robert_e_bone
And, I think that resource limitations impacting allocation for developers is a big part of what gets worked on and what does not.  The coding changes needed to rework the preferences would be really an exercise in development with no particular added functionality, and that means it is cost for which the product does not move technologically forward. 

 
Good points.

I think this is a case where the solution is more complicated than the problem. While I appreciate your input, I'm not looking forward to managing a bunch of AUD.INI files and remembering which to rename and which exact settings each contains. It is not all that hard to change my settings as it is right now. I just don't think the menu structure is very streamlined. The OP was asking if anyone shared his opinion and I do. I understand the impulse to defend the program we all love and I don't want to pretend like this is some kind of big problem. I have no problem with the bakers spending time on other things and I've said so multiple times now. But when I say the menus are a little messy the solution really isn't to use a bunch of Win 3.1 INI files, however well intended.

scook
AUD.ini is a simple text file stored with the rest of the user files in C:\Users\yourUserDirectory\appdata\roaming\cakewalk\yourVersionOfSONAR. Multiple versions can be stored and replaced at will. Whether what you want to do in entirely is the AUD.ini I cannot say. If the AUD.ini is not found when SONAR starts, a new one is created. How are SONAR and SAP comparable?

 It worked a treat. This is kinda a revelation. I still don't know exactly what does what because I decided to save an appropriate template for my ReRoute projects that I can keep in the folder with the modified AUD. I then moved my templates to the Sonar X3 app data folder. With a windows shortcut in the same folder I keep my ReRoute AUD, I can just drop the AUD and tempates into Sonar X3 app data folder, settle some conflicts, then open Sonar into 128 stereo channels of ReRoute fun. Then put it back just as easy. But I'm sure I don't have to tell you guys all of this, and you all know how windows works, but I'm just so excited.

Glad the OP was helped with this approach! I certainly didn't mean to turn this into my personal annoyances thread.

Anderton

worstcaseontario
 That's actually amusing. But on whose face does this put egg on? The users who are asking for features they already had, or the Word guys for allowing this to happen?  

As I said on my twitter feed recently, "Definition of power user: Someone who reads the manual."

 No arguement with the wisdom of your "tweet"(is that right?), man. But if some Microsoft Word programming guy told me, to my face, that it was MY fault I couldn't find where he hid something, I could easily take it as kinda insulting. How about you?

Sanderxpander
I just don't think the menu structure is very streamlined. The OP was asking if anyone shared his opinion and I do.

It would be an interesting exercise to propose a streamlined version. If there was a consensus as to some approach being significantly superior, and it didn't involve too much ripping the program apart, it can always be suggested and we can see what happens.
 
I tend to think for most people it's a set-and-forget thing, though, so I don't know how important most users would rate it. But if you could just take a "snapshot" of the current preferences setting and save it for later recall, it seems that would solve 99% of the people's needs who want streamlined preferences. The problem isn't really whether preferences are streamlined or not; the problem is how fast you can change from one operating environment to another. While streamlined preferences might make a different, saving and loading profiles would, I believe, make a much bigger difference.
 

worstcaseontario
No arguement with the wisdom of your "tweet"(is that right?), man. But if some Microsoft Word programming guy told me, to my face, that it was MY fault I couldn't find where he hid something, I could easily take it as kinda insulting. How about you?

If it was documented it would be a case of RTFM.

Being an IT support guy in the past the amount of people who blamed me, MS or 'computers' because they couldn't find their files or didn't know how to do something made my blood boil. Rather than ask a polite question and get a polite answer, or (heaven forbid) train themselves or read the help file, they would expect the IT dept to be their man servant. Not everybody was like this of course...
 
I would expect it to be more likely the other way around, but I would understand anybody getting pissed off with an arrogant person in any scenario.

Lol course not :)

@worstcaseontario - 
 
You had posted the following earlier " It worked a treat. This is kinda a relevation", and at the end of that post, also "I'm so excited".
 
Where I come from, those sound like 'happy thoughts', so it made sense you were happy with it all, even though I am not sure what a 'relevation' is - it still sounds like a happy word.  (I am gathering it might have meant to have been a 'revelation')
 
I had not taken your original post as any sort of down in the dumps troll post either, I remain happy that you are happy with it all.  :)
 
I suppose that there may be some number of commonly, but repeatedly, things done with preferences by different kinds of Sonar users, so maybe some sort of multi-profile approach for preferences would be helpful.  A good idea, after all.
 
