[Solved] Sonar X3 crashes when trying to export a wav file

Start troubleshooting by opening a new project and put some audio on a track (doesn't matter what or how long) and then export it. First step is to determine if the problem is project-specific or system-wide. 

I wonder if you have a permissions problem to the folder to which you're trying to write.
 
Two things that could be used to check:
 
1) Run Sonar as Administrator, then try export.
 
2) Try exporting to a different folder, perhaps one that is definitely under the Documents folder for your currently logged on user, or any folder to which you have Full Ownership.

lets go through a few of the settings.
 
1-Bit depth
Note: You control the bit depth of all rendering operations (bouncing, freezing, applying effects) in Edit > Preferences > File - Audio Data, in the Render Bit Depth field. The default value of 32 is the best for most situations. See Bit depths for rendering audio for more information
 
2-64-bit Engine.
If you don’t usually run SONAR in 64-bit mode in order to save CPU, you can turn 64-bit mode on when you export audio by enabling this check box. Remember to turn it off after you export your audio, if you don’t want to use it during tracking or mixing.
 
3-Bouncing to tracks
you can always try a test: rendering within sonar by bouncing to tracks:
https://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=SONAR X3&language=3&help=Mixing.45.html#1098466
 
I say give bounce to tracks a shot because I believe it uses the same engine as export does.
so if you DONT see a problem with bounce to tracks, it might just be a something in your export settings.
 
have you tried going in to windows event viewer and looking for the crash result ?
what are you using for a soundcard Rich ?

Hi - Rich936. :)
 
Lots of folks have multiple versions of Sonar installed, and they do live happily installed alongside of each other, so there are still lots of folks using one or more versions of Sonar.  I tend to like to finish working in projects using the same release I used when a given project was first created.  (certainly not a requirement, just my personal choice there).
 
I am wondering if you have and 32-bit plugins getting loaded into projects running in 64-bit Sonar on your computer that are failing.  LOTS of folks found their systems running with far more stability once they moved to using nothing but 64-bit plugins in 64-bit Sonar.
 
32-bit plugins running in a 64-bit Sonar require the loading of 'bridging software' to work, and whether that is the bridging software that comes freely with Sonar, called BitBridge, OR a 3rd-party bridging program such as JBridge, things can get quit flaky and unstable using ANY kind of bridging software, so I would suggest you look at your VST search paths in the Cakewalk Plugin Manager and see if you are including any folders containing 32-bit plugins that are getting loaded into these failing projects.  You would also see either BitBridge or JBridge using Task Manager, if any 32-bit plugins are indeed being used in a 64-bit Sonar environment.
 
For any project I absolutely would require any 32-bit plugins, I would do so either after testing any of those plugins to make sure they seemed stable, OR I would build the project using a 32-bit install of Sonar.  Lots of folks install Sonar in both 64-bit and 32-bit, and that creates no conflict.  I have deliberately moved to doing any new work only working with 64-bit plugins, and my system runs WAY more stable than it did when I was bridging.
 
You may also do a Reset and a FULL Rescan of your VST plugins, which was a requirement at some point in either X1, X2, or X3 (cannot recall when that was mentioned, but I did do that at some point in the past).
 
You might also consider seeing if opening a project that had been failing in Sonar's 'Safe Mode' and skipping the loading of all of the plugins results in eliminating the crashes, as that would indicate one or more plugins loaded into that project are failing for some reason when allowed to be loaded.  (do NOT save the project if you skip the load of the plugins, just close it without saving if you have skipped loading of the plugs when testing project stability).
 
One additional thing to look at would be to go into Preferences to see if the option is checked for Sonar to use the 64-bit Double-Precision Engine, and if it IS checked, try removing that check and clicking on Apply, then seeing if THAT makes things export properly.  I believe that was recommended for folks to do if they were having stability issues when exporting.
 
Anyways - I would suggest you give the above a shot and see if that helps.  I will circle back to this thread when additional responses are posted, later this afternoon and then either tonight or tomorrow, to see how things are working at that point.
 
Bob Bone
 

Yes, support for SONAR X3 expired 31 Jan 2016.

well product support expires. that is just a fact of life.
every software does it not just Sonar. Sonar X3 ran solid for me. one of my all time favorite versions to be honest.
 
now as far as your system specs, Sonar version. you might want to state that in your signature as its a crap shoot trying to help someone when you don't know what they are using.
that's why what I ask next may just be the obvious....
 
have you installed any of the Sonar patches yet ? the sonar updates to X3 ?
Patch E was the latest and that had many issues resolved.
 
https://www.cakewalk.com/Support/Knowledge-Base/2007013361/SONAR-X3e-Update
 
Included in the update:
 
*Resolved an issue where the background VST Scanner would not scan all plug-ins when “Re-scan failed plug-ins” and “Re-scan existing plug-ins” were selected
 
*Resolved a potential crash when exporting audio with both realtime bounce and share audio devices active
 
I do understand your frustration though. hope this gets solved.
 
