Hi all,
Using sonar platinum, I have not tried using the controller surfaces for some time as my old controller keyboard broke way back when i was using sonar x2. Now i am running platinum and got myself a new controller (Taktile by Korg) and I can't set up even a generic controller. In the control surfaces menu I add the in port and out port then click on apply and they go back to nothing. when I go to the act  toolbar it says no control surfaces. I'm going round in circles so can anyone help

In the control surface preferences, you probably also see the name of controller in brackets, so "(Cakewalk Generic Surface)".
That means you do not have the surface DLL at correct place (or never had it). Can be that:
* you was using 32bit X2 but installed Platinum x64 without surfaces
* by mistake cleaned something
 
In any case, try this: https://www.cakewalk.com/Support/Knowledge-Base/2007013438/Control-Surface-Installers
 

I installed platinum on my new Pc so it's never had any other versions on. installed from Steam.
found this on there forum 
https://steamcommunity.com/app/293140/discussions/0/617329505857524843/
Followed that instruction and got it to work on Act midi controller but The Taktile instructions suggest to use Makie and the problem still persists. 
If I can map the controller using the basic Act midi controller setting then that will do but so far I can only get a couple of buttons to learn their functions.

Trinity68
 installed from Steam.

That is in general important. Steam is a tick different from other installations.
 
But in this case, try the link I have already wrote. Control surfaces work Steam independent way.
 
AFTER you have installed normal versions and you at least no longer get name in brackets, and in case (only in case) you can not pass "Connecting..." status for Mackie Control, try this http://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,341.0.html and set "disable hanshake" option.