After tracking down many many puzzling interactions between sonar and K5, found one big culprit: 
 
Kontakt will save an instrument with the last known midi value for many CCs ... whatever you have them configured to do.    So if you have "zero controllers when playback stops" configured, and you use some controller for K5, and you save the project after stopping, you'll be saving a zero value into the K5 program for that controller. 
 
That's #1.    #2, if you also use K5 Instrument banks, you are in danger of saving zero controller values for the LAST SELECTED INSTRUMENT in a bank!   Not all instruments, just whatever was last selected.  
 
A heads up, check after saving for how Sonar and Kontakt interact.     Even if you tell sonar NOT to zero controllers, it will still send a CC64 (pedal) with value 0, so be prepared. 
 

Good catch...thanks! Perhaps it would make more sense for Kontakt to save with the initial value programmed into a patch that a CC subsequently modifies.

I'm seeing yet another strangeness between the two. If I have multiple instances of K5 in a project then save it, and reopen it, and add another instance, it will name the K5 instance the same thing as the first instance.
 
In other words, If I look at the synth rack and see Kontakt 5 1, Kontakt 5 2, Kontakt 5 3, etc. After reopening the project and adding another instance the synth rack shows Kontakt 5 1, Kontakt 5 2, Kontakt 5 3, Kontakt 5 1. It has never done that before Platinum and all of these projects have been started in some version of Platinum.  I do not see that behavior when using a different DAW and Kontakt 5 or I don't see it using X3 and Kontakt 5.  Weird...?

I've not found this to be true using Sonar and Kontakt 4, but it's always a good idea to begin every sequence (and every MIDI track) with default controller values, I mean YOUR default values for that piece. 
 
For example, when working with Kontakt's Requiem Pro library, every track will start with:
 
Controller 7                   127
Controller 11                 127
Controller 13                  1 (this is for vocal articulations)
Controller 18                  0  (attack time)
Controller 19                  85 (release time)
 
When working with VSL Orchestral Cube the following controllers are placed in every MIDI track:
Controller 11                  127
Controller 18                   0  (attack time)
Controller 19                   85 (release time)
Controller 22                   horizontal cell
Controller 33                   vertical cell
Controller 44                   crescendo/decrescendo (which sample is called up for those samples that have built in dynamics)
Controller 55                    humanize (introduces slight pitch variations on attack of notes)
 
In your case add whatever controllers you need so that when you open the file and play the sequence you're not leaving anything to chance. 
 
Jerry
www.jerrygerber.com
 
 

Thanks for this - Never thought of doing this.  It sure make sense with Kontakt being so finicky with controllers.
 
Max Arwood

rtucker55
 
It has never done that before Platinum and all of these projects have been started in some version of Platinum.  I do not see that behavior when using a different DAW and Kontakt 5 or I don't see it using X3 and Kontakt 5.  Weird...?

 
Since Jerry says it doesn't happen with K4, and you have tried it on earlier versions of Sonar and it doesn't happen, I would send in a problem report.
 
Maybe try rolling back to an earlier version of Splat, say D, E, Or G and see if it still happens.

Thanks Grem,
 
I really do need to take time to document the process, to create the problem, and then contact support. I have not had that kind of time recently but soon I hope.
 
I am a bit concerned about rolling back as the projects may no longer open in a previous version but it is something I could try when time allows.
 
Kind regards,
Rick

This problem actually occurred for me a long time ago on Sonar 7 - Sonar 8.5 using Kontakt 3 or 3.5 (I don't remember).  It was one of the reasons why I jumped DAWs for awhile.  When Sonar X1 was released, it no longer had this problem with K3 - K3.5.  I haven't made any projects with Sonar Platinum / K5 yet but I'll update when I do.

Jerry, the fix about setting CC values at the beginning of the track does not help in the situation with instrument banks in Kontakt, as posted above:   when you stop play, the only instrument that is affected is the last one selected; when you start play, the only instrument that is affected is the first one selected.    When you change instruments within the bank the settings are not carried over.    I'm still trying to figure out if this is all controllers or just volume and pan. 
 
Also, of course, the god-awful controller pane picks up every controller you've initialized and wants to show it to you every time you open PRV.