Midi Learn not working with synths in Sonar 8.01PE

I haven't received a single response on the Sonar forum, so since this concerns instruments I am trying here...

Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong? I recently updated from 6PE to 8PE and now 8.01. Things are working pretty well, especially after doing the ctrl+shift thing. But I am having a problem getting midi learn to stick with the new synths.

All my old ones, including Rapture and Dim pro and 3rd party, still have the controls assigned. But if I try to use learn to assign controls in z3ta or Drop Zone, or any of the new synths, it only works until I close Sonar. The next time I open it, the assignments are gone. I even tried assigning the contols in v6 to see if that worked. But, no.

What am I missing? It sure is wierd that my old assignments are fine but the new ones won't stick...

Any ideas?

Thanks. Doc DROP

Thanks B Rock. I was hoping someone like you would pipe in. (I have an awful lot of your patches, etc. in my Rapture and Psyn folders, so I have been benefiting from your knowledge for years, BTW. So, thanks for that as well.)

I will take a look for the folders and files you mention when I get home this evening.

I don't know why there would be missing folders/files, though. I installed everything in the default locations. But if that works, great.

I kind of wish the midi learn thing would just work like it did in previous versions of Sonar, though...

Doc DROP

Sorry to hear about the continuing problems, doc_drop. First, I want to make sure that I didn't confuse the issue any further with my original reply. z3ta+ is a little unique, in that it stores config files within a folder called MIDI Learn (unlike other [Cakewalk] synths). On my system, that folder is located here: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Cakewalk\z3ta+\MIDI Learn.

I'm at a bit of a disadvantage here, as I'm still holding out on Sonar8. As far as the 8.01 update is concerned, check out the version numbers of any z3ta+.dll on your system. If you chose to install both the DXi and VSTi versions, you will have two instances of z3ta+.dll. They should show at least 1.5.0 in the Properties dialog. While the rgc:audio versions up to 1.4 did have MIDI learn capability, the "mega" MIDI Learn functions were added in the 1.5 update. As I recall, the 1.4 configuration file wasn't written to, or contained within, its own sub-folder.

I don't know if this will solve your problem or not, but it's worth a shot. The easy way to diagnose the current version (if you have a DAW 'net connection) is to use the z3ta Update Manager. {Here's the related thread containing background information.} Run the updater, and the proper folder structure should be created for you. If the Sonar 8.01 update already performed this operation, then running the updater again won't disturb anything.

I will have to try again and see if "MIDI learn" is what I was missing.

Hopefully, that's going to do it. I just tried a quickie test using the z3ta+ Microhost. With a 'MIDI Learn' folder and a Windows Explorer window open, you can see the 'MidiConfig00.bin' file created a couple of seconds after any MIDI Learn operation has completed. Shut it down, then reinstantiate the Microhost, and the correct MIDI assignments are 'remembered' for subsequent sessions.

If I rename the folder to 'MIDI', no new config file is stored. The MIDI Learn settings remain active in the second case, but only for the life of the current session. That all sounds suspiciously like what you've experienced in your diagnostics, and after the 8.01 update to Sonar.

Hey B Rock,

I finally got a chance to try creating a MIDI learn folder, not just a MIDI folder, for z3ta+. It worked like a charm. I can't thank you enough! Now to get started mapping all my Remote SL's controls, and soon I will be playing that thing like Rick Wakeman...Uh, if he had 1/10 the technique...

I wonder why my installs didn't create the folders automatically, like they always did before. Oh well, it is working now.

Doc DROP