EDITED, 1/15
 
The PRV doesn't seem to reflect my highlighted/select Track in the Track pane.
I have to highlight a Track and choose Views-Piano Roll View every time to force the PRV to show that Track's notation data.
 
[v v v OLD POST BELOW...STARTED NEW THREAD FOR ABOVE v v v]
 
I just upgraded from Sonar X3 to Sonar Artist to expand/refresh my experience with this amazing DAW. I wish to share some questions and concerns I have with the installation experience, if I may...
 
***SOLVED*** 1) CAKEWALK COMMAND CENTER
The Artist registration/activation process confused me. Apparently, registration is irrelevant and (after reading a page full of online-instruction) activation requires installation of the Cakewalk Command Center. The installation was successful -- but frankly, I feel that this made the install process rather convoluted and lengthy. Am I the only one annoyed by this?
 
So, once the software is installed, do I require Command Center? Will I ever have to use it again? I bet yes.
 
***SOLVED*** 2) INSTALLATION OF ADD-ONS
 
I thought I was missing my plug-ins/add-ons until, unbeknownst to me, those had to be installed through Command Center also. I recall clearly that the installation process in its entirety was much quicker, cleaner and simpler with X3. (shrug)
 
***SOLVED*** 3) THE INSTALLATION FILE SYSTEM
 
My Sonar X3 install package consisted of three parts, each over 1GB...and they were on my hard drive for easy access. However, the Sonar Artist file I downloaded (22.12.0.12) is only half a GB. It seems as though between the Artist install and the plug-ins, every install file is downloaded from a server/cloud somewhere, validated, then installed. What a lengthy process!
 
It kind of concerns me that these files "install from nowhere". Where does the install come from? Where are my local install files (which I'd rather have than off-site install files somewhere)? I'd much rather have the install files I paid for, in my possession, on my hard drive. What happens if the files go away sometime from now and I can no longer access them?

you can download the files from your cakewalk account and install them manually, you don't have to use ccc
 
also, the install files that ccc downloads are stored in the path indicated in ccc's settings, so you can back them up if you like

Here's my view of Command Center path options. 
 
I was a long time X3 holdout until about 6 months ago.  But I gotta say, I like the CCC way now.  With CCC, you can always see if any of your Cakewalk products have updates available.  Besides, you can still log into Cakewalk and access your products directly, if you wish.
 

For old-timers, Cakewalk sometimes seems to have taken a step backward. And that may be the case, but it can also be what allows them to take two steps forward.
 
By using the CCC, if you have a catastrophic computer failure, you're fine - everything you own is in the account recognized by the CCC, and can be re-downloaded. There's no more "I can't find my install disc!!" or "I left my install disc out in the sun!" (although as pointed out, you can back up the files you download). Also you'll be told if you have the latest version of your programs, and can download any updates.


The main tradeoff with "download only" is if you live in an area with internet bandwidth limitations, because then it can take a loooong time to download everything. Also, a CCC is one more "moving part" compared to something like a DVD. However by and large I think the CCC is working well, and it will continue to evolve.
 

Once you get the hang of it you'll see it is better overall. It's just different. Yes it is a little annoying to have to install something just to install something else. I hate it when CCC updates. 
Once you've downloaded and installed everything. make a back up of the CCC download folder. 
It is found here ; Computer/Program Data/Cakewalk/command center / downloads. 
You can use those files to set up a second computer or as a back up just like you did with X3. The only differance is you still need the CCC to do this. 
If you put the files in the new computer in the same location CCC will find them and use them instead of re downloading. 
 
And you need CCC to keep Sonar up to date. This is done about once a month. Might be less for Artist
 

The Grim
you can download the files from your cakewalk account and install them manually, you don't have to use ccc
 
also, the install files that ccc downloads are stored in the path indicated in ccc's settings, so you can back them up if you like

This.
 
The only thing I really see in the CCC that might be convenient to me is the rollback option. Compared to X3e, Platinum ( 2016.12 version, the only one I have installed on my offline DAW) is a crash fest so moving forward I can see how the ability to easily pretend that the last install didn't happen would be useful.

one doesn't have to use the ccc at all because all the installer downloads are available via your account - the only thing i've found that can't be done without ccc is to get the latest sonar demo...

I wish to thank you for your responses! Notably to Grim and Cactus Music, who promptly notified me that my software downloads are indeed available to me in whole, and where they are. Had I made the effort to look around in the right place, I would've found them! LOL. Thanks a bunch, guys. I feel much better now.
 
I also understand Cakewalk Command Center much better, and my Cakewalk Account page. However, I haven't decided whether I really need the Command Center or not, considering I'm trying to minimize the load of apps I truly need.  Thanks again! :)
 

A few more questions...:
 
1) UNINSTALL RAPTURE SESSIONS
 
I've uninstalled Rapture Sessions just for lack of interest. However, although Command Center shows Rapture as uninstalled, the Sessions instrument packs remain installed (green orbs are lit). How do I clean uninstall Rapture and its session packs? (Deleting the folders manually doesn't help.)
 
2) WHERE'S THE "CURRENT" SONAR DOCUMENTATION?
 
I installed the Sonar Artist Documentation file, but I cannot find it. I found the online Cakewalk Documentation for what appears to be Sonar Platinum, but it looks like a "throwback manual" to Sonar X3. I see Platinum screen shots, but also several screenshots that show Sonar X3 but nothing prominently relevant to the current Sonar family.
 
Is there a dedicated user manual for the current family of Sonar products? And is it available as a PDF?
 
3) ONE-CLICK SELECT TRACK IN PRV?
 
Is there a one-click method for selecting a track for editing? I always click the track (which does nothing) and choose View-Piano Roll View. (Double-clicking selects all tracks.) Is there a one-click method I'm missing to just select a track?
 
4) SONAR ARTIST AUTO-RENEWAL?
 
After the first year of my Sonar Artist purchase, will I be given an auto-renew & auto-charge option for the next year of updates? I don't plan on renewing and I wish to be aware once the times comes.

I'm thinking you might be one with a 120 SSD C drive and are worried about space? 
I found by deleting the contents of the Command center folder, once I had copied it to an external drive, freed up a lot of space. 
1. Command center might be a little buggy still and if you deleted the folders and content don't worry about the green light, Its probably using info from your registry. So getting rid of it will possibly involve a reg edit. 
2.I would also like to know. It seem to be all on line and only shows tips in the help module.
3.We now have docking windows. For me if I double click a midi track it will open in the PRV at the bottom of my screen. You have to undock it and re size to be able to work. This is a feature I dislike compared to the "old " way. I find myself taking all this extra steps just to get what once worked perfectly fine. Once it's set up it stays that way for the life of the project. 
4. My Professional version was never renewed  by me as I moved to PLat. So it shows orange and dated Aug 2014. It's still mine to use but I'd have to pay money to re activate updates.  
 
CCC program takes up very little room and you'll find it's the best way to work with Sonars new system. 
And if you back up the content of the CCC folder to a back up drive. You can still roll back buy putting the appropriate version back on your C drive. Manual download and install is a PITA, I did it for a whole year because I had very little internet back then, 3 GB per month. I would not recommend manual downloading, it way to much work compared to CCC.
Working offline, I keep my main DAW offline. Takes 10 seconds to enable and disable my ethernet in device manager. 
I just updated my main DAW using the files in the backup drive. You still have to be online to run CCC but then I disable my ethernet once I'm done