 

Thanks Johnny V. I am going to try your suggestion. My brother experienced the same problem when he tried Platinum last fall. He said he had to uninstall X3 and clean the registry then re-install the program. That will be my afternoon project today.
 
Thanks to all for your support and suggestions.

What are your export options?
Does it chug away for a bit before crashing, or does the crash occur as soon as you click the Export button?
Can you do a realtime audible export?
Have you ever successfully exported a project on this computer (and configuration) before?
 
 

I think there is instructions here somewhere on how to 100% clear all traces of Sonar. CC cleaner would not work. Use the search function and type in Cakewalk after you uninstall. There are all sorts of folders and one of them would have the problem child file in it. IF this is the problem. 
You could also open regedit but I would only do this with good instructions on hand. 

You did mention a new video card as the only change to your system.. I have no clue why that would matter but you never know.. I'm totally shooting in the dark here as You seem at the end of ideas. I was hoping more would chime in with better ideas than mine. But you can end up chasing your tail on these things.. That was one reason I recomemded a total clean install on a fresh hard drive ,, but thats only if your up to all that work.. It most certainly should do the trick I would think but I'm certainly not a wiz at weirdness in computers.. A fresh install always worked for me. 

I still have no solution to this problem. Sonar X3e will not export to .wav files. It will bounce to tracks which I can then use as a separate file but that seems inefficient. I have done clean installs 4 or 5 times over the past week. I have tried other software i.e. Reaper, PreSonus One, and ProTools First. They all export just fine. For one reason or another I am not thrilled with those other software programs and would really love to have X3 back and working correctly. 
Does no one from Cakewalk monitor this forum? The new Sonar Platinum (I used the 60 day trial version in which export was allowed for that period of time) I really believe is causing my problems. Even though I uninstalled it and removed traces of it in the Registry, there must be leftover artifacts messing with Sonar X3e when I export.
 
 

rich936
I still have no solution to this problem. Sonar X3e will not export to .wav files. It will bounce to tracks which I can then use as a separate file but that seems inefficient. I have done clean installs 4 or 5 times over the past week. I have tried other software i.e. Reaper, PreSonus One, and ProTools First. They all export just fine. For one reason or another I am not thrilled with those other software programs and would really love to have X3 back and working correctly. 
Does no one from Cakewalk monitor this forum? The new Sonar Platinum (I used the 60 day trial version in which export was allowed for that period of time) I really believe is causing my problems. Even though I uninstalled it and removed traces of it in the Registry, there must be leftover artifacts messing with Sonar X3e when I export.
 
 

you might be right rich, I don't know. it is not common for demos to do that but it could be something in the registry blocking you from export.
what about export options ?
do you have the 64 bit processing checked ? try unchecking it.
also try audio options in preference and uncheck it.
 
 
also try a test, open in safe mode and don't enable any plug ins (or go through 1 by 1 then try to export.
if this works, then its a plug in causing your crashes.
this is actually starting to bother me. we will get this fixed
 
 
PS- I also found this helpful thread from Ray about export crashes
http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/2492634
 
Sorry for the long post

Ryan Munnis [Cakewalk] Hi Friends,
In my experience, if you're getting crashes the instant you go to File > Export > Audio and the dialog attempts to open, it might be related to External Audio Encoder settings. I've seen cases where people have incomplete registry entries resulting in crashes. How this happens can be a bit confusing, so maybe you folks can help.
If you'd like to test a theory I have in how to resolve this, try doing the following:
1) Open the run prompt in Windows by holding down the "Windows" key and pressing "R" on your keyboard 2) Type in the following: regedit 3) Click [OK] if prompted with a message asking if you would like to authorize the program to make changes
IMPORTANT: When you access the Registry Editor, create a backup by going to File > Export. In the Export menu, make sure you have "All" selected and that the "Save As Type" is set to "Registration Files (*.reg). It is very important to create a backup of your registry because if you accidentally delete a registry key there is no undo function. You can, however, double-click on the Registry backup you made above to re-import your registry keys if you make any mistakes. You MUST re-import your backup (if needed) before restarting your computer.
4) Read the IMPORTANT note above. Seriously, it's important. 5) In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CakewalkExtAudioEncoders 6) Right-click over the "CakewalkExtAudioEncoders" folder and select Delete 7) Close the Registry.
At this point, try launching SONAR and testing the File > Export again.
NOTE: If you have SONAR X1 Producer Expanded, you will want to run the SONAR X1 Expanded installer again for Export to SoundCloud presets to reappear.

scook
Is there any more information regarding the crash? A message or something in the Windows logs? I doubt it is related to the demo or it would have been reported before this.

I have read a few instances.  something to do with the  Visual C++ Runtime Library I believe.
don't quote me on that.  Randy (RBrowser) brought it up a while back.
 

scook
There could be issues with MS libs. This is the first report to my knowledge suggesting the new SONAR demo affected exporting in X3. Based on the info provided I have no idea why export is failing. When I read the OP, I thought it was about SONAR 3, now I know it is really about SONAR X3.

yes there is a lot of information flying around this one thread.
I figured to go back and catch up and spent 10 minutes trying to figure out whats been tried and what has not.