Bear in mind a couple important points with simply "moving files." There are pointer references to file locations both within SONAR (and other applications) as well as the registry. If these pointers are not also updated, then randomly moving files can potentially get you from a "working state" to a "non-working state."
 
If things are functional, I would be hesitant to advise making things "pretty" just for that purpose. I would highly recommend imaging/backup before you head down this path, as registry entry changes can cause similar issues as this all plays out for you.

yeah i think the only thing i'm going to attempt to move at this point is the rapture expansion pack data
 
cakewalk themselves told us to simply manually move the folders so i would have to think there is no registry change that should be involved. 
 
everything else i think i just need to call a learning experience and gain as much knowledge i can for the time when i'll want/need a new PC and upgrade to well....Sonar X5 or something ;)  that and i'm just going to try and put things in the right place going forward.  can't hurt to start doing things right today!
 
 

A sleep has prompted my memory re the C:\Program Files\Cakewalk\Rapture\Rapture.dll. I'm pretty sure that's the DXi because the install prompts for location of the VSTi which I put under my common C:\DAW_Plugins. (I've also seen that .dll called via Process Explorer handle search when the DXi is active).
 
There was a trick here. The x32 and x64 installs were separate, only prompting for a the common VST location above and deploying the VST to \Rapture\Rapture.dll beneath. Yes, same name as the DXi (different directory). I did the x32 install then renamed the VST subdir to Rapture32. I then did the x64 install and renamed the VST subdir to Rapture64. I had to repeat the process for patch updates (renaming the relevant bittedness back into place temporarily for the update).
 
That way I have both 32bit and 64bit VSTs. (and Standalones, and DXis).

Here's some good tips regarding VST placement / structure:
 

Oh OK - sorry, I'm a noob ... it didn't like the link. I'll read the rules before possible repost (not spam).
 

awesome, awesome post Shellsta!

Especially good for a first post.  Most new forum users make their debut with a question rather than an answer.

Tee Hee. I appreciate the positive feedback.
 
I've been and am a regular on the Steam Sonar and MC6T forums. Just poking my nose this way.
 
It was actually the Steam release that got me looking under the hood of Rapture, but initially Dimension. I had bought an Expansion Pack that only deployed into 32bit, under Dimension. I couldn't have that ... so got it working in 64bit mode.
 
I've picked up a thing or two and enjoy helping and solving genuine issues - esp those I have some experience with or feel I can make a contribution to ... and the odd bit of suspect humour and trivia :P

You're going to come up against more of this yet in the future, (store audio in its own folder), and I THINK I have a solution I haven't been able to test yet. It SHOULD apply to projects, VSTs, bundles, etc.
 
It is probably going to be time consuming, but, maybe more so early on, less as I see what's what.
 
Plan is to get a piece of paper and a pen, copy and rename one dll, while documenting old and new names, create a new folder, put the renamed dll in the new folder, have Sonar rescan, and see if the newly named dll works as it should when called up.
 
Same for projects and bundles.
 
If all goes well, I will end up with dlls and samples on the respective PC, projects and bundles on a local cloud drive, in a file system with nested directories, backed up to the house file server regularly, which in turn is backed up to offsite media, with attendant audio files invisible under the respective project folder in a subdirectory of their own.
 
As it stands right now, I've allowed Sonar and the plugins to install as they wished, and have 32 bit dlls in the 64 bit folder, vice versa, and projects in their own directories, but the attendant audio junkpiled in folders all visible in the Project main directory, along with the nested Project subdirectories.
 
Over decades, I've found its usually best to accept the defaults on installation routines, but every rule has its exception and this looks like one of them.

shellstaX thank you so much!
posting your folder contents has really sealed the deal here and I'm pretty sure that after I make a few moves I'll have the expansions running.
 
thing is - i'm not going to attempt this for a month or two as my uber paranoia says "don't mess with rapture until your first tune is completed and rendered to audio"
 
i just figure with the remote chance i could "break" rapture....i should use patience while i finish a track that is using it
 
 
 
 
 
last night i took all of my "loose" .dll and associated files in my vstplugins folder and created a folder for each which i then dragged them into.  this ended up removing the "vstplugins" line from my instrument/effect list and now every VST is showing up without expanding anything.
 
now whether i could have dragged them into their PROPER 32 or 64 bit folders is a different story
i did not attempt that ;)
 
i peeped the plugin manager and saw how you can manipulate and create template layouts.
i wonder is this something i could also do in windows like i did with the above?  just create a "reverb" folder and then dump all of my reverbs into that one....and so on.
i know that grouping this way via sonar is probably best.....but via windows would surely be easier!  anyone ever try this?

seed
i peeped the plugin manager and saw how you can manipulate and create template layouts.
i wonder is this something i could also do in windows like i did with the above?  just create a "reverb" folder and then dump all of my reverbs into that one....and so on.
i know that grouping this way via sonar is probably best.....but via windows would surely be easier!  anyone ever try this?

 
Yeah, this is what I do - I have plug-in folders for Reverb, EQ, Compressors, etc. The folders show up in Sonar's plug-in menus so the plug-ins have some organization to them.