Before installing X3 just a few weeks ago now, I was still using 8.5.  The differences between the two versions are still very fresh in my mind.  In 8.5 a consistent part of my workflow was:
 
--Always have the controllers pane option on.  I have no use for velocities superimposed on top of the note display on the grid.
 
--During some phases of editing, I would only need to see the notes.  The divider between the panes and the grid would be swooped down so the panes were out of sight and not taking up room.
 
--When I wanted to work with the controller panes, I would swoop the divider up and divide the screen as needed to see both controllers and notes.
 
In X3, if I move the divider all the way down, the only logical thing to do, as per the above, that makes the "use controller panes" option turn off, and the velocities and everything else are suddenly superimposed on the grid again.
 
The only way to avoid having the panes option turn off is to make sure I don't drag the divider quite all the way down - a sliver of it has to be left.--- It's fairly minor, but it's still a PITA, requiring extra moves if I accidentally collapse the panes too completely, and having to aim the divider so it doesn't go all the way down.
 
Sure seems like funky programming to me, like something was broken since the 8.5 days.
 
Is that just the way it is for everyone?
 
Randy B.

Hi Randy. Yes, this behavior has changed with the X series.  You posted in a thread a while back in which it was mentioned that it's now necessary to leave a 'sliver' of the Controllers pane showing in order to keep Show Controller Pane from automatically being disabled, so I guess you hadn't run into it yet at that point:
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3024943
 
There have been other threads about this, I think, so there might already have been some bugs/feature requests filed about it.
 
 
 

http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3009034
 
It worked as intended in X1 but X2 introduced a "bug" that still persists in X3, wherein, pulling the controller pane bar all the way down makes it disappear forever. It's the only pane bar that does this now. You have to use the menu bar OR shift+C to get it back. Not good for work flow.

soens

shift+C to get it back. Not good for work flow.

Is there hot key(s) to make it go away? Like the mdock "d" and Browser "b?"

Grem

soens

shift+C to get it back. Not good for work flow.

Is there hot key(s) to make it go away? Like the mdock "d" and Browser "b?"

 
It's Shift+C too. I use it all the time.

Also, although I noticed this only recently, the H key shows/hides the Track Pane.
I wish there was a list of keyboard shortcuts for PRV.

If you go to Preferences -> Customization -> Keyboard Shortcut, you see that neither Shift+C or H isn't shown in the Computer column (I guess it lists customized bindings only.....shouldn't it list default bindings as well?), and the H key in the box under Locate Key describes the command by a different name, "Manage Track Visibility." Note very helpful...
 

(Larger image here)
 
Off to feature request...

Actually, "Manage Track Visibility" is the Track Manager, isn't it? Why didn't I realize it when I was typing the post...

My changeover bug a boo is the Piano roll view opens at the bottom of the screen and docked by default when you first click on a midi track. It used to always open floating in the middle of the screen where you can actually work on it.. I've yet to find a setting that sets the preference for this behavior. 
 

soens
 
Pulling the controller pane bar all the way down makes it disappear forever. It's the only pane bar that does this now. You have to use the menu bar OR shift+C to get it back. Not good for work flow.

I just pulled the controller pane in the PRV down all the way, and if I hovered the mouse over the line just above the scroll bar, was able to click and drag up...works the same way as the bus section in Track View as far as I can tell. Tried it with velocity, too...same results. Can you elaborate on the conditions that cause it to "disappear forever?"

Cactus Music
My changeover bug a boo is the Piano roll view opens at the bottom of the screen and docked by default when you first click on a midi track. It used to always open floating in the middle of the screen where you can actually work on it.. I've yet to find a setting that sets the preference for this behavior. 
 

 
Not sure if this covers your needs, but what I do is early in the project hit D, drag the top of the dock upward so it fills the screen, then hit D again to make it go away. Then whenever I click on a tab in the dock from that point on, it covers the screen. When I want to minimize it to get back to track view, I hit D again.