I put this up on the wrong forum.....dhh...
It seems I cannot use my Presonus 24.4.2 firewire mixer to mixdown. When I move the mixer faders on the 24.4.2 the SONAR faders do not respond. In the software I got with the mixer I can see on the monitor the faders move and when I press a button on the mixer it is hightlighted, so this leads me to believe the mixer is transmitting this information to the PC but SONAR cannot receive it. Really disappointed as that's why I upgraded to X3 and bought the mixer. I do not wish to mix buy using a mouse and I really want to use the power of the 24.4.2. So here is my possible solution, to which, I would appreciate any feedback you folks might have (as in good idea or you are a lame ass!). I have a second PC that has SONAR Home Studio 7XL. I am thinking to buy an M-Audio Audiophile 192 card and put in in that PC. I will connect the paralled balanced TRS outputs of the 24.4.2 to the card (I have the XLR outs connected to my monitors). When I mixdown I will open a stereo audio track on 7XL, hit record, then hit play on my SONAR X3 Studio. I am thinking this way I can use the mixer and it's functions and record the audio output on the other PC. I am also thinking by using this method I will use less plug-in on tracks e.g. eq, compression, gating so I won't get any audio glitches from the PC running SONAR X3. One final thing I strongly recommend iZotope Ozone 5 for mastering. Great program! Thanks in advance folks! You have been very helpful to be before.

Phinneas,
 
I don't think X3 has native control surface support for Presonus and I don't think Presonus has a Sonar control surface driver. You could check to see if the Presonus supports one of the native Sonar surfaces like Mackie.
 
Another option is to use ACT. It is pretty simple to set up. There are some youtube videos which step you through it . Just search for Sonar X3 ACT in youtube.
 
Essentially you go into ACT learn mode, move a control in sonar, then move the fader.knob on the mixer. Sonar then associates the two together from then on.
 
I set up an Axiom-61 keyboard with about 30 controls in maybe an hour.
This might work out better than what you were talking about.
 
Michael
 

I have an SL 24.4.2. And it has no control surface functions whatsoever. With VSL that is the software that accompanies the mixer it will translate the mixer settings on the VSL software but this function does not translate into any DAW not even Presonus Studio One.

Michael,
Thanks so much for getting back to me. Today I put the question to Presonus Support so I will wait and see what they say.
Thanks again!

Mike V.
Thanks for that info! I really appreciate it!
 

maybe your answer is here: 
http://forum.cakewalk.com...n-a-door-m2985957.aspx

To all who responded, thank you so much your your comments!
I thought I would post the short but not sweet response I got from Presonus Technical Suppot:
Technical Support, Feb 26 04:29 PM:
Hello, The mixer will not work as a control surface in Sonar.
PreSonus Audio Electronics 18011 Grand Bay Court Baton Rouge, LA  70809