Bob Bone
 

 I fixed my spelling, thanks. Kinda sad, I was being so careful.

I do understand that there is a little digging to be done to find some preferences and make them stick, but IMO there are so many things that Sonar tries, and can do, it's not surprising there is confusion over where to put any particular option. There are so many different workflows that one person's button would be another's preference.
I think one of the objects of the skyline interface was to work towards a simpler and more consistent placement of preferences. If enough users get on board, and put forward ideas to have something changed, then I think the programmers would be more than willing to make the changes required. The features request site is one of the best parts of Cakewalk.
There is so much depth to Sonar it really is not surprising that even the best power users are occasionally surprised by something they didn't know existed, or didn't realise worked a certain way.

Anderton

worstcaseontario

Anderton

worstcaseontario
 That's actually amusing. But on whose face does this put egg on? The users who are asking for features they already had, or the Word guys for allowing this to happen?  

As I said on my twitter feed recently, "Definition of power user: Someone who reads the manual."

No arguement with the wisdom of your "tweet"(is that right?), man. But if some Microsoft Word programming guy told me, to my face, that it was MY fault I couldn't find where he hid something, I could easily take it as kinda insulting. How about you?

Before the invention of the PDF and decades of evolution, I might have agreed. But programs have hundreds, even thousands, of options and there's no way they can all occupy center stage. This is why I like PDF files (and the internet) - if I want to see if something exists, or how to use something in a more efficient or intelligent way, I search on it. Even taking the Sonar documentation as an example, sometimes someone will ask a question here and I'll find a link to the documentation that will help. But many times, while checking out that link, there's some additional tip or shortcut or whatever that I didn't know - so I learn something too.

 I stepped back and thought about what actually sticks in my craw about all of this, and will try to illustrate my perspective with examples from my real life. I am not a professional Word operator. I am a professional machine and forklift operator, and I am good at it. Sometimes in my machine and forklift operating day, I need to make a page-size sign saying something like: "Caution-Pallet Load Uneven", or "Keep Head and Arms Out of the Mixer at All Times!" or "This Lunch-bag Is the Property of worstcaseontario- Do Not Touch". My workplace suggests to me that I might wanna use Word for this, seeing as it is already installed on all the computers in the plant. I stand at my little terminal and compose my sign, and a co-worker will look over my shoulder and say," That would really catch the eye better if the letters were out-lined ". I might agree. I will look at the first level of Word options, not find exactly what I'm looking for in the words that I am looking for, realize that if I don't go down the hall to shut off the ammonia very soon the plant will explode, print my sign in it's un-outlined version and just hope that it catches people's eye well enough. When was I supposed to consult the documentation? Beforehand? Again, I am not a Word operator.
 When he first started his position, my supervisor knew nothing about Word. He is now VERY agile with it. So long as I am there to shut the ammonia off in time, he has all day to study Word.(Nothing at all against him. Great guy.)
 Do you see where I am going with this?
 If a Microsoft Word developer came up to me while I was making my sign and said "Oh, I see you are using or product, might you have any suggestions for features we might add?". I will say " Yeah, you could make it so you can out line the letters of the text". The Word guy will say "But you CAN. You just have to...". I will then interrupt with "I gotta go shut the ammonia off so we don't all die". When I get back to the Microsoft guy, it's to check his credentials and make sure he is properly signed in to my plant. I don't think I am an idiot. Idiots never think they are idiots, mind you.
 I will NOT read Microsoft Word documentation in my spare time. Same way as I will not do cycle counts or sort pallets in my spare time. Microsoft sold this product as a solution to my employer, and I judge solutions by how well they solve.
  My comments are not to take shots at Word. I don't care about Word. I am sure it is all it should be.

 Thanks for all your thoughts, Member robert_e_bone. No one has ever "great thread"ed me before.
 Oh that rant was directly at that little "side bar" I quoted regarding the Administrator's quip about Word focus groups and the conclusions drawn from them. I think sometimes I could be grouped with the people who want features they already have, and felt like there may have been the potential of exposure to ridicule there. I agreed that the situation is ridiculous, I'm just not as certain who gets the ridicule. Word is kinda forced on me. Sonar is not. At all. I even have alternatives owned and installed. To make clear: My post #58 has nothing to do with Sonar.