Thanks for the link, Bob. I'll check that out.

jonnewyork
 
On a couple of 8.5.3 PE projects, X3 plugins don't work. I would put the blue tubes oil can delay, for example, into the fx window but it wouldn't "see" a signal. The icon showed up but it didn't do anything.

 
I don't know the specifics with Nomad Factory, but many times third-party agreements specify locking their products to specific companies or against backward compatibility. This is for two reasons. First, the price of bundled plug-ins is often much less than the cost of a "universal" version. Companies don't want you buying their plugs-in at a substantial discount yet be able to use them the same way people who pay full price with them. Second, there's a support issue. Plug-ins bundled with, for example, X3 are tested and QCed with X3. Companies don't want to have to deal with support for legacy software.

VC64 still works in some cases... should it? It's no longer in the fx bin.

 
It works for now, but it's a sad story...Cakewalk would love to have a version updated for 64-bit operation, but the developer and owner of the IP has disappeared off the face of the earth. 
 

I then opened up the older version that I hadn't opened with X3 in safe mode and it was intact (there wasn't any automation at that point) The plugins were all there. The projects all have X3 logos on them even if they hadn't been opened with X3.

 
The logo doesn't mean anything, that's a Windows thing. It's like when Windows Media Player puts the same icons on all your MP3 files.
 
It sounds like you actually have multiple issues. I forgot to ask, or maybe you said this already, but was 8.5 32- or 64-bit? And are you running X3 as 32- or 64-bit? Also, in terms of not finding audio, did you save as per-project folders or dump everything into the common audio folder?
 

I was going to contact Lynx today but I didn't get to it. Last time I contacted their tech he said I should call up when I have more time to update the firmware which makes it seem like it isn't something that's impossible to foul up, so I'll do that tomorrow.

A failed firmware update can literally make a device in operable by putting it in a state where it can't boot. The only solution is to replace the chip containing the firmware, and if it's wave-soldered on a board, that's not easy. Follow any instructions Lynx gives you to the letter. Actually, to the pixel that makes up each letter. When I do a firmware update, the device being updated and the device doing the updating are ALWAYS connected to an uninterruptible power supply, and I test any cable that's going to be used in the process.

The logo does mean something. It means that that file will open with the associated program.  By double clicking on the file the default program will open it. In the case of Sonar we are offered the option to have the version we are installing open files types while installing Sonar. I like to have the latest version be the default. 
 
 

I am hoping the firmware update helps you, and look forward to you posting your results.
 
Bob Bone
 

Anderton

jonnewyork
 
On a couple of 8.5.3 PE projects, X3 plugins don't work. I would put the blue tubes oil can delay, for example, into the fx window but it wouldn't "see" a signal. The icon showed up but it didn't do anything.

 
I don't know the specifics with Nomad Factory, but many times third-party agreements specify locking their products to specific companies or against backward compatibility. This is for two reasons. First, the price of bundled plug-ins is often much less than the cost of a "universal" version. Companies don't want you buying their plugs-in at a substantial discount yet be able to use them the same way people who pay full price with them. Second, there's a support issue. Plug-ins bundled with, for example, X3 are tested and QCed with X3. Companies don't want to have to deal with support for legacy software.

VC64 still works in some cases... should it? It's no longer in the fx bin.

 
It works for now, but it's a sad story...Cakewalk would love to have a version updated for 64-bit operation, but the developer and owner of the IP has disappeared off the face of the earth. 
 

I then opened up the older version that I hadn't opened with X3 in safe mode and it was intact (there wasn't any automation at that point) The plugins were all there. The projects all have X3 logos on them even if they hadn't been opened with X3.

 
The logo doesn't mean anything, that's a Windows thing. It's like when Windows Media Player puts the same icons on all your MP3 files.
 
It sounds like you actually have multiple issues. I forgot to ask, or maybe you said this already, but was 8.5 32- or 64-bit? And are you running X3 as 32- or 64-bit? Also, in terms of not finding audio, did you save as per-project folders or dump everything into the common audio folder?
 

I was going to contact Lynx today but I didn't get to it. Last time I contacted their tech he said I should call up when I have more time to update the firmware which makes it seem like it isn't something that's impossible to foul up, so I'll do that tomorrow.

A failed firmware update can literally make a device in operable by putting it in a state where it can't boot. The only solution is to replace the chip containing the firmware, and if it's wave-soldered on a board, that's not easy. Follow any instructions Lynx gives you to the letter. Actually, to the pixel that makes up each letter. When I do a firmware update, the device being updated and the device doing the updating are ALWAYS connected to an uninterruptible power supply, and I test any cable that's going to be used in the process.

