I just crashed SONAR again, trying to remove a softsynth, to see if I could. When I tried to select new layout to make it ticked as the one I was using SONAR crashed. That's twice.

OK I ran that full scan. z3ta+ is still not there in Insert Synth. It _is_ still there in Insert FX.
And now I just cannot get new layout ticked as it was before. I reckon before when it _was_ ticked, it was not really being selected.
 
As I say I remember this trouble from way back and have seen other people talk of it.
 

OK. Is there somewhere else I should be going to "lock" the new layout file as the file that SONAR will use?

BTW z3ta+ IS there as a synth after I ran that scan, or at least one of the scans..but I still cannot get synths to change.

I think from memory that the original Z3ta + soft synth and Z3ta+ fx are two separate dll's
 
Not sure about Z3ta+2

AH. Actually I realised that while I was file diving trying to see what was happening to me. I also realised that (and it's a bit slack) when you ask to insert a softsynth by clicking on a Track's FX pane, you are actually inserting a Softsynth in the main stream and not into the FX pane at all....except for Z3ta+....

Information on either the fx or soft synth are available in the manual and one shows up in the fx window in the plugin browser window while the other shows up under soft synths.

In fact there's a section in the reference guide for each plugin included in Sonar Platinum whether, fx or softsynth.

There's also a lot more help available by instantiating the plugin and pressing F1

Your reply sounds a _little_....judgmental....press F1?
 
Unless I am sadly wrong, there is a problem deeper than you are addressing. If you read the thread you may see this.
 
I ask to add a synth in the Layout Manager. It says it has added it. I see it in the RHS column in the Manager. I save the file. I see that the Display Name of the file I saved is ticked (presumably it's now the active one)....but the synth I added is not available for use. Repeat.
 
I use the Layout Manager to try to _remove_ a synth. It is removed from the RHS column. I save the file. Back in SONAR's Insert Synth/Layout, my new fiel, with synth removed, is ticked....the synth is still available for use.

So treat me like an idiot. Please.
 
Step me through how to manually add/remove a synth to/from the list of synths shown when I ask to Insert Synth. NOT to use a synth that is on the list , but to arrange that a synth is available to add, say I bought a new one (probably some scan will do here) OR...and this is tougher but may be important...how to stop synths being available if I do not want to have them there wasting my time and complexity.

Something here seems to not be working correctly.  All of my synths that are in their assigned VST scan paths show up, and insert as instrument tracks just fine. 
 
If I no longer want to see a plugin I just remove them from either the VST scan path or the respective VST folder.
 
It seems that adjusting layout manager is an optional configuration feature, and not required, so the default setting should just work.
 
Maybe it is time to open a support ticket?
https://www.cakewalk.com/Support/Email