@scook
Very good reference by Cakewalk to freezing.  Thanks!

scook


If you are using a Simple Instrument Track, split it.

I'm not sure what you are suggesting. 
Splitting a track just makes 2 smaller audio clips at the now time.
If you mean "Split Instrument track", it does the same thing. Just disappears.

He means separate the MIDI track from the audio track. Simple Instruments tracks allow this.  

I'm guessing he also means doing it before I froze the original midi track to get the audio? That misunderstanding seems to be what has killed the original midi track
Next time then?

Yes, I was suggesting splitting the instrument track into separate audio and MIDI tracks. If it is the case that you have truly lost the MIDI track, you may need to open a backup copy of the project and retrieve it from there. I do not use Simple Instrument Tracks and have never experienced missing a MIDI track after freezing a synth, not that there is any relation between the two, I do not have any experience with that combination.

Is there more than the one backup copy hidden somewhere?
In my folder, I have the current file and one "auto" generated backup.
That gets changed so quickly that by the time i think of it, it's made a copy of the mistake.

You are correct with regard to the autosave fature, I also use the SONAR versioning facility which I have used to recover data in the past.

MIDI is held in the project. There is no backup of it. However you can export the MIDI as a standard MIDI file. This is a good idea just in case. 

Now I have no experience with simple instruments tracks because I avoid them like the plaque. I think all these problems you are having are due to using them. They are not meant for any kind of extra work with them. Their simple for a reason. 

I use a lot of MIDI and I have never had a need to use those things. Their OK to use if you fully understand their limitations. 

All that said the MIDI should still be in that track somewhere. 
 

Believe it or not, I'm still confused as to what went wrong or how to properly create a wave track without destroying the Midi info.
I see several options in the link but they seem to all assume I have an audio track to begin with.
To be Clear, all I had was a midi clip (track). You know? dots and dashes?
When I froze it, I simply clicked on * in the Inspector and it generated the wave clip (audio).
Unfreezing did NOT reinstate the dots and dashes but went blank.
re freezing reinstated the audio.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/24683934/midi.jpg

I did mention above that I always make a copy of the MIDI track before I freeze it.  That way I always have the original in case something goes wrong.  Even if it doesn't "go wrong" it is reassuring to know that you have a copy right there without having to worry about unfreezing.