I'm really enjoying working in Sonar Home Studio. One thing I miss is Step Record function. I've been trying to figure out how to use the Step Sequencer, but so far it doesn't appear to do what Step Record does. Specifically, I can't see how to set the note value (1/4, 1/8 etc). Does anyone use this feature?

In Sonar Step Record and Step Sequencer are two separate things.  I use Step Sequencer almost entirely for drum patterns.  If you set Beats to 4 and Steps to 4, each square is a 16th note.  You have to play around with it a while.  I'd suggest just creating a pattern and observe how it works.  For more advanced topics, there have been forum posts you could search.  Craig Anderton had some really great tips on how to humanize drums with the Step Sequencer.
There is also a Step Record function built into Sonar.  You choose it from the dropdown from the record button.  It basically records your midi input one note at a time and automatically steps ahead as you enter notes.  Step record I've only occasionally used for creating arpeggio patterns for synths.  I generally don't use it any more because I find arpeggiators that are built into synths to be much easier and more flexible to work with.  The Sonar reference guide manual has more info on how to work with both. 
 

Thanks, Craig, I know about the step record in Sonar and use it extensively. Unfortunately, Sonar Home Studio, the free version people have been downloading lately, does not have it. Other than that, my latest version of Sonar is 8.5 Studio, which works fine. But I was enjoying working in Home Studio and am looking for a way to step record in it. Step Sequencer looks far too cumbersome for what I need to do. I'm going to wait and hope there is a future for Sonar, at which point I will upgrade to at least Professional (assuming that is still available - if Sonar is resurrected, who knows what the options will be). Other than that, I plan to look for a software step recorder I could use, and I can always go back to 8.5.

Are you sure SHS does not have step recording? Usually there is a notation in the documentation when a feature does not apply to a particular version. I believe the procedure to invoke step recording changed since 8.5.
 
The step sequencer is not really a replacement for step recording. It is a completely different approach. It is possible to merge notes in the sequencer to make notes longer in a pattern.

michael diemer
I'm really enjoying working in Sonar Home Studio. One thing I miss is Step Record function. I've been trying to figure out how to use the Step Sequencer, but so far it doesn't appear to do what Step Record does. Specifically, I can't see how to set the note value (1/4, 1/8 etc). Does anyone use this feature?

Just hold the transport record button down for a second and the record options will be presented.  When you select the 'Step Record' option the dialog window will open.  Good to go! 

Woo Hoo! Woo Hoo! Thanks a million scook and abacab! I tried consulting the manual, but after the first day or two it wouldn't open, and I hadn't gotten around at that point to the step recording thing. Very psyched about this!
 
Keeping my fingers crossed that Sonar does make a comeback. I will be the first person to upgrade from Home Studio/8.5.

michael diemer
Woo Hoo! Woo Hoo! Thanks a million scook and abacab! I tried consulting the manual, but after the first day or two it wouldn't open, and I hadn't gotten around at that point to the step recording thing. Very psyched about this!
 
Keeping my fingers crossed that Sonar does make a comeback. I will be the first person to upgrade from Home Studio/8.5.

Glad that worked out!  Either way you can probably squeeze another 10 years out of Sonar if necessary.  I still have an old Dell laptop from 2005 with Windows XP and Sonar 8.5 that boots OK.  As a backup, haha!  But the point is you can freeze a system if necessary to run legacy software. 

I will definitely be looking to keep sonar around for the rest of my life. It will probably outlast me. But I'm hoping to get another chance to finally upgrade to the full enchilada. My fling with Reaper was interesting, but not truly satisfying. Coming back to 8.5 Studio was like coming home (especially since it works better than my Producer 8.5 ever did - don't know why). And now using this amazing Home Studio version has really rejuvenated me. I sure hope I get the chance to upgrade. There have been encouraging signs lately. I should never have been so stubborn, hanging on to 8.5 when such a fantastic new Sonar was there for the taking. Sometimes, I just don't understand myself...

Man I remember the days of step recording on a drum machine.
Its how I wrote all my drum parts. Once I learned the piano roll view though, there was no turning back.

I work in Staff View mostly, doing orchestral stuff, and for that Step Record is helpful. The only drums I do are Timpani and snares, and the VST instruments have rolls built in.