I've upgraded and am now reading a lot about Sonar X3 Producer, and I'm confused on 2 or 3 things (my last DAW was Sonar Producer v. 3 from 10 years ago and I have not used DAW much the past few years).  I would certainly appreciate some help clearing up these things.
 
1) I realize that DXi's and VSTi's are instruments, but when they have been inserted as a new Instrument Track into a new,blank project (i.e. Insert Soft Synth - VST2 or DXi) have I just inserted a MIDI or Audio track?
 
2) Can the included Soft Synths which have Presets, respond to MIDI CC information (155 and 156) so that I can send increment/decrement Program changes to the soft synth (freeing me up from having to constantly touch the computer mouse to change presets)?
 
3) WTF?  This site will not let me upload an image I created with highlights to try and get help.  The "Attach Image" dialogue only allows URL links, even though the "Upload Image" tab is there, but will not change to allow me to upload an image.  How frustrating!

Instruments tracks are a hybrid combination of an audio and a MIDI track. When inserting a synth it is possible to use the same layout as SONAR 3 by specifying a MIDI track and an audio track instead of an instrument track. It is also possible to split an instrument track into an audio and MIDI track or join an audio and MIDI track into an instrument track.
 
Depends on the synth
 
It will take about 10 more posts to add urls to posts. Images may not be directly uploaded to the forum.

Y

I hope to one day have enough posts to include links and picture too.

Oh wait........
 
This is the cakewalk site.
 
 
 
Never Mind.

Cactus Music
You need to have a post count of around 30 to allow pictures and posting links, It part of the anti spam filter. You can post links if you make it a simple link without the first http,www part. 
 
I insert a midi track.
I then insert a soft synth. 
I set the output of the midi track to the soft synth. 
If you put the focus on the midi track and set to input to your midi controller you can now record. Input echo should be highlighted automaticly.
Soft synths can have a simple instrument track but I don't like using those as they are just plain weird to work with. 
 

I think this is confusing advice. You can use either the hybrid "instrument track" which lets you record midi or playback audio, or you can use a separate midi track and audio track. You do not mention here what options you choose during the "insert softsynth" step. A softsynth still needs an audio track to be heard. If you just add a new softsynth to the synthrack you won't be able to hear it no matter how much midi you send to it.

I would suggest simply choosing "insert softsynth" and carefully checking the dialogue that pops up. You can either choose "simple instrument track" or set it up with a midi track and one or more audio tracks (depending on the features of the synth). Hope that makes sense.

1.  Congratulations on your upgrade.  :)
 
2.  If you have not done so after the install, I suggest you download the X3e update and install it, as it fixes a whole bunch of stuff for the better, and is considered by many folks to be one of, if not THE, most stable Sonar release since 8.5.3 - and possibly ever.  It is a keeper.  Please note that because all of the updates now are cumulative, you can go right to the X3e' update, skipping c, d, and d.  All of their stuff has been rolled up into 'e', as well as its own new maintenance.
 
3.  I suggest you take some time and purposefully read, explore, learn, and do - to get you up to speed on X3e.  I would hate for you to learn 'after the fact' that you should have done this first, or should not have done such and such, particularly if it involves a client, or anyone's live captured performance.  There are BAZILLIONS of available free videos to watch, the documentation itself, the tutorials, paid videos, and even dedicated books available, ALL to help you get the most out of a really top-notch collection of recording software, and additional components.  One of the best investments I EVER made for music 'gear', was to purchase a Sonar 8 Power book.  It presented things extremely well, and I STILL have the book and all of the highlights, because some of those still apply all of these releases later.
 
4.  This forum, and the others in the Cakewalk community, are GREAT places to share techniques and songs, as well as to ask for and provide help on just about anything related to desktop recording.  As long as you remain engaged in threads you start, do some initial research for yourself prior to posting questions (where a simple search of the documentation or the web could have provided your answer), folks in these forums are REALLY good and REALLY helpful, and will bend over backwards to help you with problems.
 
5.  I suggest you stay clear of any threads about finding or becoming a Love Child, Voodooism, or buying kitchen cabinets in the UK.
 
 
6.  This is a pro-level product, and if you work at learning its ins and outs, you will have an AMAZING time of it.  Good luck with your upcoming grand adventure.  :)
 
Bob Bone
 

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Just to be clear, the simple instrument track combines MIDI input and audio output in the same "track."

Also, in case you brought 32bit plugs forward in time, you can install both X3 64 and X3 32 on the same machine without issues (just in case you bring forward old projects and experience plugin issues with X3 64). That said, as you have X3P it might be best to simply work with what comes with X3. The bundled VSTi's are very adequate.

@Cactus - Thanks for the feedback - feel free to skip my posts then, as I posted for the OP.  
 
The OP identified being away from working with recording software for the better part of 10 years, in his opening paragraph.  He has also just made a gigantic leap from anything he may have recalled from his prior experience, and specifically posted with the word 'Newb', capitalized.
 
If any of what I posted is matter he already knows, he can certainly choose to gloss over of skip entirely, what I wrote.
 
Someone was also kind enough to flag my post as 'helpful', so I am happy it helped somebody.  :)
 
Bob Bone