lgmab
Thank you kindly AZslow,
I do have the original but cannot change any plugin settings. Will your plugin augment the original? Will I be able to us it with the XT and C4 if I also have the original?
thanks

My current mod can only help controlling ProChannel EQ & Comp, controlling FX plug-ins is the same in the original, controlling other ProChannel modules and SoftSynth. In short, FXes should work for you already now.
 
Note that the layout of buttons is NOT original MCU. You need "Sonar layout", there was Lexan overlays before.
For the moment you can use : http://www.azslow.com/files/mcu.png to find correct "names" for your buttons. Check the help file ("F1" when "Utilities/Mackie control - 1" is open). Except filters (not ProChannel) and some dialogs, everything should work as written.
 
What Craig writes about my own plug-in (AZ Controller) is unfortunately true only in theory in your case. I do not have MCU+XT+C4 preset and creating one for me is not feasible (I have created a preset for MCU alone using MCU emulator on my phone, but I have not seen any C4 emulators). What we can do in relatively short term (this year) is a separate C4 preset for AZ Controller to control plug-ins throw dynamic mapping (called "ACT" in many text, unsupported by MackieControl original plug-in, the reason VS-700 is working better with plug-ins then MCU). Then you can use MCU+XT for mixing/commands (where everyone confirm it is good in Sonar) and C4 for plug-ins (including all ProChannel modules and SoftSynth). You will need no special knowledge, but you will have to test it, probably in many iterations till it words reliably (since I can not test it at all). Let me know on my forum if interested.
 

How about the Behringer X-Touch as an alternative for controlling Sonar?
 Apparently it works but some buttons are mislabeled compared to the MCU????

BuleriaChk
How about the Behringer X-Touch as an alternative for controlling Sonar?
 Apparently it works but some buttons are mislabeled compared to the MCU????

X-Touch is a "copy" of MCU (both need Sonar layout, which is different from default). Difference:
1) no XT, no C4
2) cost 2 times less
3) made by Behringer instead of Mackie
 

One important aspect to my setup I forgot to include. I also have a touch monitor and it sits directly about the Artist Series controls. My "breakthrough" (for lack of a better term!) was when I put the Control Bar at the bottom of the screen, right above the faders. That was buttons for loop, punch, RTZ, etc. were in the same general vicinity of the faders. I also bought a small Logitech Bluetooth keyboard, the K380. It can sit in my lap or in front of the faders. Between moving faders, keyboard shortcuts, and the Control Bar, the workflow is pretty efficient.

Well, the nanoKontrol arrived and it is now at the Amazon drop-off being returned.  I spent 3 hours trying to get it to work with Sonar to no avail.  At first, Sonar didn't see it as a device, even though Device mgr. said it was running smoothly.  After searching Google, using Korgs uninstaller for Midi devices, and deleting devices in the Registry, downloading and re-installing Korg's Midi drivers (drvTools), I thought I'd try the firmware update to 1.03 to see if that was the issue (even though the Readme didn't hold out much hope).  It wouldn't even update; first it said there was no device, and finally after I did some more stuff it said Port Error!
 
At that point, I just said Frick It.
 
Why can't Sonar make a simple plastic device like that that does the bread and butter stuff?
I'm not even going to try the nanoKontrol 2 with that kind of experience.  At least Tranzport is working flawlessly; who would've thought....
 
If only Ableton would just implement comping....  but, hey, they finally provided a tuner device....  There is an inexpensive used x-touch available now, but I really think I'll wait for NAMM to see if there is any future for a Sonar control surface.  But will someone PLEASE tell Cakewalk they don't need to put an audio interface in it... 
  
I also fired up an old Evolution UC-33 I found around, and got the faders and pans working, but couldn't figure out how to implement the transport buttons in the ACT plugin interface.  So it is there if I ever decide to jump back in; if any of you know, I would appreciate it.  But right now I am really tired, pissed off, and frustrated by what should be an easy task in 2016 (almost 2017).  Maybe I'll just get a PS4 and say to hell with it....
 
