This has been a thorn in my side for some years now about Sonar and overdub midi recording. Cakewalk for some unknown reason, has refused to update this relic feature of Sonar- where you have to bounce to midi clips if you want a singular midi file. If you program drums by means of midi loop recording, where you add more parts as you record... the new midi parts are merely stacked on top of each other, because Sonar has never featured overdub midi recording like EVERY DAW on the market does.
 
Having to bounce to clips is irritating, extra work-that's a workflow killer. This is why I rarely use the program and have no need to upgrade to any future editions. It would be nice if they added *auto bounce to clips* or a shortcut key at the very least! Better yet... a new drum machine sequencer that offers step recording as well as real-time input with a switchable piano roll/ step sequencer view. Cakewalk would get a lot more users of electronic music and other styles by implementing better midi features. Stop leaving yourselves behind the competition Cakewalk!

I would suggest you post a feature request in the Features & Ideas forum.  Folks will read your post, and if inclined to, will vote for it.  Cakewalk does review interest expressed in new features by those votes, when they are looking at potential development items.
 
It may not get selected for development, but it might, and is certainly worth doing, in my opinion.  :)
 
Bob Bone
 

Not sure I see this as a "workflow killer" . . . but I probably don't have the same workflow as you.
I kind of like seeing the new bits of midi I've just recorded on top of the existing clips, and it only takes a few seconds for midi to bounce to clips (though I usually only do it for keeping it all neat and tidy) But hey, I'm all for reducing the amount of mouse clicks in my day.
 
I like your idea of an "auto bounce to clips" option, one checkbox to mouse click, in order to save ~100 mouse clicks.
And you could turn it on or off . . . hmmm that's another tiny detail to remember.
Like Bob says, post it in the Features & Ideas forum, I'll vote. . . . though if you "rarely use the program and have no need to upgrade to any future editions" . . . why bother ?

kine321
This has been a thorn in my side for some years now about Sonar and overdub midi recording. Cakewalk for some unknown reason, has refused to update this relic feature of Sonar- where you have to bounce to midi clips if you want a singular midi file. If you program drums by means of midi loop recording, where you add more parts as you record... the new midi parts are merely stacked on top of each other, because Sonar has never featured overdub midi recording like EVERY DAW on the market does.
 
Having to bounce to clips is irritating, extra work-that's a workflow killer. This is why I rarely use the program and have no need to upgrade to any future editions. It would be nice if they added *auto bounce to clips* or a shortcut key at the very least! Better yet... a new drum machine sequencer that offers step recording as well as real-time input with a switchable piano roll/ step sequencer view. Cakewalk would get a lot more users of electronic music and other styles by implementing better midi features. Stop leaving yourselves behind the competition Cakewalk!

 
Sort of get what you are saying but I use Geist I suggest you look into it.
My own bugbear is when you loop and create multiple takelanes,  you don't actually see the notes being recorded in realtime in the takelane until you press stop. That's just silly.

robert_e_bone
I would suggest you post a feature request in the Features & Ideas forum. 

 
The request already exists...
http://forum.cakewalk.com/Auto-merge-of-Midi-when-loop-recording-m3147500.aspx
 

I too would like "drum machine-style" MIDI programming, and have requested it. However, I've found the step sequencer is an overachiever compared to many comparable devices that are called step sequencers. Once I found out all the less obvious goodies, I found it became pretty much did what I needed to program drum parts and beats. 

Doesn't the step sequencer already allow for real-time layering?

I suggest looking into Nerve instead of waiting for cakewalk. You'll just die of old age before anything happens.

Or spend an extra $50 compared to Nerve (which is $200), and get Fxpansion Geist. Or use SONAR's step sequencer, and buy a whole lot of sushi dinners 

Any chance the Step Sequencer will see any love in the near future? I've not really found it suitable for purpose. (I would link you to the post I made where I couldn't get it to work properly but this forum software is shockingly bad for finding 'old' posts.)