That's why the "smart" tool and "lanes" are the way they are. Can you imagine the 8.5 smart tool or layers being operated by touch? No wonder therre was so much fallout over X1. 8.53 was the end of the mouse/keyboard only workflow evolution. Functions are now designed with touch operation in mind. The X2 smart tool much less ergonomic  from a keyboard than 8.5. Reaching for the F keys in X2 and having to cycle through them rather than resting your wrist while operating Cntl Alt and Shift in 8.53.
 
From an old user point of view I think Cake should have done a Sonar "touch" version while still improving the desktop/mouse 8.5 version and given users the choice. What we have now is a halfway house between the two.

No what we have now is a far better way to work with a DAW. Be it touch or mouse or keyboard. Yes X1 was developed with Windows 8 in mind but CW was also looking at how Sonar would be used with a mouse or just a keyboard. 

Sonar 8.5 was the last of the toolbar centric versions. If you adopt to the new way it may prove a benefit to you. 

It explains why some of the screen elements are as large as they are.

I never got to use X1 0n anger as I could not find the inclination to come to terms with the interface, with X2 I persevered and I find it as usable as 8.5 with some great new features.

X2 Smart tool seems a less good way to work to me. I've spent a good few hours with it now. I've followed the debate from the sidelines right through X1 and am aware of the "you need to become familiar with it "argument but it's not hard to learn (8.5 smart tool was much more arcane).  X smart tool is about touch screen IMHO and much less quick than 8.53 with a mouse not least because because you can't user configure it.

I'm not massively unhappy about it though.
There is plenty to like in X2A. I like automation the browser and pro Channel. Midi Output to hardware synths in Matrix (though i haven't tried it yet), note pads etc. But the smart tool development is not one of them.

Thanks for your help in other posts.

Krs

I kind of feel like I walked onto the Sonar scene at exactly the wrong time. I hear about 8.whatever and it sounds great. I'm really digging X2. X1 seemed like pulling teeth in comparison. I spent WAY too long trying to figure stuff out with X1. With X2 it was easy peasy. I mean I knew more of the basics so that helped but it really does, to me, seem like a massive improvement.

If you mean you came to Sonar at the wrong time I would think just the opposite. If you mean this thread Beep than perhaps so. LOL.

The former because you came with few preconceived notions that had to be a good thing. You didn't have to unlearn Sonar and get to grips with the new X1.

When X1 came out is was a shock to nearly all forum members. Not only did it look very different but it worked differently to. None of the old keyboard shortcuts applied. Shortcuts that had not been changed ever. Added to and updated but never changed. Than the old toolbars were gone. A hallmark of Sonar for ever. That went back to pro Audio days. 

Believe me it was a traumatic time for everyone. I was a little lucky in that I was able to read about it long before I had it. That helped me learn it enough to begin to understand it. I quickly realized that contrary to the general view only two things were removed and they were not missed much. Things had been added so it was a increase in features overall. 

What I worked on was countering the negativity going on by some long time members. Sometimes it got a little heated. but I thought it was important to get the other view out so members could make up their own minds about it. What I was worried about were new members getting the wrong impression in particular.

Also even though I did have a few minor problems with it when it was first released the patches fixed most if not all of the more severe bugs that others had found. Sometimes I was confirming bugs for others but never lost my view that X1 was a great new beginning for us and CW. 

Now with X2 out and the a patch out too it became clear that CW was thinking years ahead when they changed course so abruptly.  To me it was like quickly taking off a band aid rather than slowly doing so. A momentary pain rather than a long drawn out slow change. 

I think CW did the right thing. So there you have it the history of the introduction of X1, You are now the beneficiary of this quick change. Enjoy it. I do.

You didn't have to unlearn Sonar and get to grips with the new X1.

Yeah, I guess that's a better way of looking at it. I think I would have had an easier time of things if I had gotten on board with X2 first but that would have meant losing out on about 5 months of working and learning. I just find certain things are sooo much easier in X2 like the lanes and zoom features. Just makes more sense and quicker get around. Currently getting even more useful workflow tricks under my belt as a comb through the manual. I had only read stuff from the X1 manual before this so I was working in X2 with that foundation. Cheers.