Update: I just discovered that the UC-33 and the transport work simultaneously; the UC-33 to control the volumes and pans, and the Tranzport for the other stuff. So all is not lost.... Still would like to get the transport working on the UC33...

BuleriaChk
Update: I just discovered that the UC-33 and the transport work simultaneously; the UC-33 to control the volumes and pans, and the Tranzport for the other stuff. So all is not lost.... Still would like to get the transport working on the UC33...

For UC-33, "Generic Control Surface" is probably better plug-in choice then "ACT MIDI". You can assign Volume/Pan/Send1/Send2 + Transport then.
"ACT MIDI" does not recognize some set of MIDI messages, but if transport buttons configured in CC mode, it should work as well.
AZ Controller Startup preset will work even better.
 
But in all 3 cases (and any other cases...) probably nothing will work as you expect till you READ THE DOCUMENTATION.
 
I see you expect "plug&play" and than wish the default result is what you think it should be. I bet that without reading/watching anything about Ableton,Machine, etc. and with different imagination how it should work (from the reality how it is working), you will also be frustrated, on the level "I have connected Machine to the computer, started Ableton and pressed Play button. Why it does not start to play the playlist from Itunes? When I press the same button there, it always starts to play my music... but not in Ableton, and Machine is working worse then volume control section on my computer keyboard! That are BASICS, start play music when I press "Play" button!"
You can find close to such posts in this forum, and if you do not understand, your posts go in this direction... No offense, I just try to convince you to spend a bit of time to understand how to make your current equipment working in Sonar, it IS possible, with a bit of patience...
 

Well, you're right, I'm only an "engineer" when I absolutely, absolutely have to be, and otherwise not.  I am a lone guitarist still struggling with Flamenco technique, trying to get good takes of falsetas (riffs) down before a truck hits me.  My Academy, written in the late '60s, early 70s while desperately trying to struggle for survival (with help from friends who bought my initial course lessons) was done with typewriter, reel2reel, splicing tape, etc..  But I did get it out, because there was an awful lot of confusion about Flamenco rhythms at the time, even though it was a niche market not yet swamped by technology.  (I am not Gitano, or even Spanish, and was fighting family, getting thru UCSB with some marketable skill so I could move to Denmark or Canada - this was the 60s, and my family were Republicans, and I had just been arrested in the Free Speech Movement (I was taking physics at the time at UCB)...
 
Anyway, what I really need is very simple (uh, like practice), and a way of easily being able to edit takes.  I jumped into X3 because of the comping (well, ok, some customer loyalty, since I have been with Cakewalk from practically the beginning - what did they start out as?  I forget...), but have also been very interested in the technical progress in electronic music, although I actually like very little of it (I got left behind after "Flashdance".. :).  I am NOT a DJ.... and am not rich, and will never need motorized faders, since I don't have the money to consort with all the pretty wannabe singers in their early 20's.. In a recording studio in one of the guest houses of my mansion .. :)
 
After working through the options in my latest brush with audio technology, I'm finding that the Tranzport and trackball (mouse when I really want to be precise) will probably be just fine (I'm really happy I found it again) - to get the audio over to Live in clips...
 
(I am NOT dissing engineers, by the way.  I had an experience in 1972 when my wife and I were asked to do a program for CBC in Montreal.  I played guitar, and listened to the recording in the booth - it sounded AWFUL.  But when we listened to the program broadcast that evening, it sounded GREAT!  So I spent the next decade trying to figure out WTF the engineers did with that sound, and of course couldn't afford any of the equipment.
 
