I cut the number of tracks in my project to two:
1. An audio track for guitar (I'll either use ProChannel with a mouse, or Maschine effects)
2. A track for Maschine VST
 
And just a hidden (for now) send track, and the Master track.
The Tranzport handles this scenario just beautifully.  Maschine has enough power for any possible Midi Scenario, and I can use the effects in the audio track, controlled by Maschine .....
 
Very simple and easy to use (so far)
 
(Gotta admit; I had never really looked at Sonar since before X1, when I gave up on control surfaces... so I'm RTFM'ing Sonar Platinum.. a lot of new stuff since them... :)

FWIW, I just got V-Control Pro working in Sonar on my IPad Air (using AZ's version of the Mackie Plug-in).  Kind of painful, as usual, but it seems to be working now.

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????

Bought the XTouch recently after doing a similar research and disappointed that Sonar does not work with many of the controllers out there. XTouch works very well.Most of atleast what I use is controllable through the XTouch. The labels on the buttons are not right out of the box. I re-labelled them with a paper tape. Coming from BCF2000, XTouch boosted my productivity instantly.
 

BuleriaChk
FWIW, I just got V-Control Pro working in Sonar on my IPad Air (using AZ's version of the Mackie Plug-in).  Kind of painful, as usual, but it seems to be working now.

If you have an iPad, you can get the Pro Tools control Eucon app which works well. 

I use Avid's free PT Control app on the iPad with a Artist Mix - it works really well as a touch based mixer & track navigator with Sonar & you can create macros and assign them to virtual buttons on the ipad.

• install the Sonar Eucon support as per this KB article
• download & install the Pro Tools Control app as per the instructions here ( you need to create a Avid account but that is free & you don't need to be an owner of any Avid gear) 
• once Eucon is installed, make sure you add Eucon to Sonar (Preferences->Control surfaces->add Control surface & Choose "Eucon Controller" under the drop down menu - dont worry about the midi ports as they aren't used but you can't deselect them entirely)

Now - you have a free touch mixer for Sonar ! 

1. to set up the macro, with Sonar Running, switch to the Eucon setup by double clicking on the E icon in the notification area of Windows.
2. Select "Softkeys" 
3. It should say Application: SONARPLT in the top left corner - if it says "explorer" or "Chrome" go back to Sonar & straight to the Eucon app - it sets up App sets for the program you switch from.
4. sleect a softkey via the Comand... dialogue
5. you can add multiple commands sequentially

i added

• Eucon - Stop
• ctrl + Z
• R

 
this works exactly as expeted & you will have a free mixer also !
 

(You rich engineers...  sigh!   :)
 
Turned out I paid $49 for a legacy version of V-Control pro that I'll never use, but ... oh well, that's what it means to be on the Bleeding Edge of Technology.  But Azslow3 is working on my UC33e, and his program is really excellent once you figure out how to use it (much, MUCH better than ACT!!!)  My UC-33 is already working beyond my wildest dreams, and I'm even considering alternatives some day....
 
Cakewalk should be paying him the Big Bucks.....

The UC33 now is almost completely implemented for Mix and ProChannel functions, and makes the UC33e MONSTER control surface for Sonar.  I've been studying azslow3's programming approach, and it is very flexible and useful, on a level with Stray's work in NativeKontrol for Live (and that is a very,very high bar, IMO).
 
Check out the threads at (the most recent preset is the last uploaded in the discussion section for the UC33e):
http://www.azslow.com/index.php/board,6.0.html
 
There are others in final state in the Presets Thread of the forum.  And it is all free.... :)
 
 
 

So I have an original MCU and 2 extenders. At the moment, I am trying to get just the main MCU working with Sonar Platinum.  I am able to add it and select it's MIDI in and out ports in Sonar and when I apply it, the first 8 tracks of the audio demo file get a red highlight which tells me it is connected and assigned.  However, none of the MCU controls cause anything to happen in Sonar when they are touched.  Nothing for the buttons or faders.  Also if I hit play with the mouse the file runs but I don't see any action on the MCU.  Have I forgotten something in the setup?  I watched the cake TV control surface get started video which references a control surface properties button in the menu bar which I cannot find.  I'm lost.

"This is a reason I NEVER work in Sonar anymore;"  You go on to spew your love for other platforms and ignore all the comments that we've made regarding using control surfaces...
 
You've been given lots of information.  You exhibit all the symptoms of a troll.
 
It's a disease that many try to cure... rarely successful... 
 
If the bakers ever close our forum, it'll be cause of the likes of you....

So, you have enabled (one) MCU Input and Output in Sonar, added MackieControl to Control Surfaces and assigned these input and output to it. Enable Control Surface module on the control bar. What you see there? Probably "Connecting...". That means Input or Output is not correctly set. If you do not see "Connecting....", revisit "Control Surfaces". Are Input Output are no longer assigned? is "Mackie Control" in brackets? If yes, you have mix of 32 and 64 bit installations.
If still no progress, follow http://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,341.0.html (good idea in any case, you will be able to control ProChannel with this version instead of immediate crash of Sonar...). "Disable handshake..." in its options. Can you move something by MCU faders now? If yes, but you see no lights and no motor movements, your "Output" is set incorrectly. If still not luck, let me know and I will write what to check as next.

RishiS

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????

Bought the XTouch recently after doing a similar research and disappointed that Sonar does not work with many of the controllers out there. XTouch works very well.Most of atleast what I use is controllable through the XTouch. The labels on the buttons are not right out of the box. I re-labelled them with a paper tape. Coming from BCF2000, XTouch boosted my productivity instantly.
 

I would like to see some expansion of how the X-Touch improves on the BCF2000 (which I have and don't use a lot).  How is the transport jog/shuttle?  How about all of those buttons?  How many of them actually work like the videos show for Logic? 


Part of the reason that I don't use my BCF2000 is that it is not very intuitive - i.e. I have to think too much and there are no labels, no lit buttons, no dedicated things - everything is rote memory and if I've not used the thing in a while, it is a complete new learning curve.  And this is coming from the guy who is/was an advocate for the device, even having created some tutorial videos on how to use it.
 
Looking forward to your (or others') thoughts on it.