midi in/out ports with multiple ports channels...question, please (Solved)

Hello all. I have Platinum. I have a MOTU midi express XT usb. This has 8 midi in and out ports. Which means it has 128 individual midi channels, 16 channels to each of the ports. When selecting a midi track input I see a drop down box that show the 8 ports of the XT. If I mouse to any of the ports I see a drop down box showing the 16 individual midi channels. This is exactly how it should look. I am happy!However, when selecting a midi channel output I DO see the 8 ports, but there is no drop down box to show any of the available 16 midi channels of any of the ports. It's as if, on the output stage, platinum is only offering an omni selection within each port. How do I select individual midi channels on a specified port? All the output ports/individual midi channels DO show up in preferences but I'm at a loss as to why the midi track out selection appears different than the input. On the input selection when you see each of the 8 midi input ports, there's a small arrow to the right of each port indicating that's where the 16 midi channels for that port will show up. On the output, when you see the 8 ports there are no arrows connected to the ports...so no drop down window. So it looks like one one midi signal is going to be sent out any one of those ports.Let's say I pick input midi port 5, midi channel 11...done.But let's say, to choose output midi port 7 midi channel (any)...I cant! There's nothing to choose from. It's just midi port 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8. No individual midi channels to choose from within those ports.Wait... Did I just repeat myself? BTW, this is the 4th attempt to post this thread. I can see my post looks like it takes, but then I can never find it afterward, even in my own preferences (my posts). this isn't the first time this has happened...

Each midi event in a track is labeled with its own channel, usually the channel it was recorded from. If an output channel is selected, all those events will be redirected to the selected output channel. If the output channel is "none", the events are sent on their labeled channel.

HARDDRlVER
Perhaps I didn't explain myself properly, because I don't understand wither of your replies, and honestly, my head's doing its best to to just that...understand..

I have a controller, let's assume that will ALWAYS be coming into the daw from the MOTU midi Port 1 channel 1.

I have other midi devices on hand but I need to tackle this hurdle b4 I go any further.

*jatoth* what you describe is exactly the opposite that I see.
In any midi track you have the input and output. On the input 'I see' a drop down window that shows 8 input ports, to the right of each port I see 16 midi channels tied to each of the 8 ports.
As far as I'm concerned, that's exam how it should look.
The output selection 'I would assume' should appear the same. But it doesnt. The midi track output only has a single midi output drop down window. In my mind the input and output tabs should appear identical., no? And especially considering multiple ports.
OK then, why not? Why aren't they identical?
Am I looking in the wrong place?
Can I post a link to a few screen shots? Perhaps that may clear things up

Your midi track has TWO output dropdown boxes.  The first is for the port, the second is for the channel.  If you cannot see the second box, expand your track view (not the track inspector in the left pane) until you see all i/o selectors.
 
They are not identical to the input.

Read the manual?

When the contents linked in this url was reformatted into the "SONAR Reference Guide" it resulted in a pdf containing 2528 pages.