The only thing that made sense at the time was when I was in Moron de la  Frontera (Spain) with Diego del Gastor and family and other half-crazed foreigners (1968-69), and all we had were really cheap cassette recorders (which had just come out).  They all had AGC, but when played back, gave a great, if inconsistent, overdriven sound to the guitar, an effect which appeared on a lot of guitar at the time from studios in Spain who were just catching on.  Now I've got a GT-001, and can sound like whatever I want.
 
OTH, I recorded PdL live in concert in LA with a much better recorder in my shirt pocket, no AGC, and he just sounded fantastic.  So... practice...but I'm 76....  You get the idea...
 
I wish Sonar would just dispense with the Groove Clip idea, and just make audio stretching automatic (in Live, you just drop audio to a clip, and if the time signature is even close, it lines up perfectly.  But then we've been asking for stretching in Maschine for a long, long time.
 
But when you gotta be your own engineer, all this stuff is really a PITA. But I think Sonar will work for me with my Tranzport and mouse .. at least for now... And when I want to have fun, there is always Push 2 (that 8x8 matrix in 4ths is just so much fun!), especially with Maschine sound libraries and effects.
 
But Sonar has comping...., and is truly a DAW for real musicians   :)
 
Thanks to everyone, especially azslow3 for their input here (and hats off to Craig Anderton for his lifetime contributions to this world. My UC-33 is back in the closet, replaced by a Launchpad Pro on my desk.   I can go home now, I think.... :)
----------------------
There is good news and bad news.
The good news is that the tools of production are at last in the hands of the workers.
The bad news is that the tools of production are at last in the hands of the workers. 
 

AZSolow3:
Well,l ok, I'm curious now.  I downloaded and installed your program and tried the "Quick Start":
 
Everything moved (i.e., changed with Midi input from the UC-333a) until the very last step, when the slider in Sonar itself didn't move. So near, and yet so far - your program looks truly excellent! But why won't it move the volume slider in the first track in Sonar after I saved the preset?
 ----------------------------------------------------
Update: I clicked "Attach" (not mentioned in document:)
http://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,154.0.html 
which I tried next, and it worked!!
Very nice contribution to Sonar - I only hope they pay you the Big Bucks someday... :)
 (duh, my Bad; maybe I missed it; I'll go back and RTFM again...)
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 Ok, created the preset "Startup" with all 8 faders and pans, and start/stop buttons and <<, >> .
Excellent:
Next step: I'd like to control the master slider as well, and additional buttons (sends) as 1st and 2nd row on UC33
 
There are nine other buttons on the uc-33e, the three at the bottom may be for bank switching and master record; I'm not sure.
 
The Tranzport is also working alongside the UC-33e, so the best of all worlds.  Maybe I will get another controller eventually, but this will hold me for awhile....
 
I'll continue with the documentation, now that I have the UC-33 running in the real world, thanks a million...
If you'd like, when I get it done, I'll send you the preset, so you can add it to your list of pre-configured controllers.
 
Update: I just uploaded the UC-33e preset to your discussion forum...
Finished filling out all the rotraries, faders with all audio tracks, including Master and Transport buttons.
Uploaded to the discussion forum... 
 

Wow! After your previous post, I have realized that you have a good excuse to dislike Sonar's controller configuration procedure
The discussion about UC-33e details I will continue on my forum.
 

I just saw Craig's post about the Avid controller.  It looks very nice indeed, but can we make it play well with Sonar in Windows 10.  That is another one I would be interested in, even though it is such a heavy hit financially.
(I did by Maschine Studio and Push 2, and use them both, and they are GREAT! for Maschine/Komplete and Live - I also have an S25 for Komplete Kontrol - and a Mikro for portability.  I sold my Mk2 and returned my Jam, although both are very, very good units - I just felt that I didn't need them).  I would make the same investment for Sonar, provided I was SURE it was going to be trouble free and effective.
 
(Why is Sonar the only program the manufacturer's won't include in their compatibility list in native mode?  You'd think Cakewalk would take the hint...  I would think that by now the code is universal enough so the drivers could be written to be platform independent.)