I really want to be able to play sonar live like a guitar rig. For instance I have line 6 on track 1, guitar rig on track 2, TH2 on track 3, amplitube on track 4, and revalver on track 5 is there a way to be playing along and I hit a midi controller and while playing live through one track I then switch from one track to another like changing a channel on an amp or a patch on a line 6 hd500? Remember I am wanting to flip from one track to another so the other track has to go silent. 

Maybe try a footswitch, not sure if it would work but in theory it could send a programme change command?
 
Dont know how you would get it to mute or solo other tracks tho....
 
I know theres a way of getting the line 6 pod footboard to control guitar rig through a DAW if you have that?..
 
Would you be using Sonar as a backing track device? I.e playing along to pre-recorded/programmed drums for example? If so you could automate the changes and mutes and solos within the timeline of the songs.

Can you MIDI-learn (or even ACT-learn) solo/mute buttons?  That would be one way of doing it.

You should be able to assign a MIDI CC to a button in the ACT control surface that just steps through the tracks in your sequence.
Then you could have another button assigned to solo the track. With input echo enabled and exclusive solo on in X3 I believe it should be possible to set this up.
 

In the ACT MIDI Controller "Options" tab, you can set buttons up with the commands.  This section of the manual explains how:
 
http://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation/default.aspx?Doc=SONAR%20X3&Lang=EN&Req=ExternalDevices.05.html
 
The commands you want to use are:
 
Previous Selected Track: This will let you move from the current track to the one above it
Next Selected Track: Same as above, but lets you move to the next
Solo Selected Track: This is what will solo the track you're on. Remember Noel's suggestion about Exclusive Solo.
 

well, this is good to know! big +1

someone should do a video of this showing it as a tips and tricks video for the university

Well the problem is if your a guitarist the situation is your recommendation requires I'm stepping on 2 pedals to send a control and instead of tapping on one pedal to change a patch and that is a PITA in a major way. There needs to be a macro for this or some other solution. 

I believe there is a video of how to use a foot pedal controller with TH2.
 
http://www.cakewalk.com/Support/kb/reader.aspx/2007013309
 
This is not the only way to do it, btw. I figured out how to use my Roland GR-20 as a midi controller to automate pedals in different guitar sims.

That is with th2 what if on track 1 I have line 6 podfarm? This is not a solution since we need to have a way to switch tracks by pushing a single foot controller.