Hi.  From my limited understanding, Sonar 5 is a DAW, and DAWs can function as VST hosts, like Herman Seib's VSTHost and Tobybear's Minihost, both of which I have no trouble figuring out how to use.  But I'm lost on how to integrate VST instruments into Sonar 5.   

I can use the VST Configuration Wizard to have Sonar detect all of my plugins, and this says its successful and they are available to my applications.  But after this none of my VST plugins appear in any of the dropdown menus.  I can't find any way of inserting them.  Insert > Soft Synths still ony lists the plugins that are bundled with Sonar.

I want to start with a 16 track MIDI template, and use channel one for an external rack module I use.  Then I want to assign a particular VSTi to track 2 channel 2, another to track 3 channel 3, and so on.  While I'm doing this I also want these VSTi synths to appear in seperate windows that are activated and deactivated just by switching MIDI tracks in Sonar.

It seems only logical that Sonar 5 should be able to do this naturally.  Why doesn't it?  Am I missing something?

Sonar has gone through 8 versions since Sonar 5. Windows has gone through 3(3.1?)
Are you running Sonar 5 as admin? Don't assume that just because you are the admin, the program is being run as such. Windows doesn't work that way.
In my experience, what you are describing is directly related to Windows UAC.
Sonar 5 is what, 9 years old? If it is a legitimate copy, you are the licensed user, and you are working on a contemporary machine, it would be well worth your time to upgrade to X3. A lot has happened since Sonar 5 was released.
 
Also, make sure the plug-in manager is searching all folders where your VST's are located.
Have you read the help files?

duplicate post. some things never change

duplicate post

Thanks for your reply.  I'm old fashioned.  I prefer older software.  And you have a separate forum for Sonar X1-X3.
I fail to see how not having admin privileges would make any difference.  If Sonar detects and registers your VSTi plugins you should be able to select them as the sound source of a MIDI track whether you have admin privileges or not.
 

Fair enough. I still have Sonar Home Studio 6 installed on my laptop because it is a rock solid program.
Your questions suggest that at some level you are in unfamiliar territory.
For us to help you, we are going to need some information that you have not given us yet.
What OS are you using?
Have you successfully used Sonar 5 on an older system?
Which VST's are you trying to use?
Be generous with information.  The more we know, the better we can help you.

I use Sonar 5 regularly and have for quite a number of years. It's rock solid. You must be having a problem either with registering your plug-ins or knowing where to find them and how to set them up. You are best off using the " synth"  Rack to load VSTi's as multy channel synths and best off right clicking in the individual tracks Effects bins to load track specific processing types of VST such as compressors , EQ's etc. You are best off creating busses and then assigning ( through the buss channels effects bin ) types of global effects available to all tracks through individual track auxes and sends. These type of effects might be reverbs, delays, choruses etc.
 
Select the tracks midi output widget to assign  ( small widget with an O icon ) the instruments to individual tracks. It does take a little time with tutorials and experimenting when first starting out with Sonar. It will quickly become second nature and you'll find that Sonar handles and manipulates MIDI and better than any other DAW.
 
Note :  there are also one or two patches that were required around the Sonar 5 era.

Sorry to bump this but I just gotta say thanks to above poster Rbh for giving me the clue I needed.  Updates!  After applying the updates I was easily able to find my own VSTis under Soft Synths, make them a MIDI track and have seperate windows of them.  It even saves the preset I'm using.  So I'm good to go.
 
As of July 2014 they are still here:  I think if you use the 64-bit version you are SOL.
www.cakewalk.com/Support/Knowledge-Base/2005295/SONAR-5-0-1-Maintenance-Release
www.cakewalk.com/Support/Knowledge-Base/2005303/SONAR-5-2-Update
 
 
 

Cool - Glad it's working for you.