Hi, I am still considering switching from Reaper to Sonar (or Samplitude). Things I very much like in Reaper are the spline automation and the folder tracks that work as busses. For those unfamiliar with Reaper, tracks can be put in to folders with the folder parent track acting as a buss with all the capabilities of a normal track as far as routing and fx are concerned. Folders can be nested to any depth. I can live without the splines but the folder tracks let me work without ever using the mixer. I would like to keep that workflow.
 
My projects vary substantially from one to the next and so I like to be able to see as much as possible each track and its contents at all times.  A mixer hides the track view too much for me and I get lost. 
 
 
 
Can Sonar be setup for a mixerless workflow?
Is there a way to mimic Reaper's folder system - group a bunch of tracks into a folder where the parent acts as a buss that can have fx automation?
 
thanks, greg
 

Unless the concept of having a folder is important, depending on the complexity and various other factors you can either a) use Aux Tracks or Patch Points to feed multiple track outputs into a separate track, or b) use Take Lanes within a single track.
 
For example I use (a) for multiband processing. A guitar track feeds into four tracks, each bandlimited. Their outputs go to yet another track which acts like a bus, in that it has an FX rack, ProChannel, sends, etc. I then put all the tracks except the last one in a Folder Track. I can then set levels, panning, sends, etc. in the remaining track without having to see the rest of them...or I can see them if I want by opening the folder.

As to automation, you can't do spline automation but you can change the curve shape between nodes.
 

I don't think so. Perhaps someone else can point you in a better direction. I love the mixer in Sonar as a means to mix. However I use dual monitors with a CS (Mackie Control). For me tracks are tracks and buses are buses and I like it that way. Sonar has Aux Tracks that work as buses and are in the track pane. 
 
I do use folders with virtual instruments for clarity. I don't really need subfolders. I use Buses in the same way you do. Reaper is a nice DAW but I much prefer Sonar. Also I now have life time updates.   

thanks Craig - I will try your methods for getting close to the Reaper folder system. I think they will work out. 
I don't understand why splines aren't standard across all DAWs really as they are much better for workflow most of the time. Nonetheless I have played with the existing linear system here (and similarly in Samplitude) and it is not a deal breaker
 

thanks John - maybe I can make some sort of template using Aux Tracks that will work most times. 
 

Yes, No, Maybe?
 
Yes you can place a bunch of tracks into a folder in Sonar. They don't have to be all of the same type. It makes organization quite simple.
 
Folder's do not act as busses - if you want several tracks to 'bus' together' simply assign those track's output's to the bus. Of course, you can assign a group of tracks to a folder for better organization, and also assign their output's to a common bus.
 
Mixerless is a mixed bag, conceptually. You can easily see all your tracks and busses in the track view and you can adjust track gains, fader levels, plug-ins, sends, and all from it without ever going to the console (mixer) view. It's just that the console is such a well known and comfortable metaphor for most of us.

thanks SuperG - I don't have that history with consoles although I come from a tape background going back almost 40 years. I jumped on to mixerless workflows as soon as I could. This will take a bit of fiddling around - setting up templates and colouring tracks to make things visually clear. I am hopeful though.  

SOLVED - after everyone's help and some playing around I see that Sonar has a method that works a treat - different to Reaper but still allows for the sort of workflow I like and looks to open up other possibilities. Thanks to all who helped me

Great. Thank you for letting us know your decision.