I run both 8.5 and X3 64 bit. Thanks for the explanation for the software but I'm puzzled as to why it is backwards compatible (blue tubes) on some 8.5 projects but not others. That seems rather inconsistant.
 
I save in per-project folder. But I just save projects the normal way and they usually open up with the audio.
 
I opened it (the pre automation guinea pig version) in X3 safe mode and diallowed all the plugins b/c I didn't know which might prove problematic.
 
Then I got the audio back -- after getting the "find missing audio" dialog box and getting the 'file not found, check file name and try again" I hit the search button and after a while it found one file, then one more, then it opened with the audio.
 
Then I saved that as a "[version] no-fx"
 

That seems like a good methodical approach.  Glad it found all the audio.
 
So, maybe one or more plugins is/are goofing things up?
 
You could try loading the first plug only, then load the 1st and 2nd plugs only, then the 1st 3 plugs only, etc., to see if that uncovers the culprit(s).  All of this would be in safe mode.  Pain in the rear, but it is helpful - IF it might be from plugins.
 
Bob Bone
 

I opened the newest version of the project in safe mode. It asked if I should open one plugin, I clicked no, and it opened without plugins. But the mute and pan assignments are back.
 
I generally save [project-date-version] so with this song, appropriately titled "Trouble"  I'd save it Tro_08-18-14 to two separate external hard drives, make changes, save it as Tro_08-18-14a, Tro_08-18-14b, etc.
 
I generally don't use a lot of plugins unless the individual tracks need EQ -- these were mostly EQ. I might have one or two delays and maybe a reverb on separate stereo buses and use the channel fx sends.
 
I strapped a PEQ5B across the drums bus and it's working. I have a feeling X3 doesn't want to work with mixed and matched batches of plugins. I have to stop working now but so far I like the Nomad EQs and delay better than the Cakewalk or sonitus ones for this project so if they work I'll ditch the old plugs and move on.
 
Which brings us to automation. I don't think that's going to be a big deal -- I've mixed this track a couple of times before. The biggest automation problem I've had is while comping takes when I can't do crossfades; one track has to be muted as another is unmuted. It was tricky, and hard not to wind up with an audible click or two. I'm keen to try out the new comping tool. It looks like it will save a lot of time and... trouble.

It sounds like you are making progress.  There have definitely been issues having some, but not all, 32-bit plugins in a 64-bit Sonar.
 
Even if certain 32-bit plugins worked before in 8.5.3, they might not currently work in 8.5.3, depending on Windows maintenance.  In addition, some of those may currently work in 8.5.3 and not in X3, due to either differences in the C++ run-time executables, or with internal changes to Windows, or to Sonar.  The use of any bridging software, whether it is BitBridge or JBridge, which is what allows those 32-bit plugins to run in 64-bit Sonar, is potentially problematic, and that's just the realities of the change in technology over time.
 
Since moving to an all 64-bit plugin environment, except for any remaining 32-bit Cakewalk-supplied plugins, Sonar X3e has never been more stable for me.  A lot of others have also found this to be true for them.
 
My brain is flat-lining, so it is off to nap land for me.  I will pick things up tomorrow with you, as I should be around for a good chunk of the day.
 
Are you running X3e?  That is the latest and greatest X3 maintenance version.  If you are on X3 but not the 'e' version, you can simply download and apply the X3e version, skipping the ones in between.  X3e is a cumulative patch, so it has all the stuff from a,b, c, and d all rolled up in it.
 
Bob Bone
 
 
 

robert_e_bone
Since moving to an all 64-bit plugin environment, except for any remaining 32-bit Cakewalk-supplied plugins, Sonar X3e has never been more stable for me.  A lot of others have also found this to be true for them.

 
Sounds like good advice. I'd want to use only 64 bit for the increased resolution alone.
 

My brain is flat-lining

 
That's normal for me
 

Are you running X3e?  That is the latest and greatest X3 maintenance version.  If you are on X3 but not the 'e' version, you can simply download and apply the X3e version, skipping the ones in between.  X3e is a cumulative patch, so it has all the stuff from a,b, c, and d all rolled up in it.
 

Is there an easy way to check for that? I think that's what I'm running.
 
 
 

If you launch with Run As Admin, you will see the version in the UAC message asking you to confirm allowing the program to run.
 
And, once in Sonar, you could click on Help, then on About Sonar, and a splash screen will show with the version and build.
 
Bob Bone