7=A-PRO 2
MaxInPort=7
[MIDI Output Devices]
0=A-PRO MIDI OUT
1=A-PRO
MaxOutPort=1
 
and then I reorder the list to
 
[MIDI Input Devices]
0=A-PRO 2
1=A-PRO 1
2=A-PRO MIDI IN
3=DeepMind12
4=3- SYSTEM-1
5=3- SYSTEM-1 CTRL
6=Boutique
7=2- Boutique
MaxInPort=7
[MIDI Output Devices]
0=A-PRO MIDI OUT
1=A-PRO
MaxOutPort=1
 
and save it (and make a backup just in case). I even leave all the keyboards on so that the midi ports are physically active.
 
When I restart Sonar I go to the preferences and they are back to the same order as the first case, and the ttseq.ini file is back to what it was originally. I never get to see them in any other order no matter what I do.
 
I'm using a 7 port usb hub, so all the keyboards are connected through that hub. I even tried moving around the connectors on the hub to see if it was a physical address thing that was dictating the order.
 
I might try to uninstall each usb driver and reconnect them one by one and see if Sonar is putting the most recent driver addition to the top of the list. If I can even just get the three Apro ports at the top, i'll be happy because its the ones I use the most and the just use the others occassionally as needed.
 
 

Did you try making TTSEQ.ini read-only?

I've made a bit of headway. I was taking it for granted that the list of the midi inputs in the Preferences menu was the order they would appear if you selected them in a track. It was only when I check track input they were in the order I wanted them. (but yes Scook, I also need to make TTseq.ini read only to stop sonar from rearranging them again)
 
The only thing I have to figure out now is that if I remove the Apro from the computer (working away from the studio) and plug it back in later, the Controller's input has changed from Apro-2 to another port, so I have to chnge it back.
 
Its a start and i'll take it from there and carry on. Thanks for all the help guys. :)

Aimman
I've made a bit of headway. I was taking it for granted that the list of the midi inputs in the Preferences menu was the order they would appear if you selected them in a track. It was only when I check track input they were in the order I wanted them.

 
Yes - that little quirk can be confusing. Glad you are making progress:)