So I wanted to add volume automation to a track. I hit the record automation button "W" and record the automation. But now I can't seem to get out of automation mode to go back and edit the track itself. 

No doubt user error and just can't find the one toggle/switch/command to switch back and forth... HALP!

many thanks. 

PS: I used to know how to do this in Producer 8.5.3, but it's different now on X/X1...

You need to click on the track's Edit Filter (the dropdown menu in the Track Pane that probably says Volume or Automation right now) and select Clips.  

Or you can use the neat shortcut I just learned. Select the track, hold the Shift key and Right click. It will change the edit filter to the last filter selected so if you had it set to Clips before switching to volume automation it should change back to Clips.

Also you can switch between Volume Automation and whatever the current edit filter is by pressing the equal key (=). This will only toggle between the Volume automation filter and the last selected filter.

:-D

OR... you could select the track, open the Tools HUD (Heads Up Display) by pressing T and click the Edit Filter dropdown menu there and select Clips.

or shift+left click on a clip...

May not be related to problem but I forget quit often to reset the smart tool to the "star". I will automate and then go in a clean up a but with the "pencil" (edit) and then want to size a clip and can't, then remember to reset the smart tool.  I'm sorry, i should know the proper names of the smart tool funtions.

http://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation/default.aspx?Doc=SONAR X2&Lang=EN&Req=Tools.04.html#1229613

@Tracey... Not sure if this will help you but here are my notes on all the tools. It has the proper names, Hotkeys and the page numbers of the manual where they are described in detail. I've been making a concerted effort to learn all the proper names/terminology used in Sonar so I can communicate with the forum better and look up functions in the manual easier. Cheers.

TOOLS

pg 407, Tools Chart on pg 408

To open the HUD (floating Tools Module) press T or click middle mouse button. The HUD will show the current edit filter of the track/clip/lane/etc that the cursor is currently hovering over. The current Edit Filter can be changed by clicking the dropdown menu in the HUD.

To access a tool's subset of tools right click desired tool's button and select the appropriate sub tool.

You can make any tool temporarily turn into another tool by holding down the new tool's hotkey. Make your edits then release the hotkey and the tool will revert back to the originally selected tool.

Tool Keybindings:

See Cursor modes on pg 469.

Details on using tools for specific functions pg 475

Smart Tool = F5 (pg 422)

Select Tool = F6 (pg 429)

Move Tool = F7 (pg 433)

Edit Tool = F8 (pg 437) Continue pressing F8 to cycle to:

Timing Tool (pg 443 this tool has Drag Quantize for MIDI (drag up and down on note(s)and Time Stretch for Audio (slip edit))

Split Tool (pg 445)

Freehand Tool = (pg 448) F9 Continue pressing F9 to cycle to:

Line Tool (pg 451)

Sine Tool (pg 454)

Triangle Tool (pg 454)

Square Tool (pg 454)

Saw Tool (pg 454)

Random Tool (pg 454)

Erase Tool = (pg 456) F10 Continue pressing F10 to toggle to:

Mute Tool (pg 460)

Scrub Tool = J (pg 464) Drag over track to hear single track. Drag over Ruler to hear all tracks.

Zoom Tool = Z (pg 455) Press and drag to lasso Zoom area. Alt + Z to revert back.

thanks beep, i was feeling guilty for not knowing. LOL! so I printed the link above and printed your post. put them in my handy binder that sets on my desk in the studio. that binder is getting full!

@Tracey... Yeah, it's a whole crapton of stuff to remember. Even through all my meticulousness I find simple things that I had been screwing up meaning huge swaths of my notes use the wrong terms. A major one I just realized in the past few days is the difference between the Track View, the Track Pane and the Clips Pane. I was calling the Clips Pane the Track View and the Track Pane the Track List when in reality the Track View is the term used to describe both Track Pane (where the track controls are to the left of the clips) and the Clips Pane (where you edit the clips). lol

Glad you can use my list though. That is indeed accurate. May not be fully complete but it covers all the commonly used tools.

Cheers.

thanks so much!