@ scott garrigus: X1 Power & ACT

Hello Scott,
 
I'm definately interested in your book. I'm from germany and I guess I'll wait for the eBook version to read it on my iPhone/iPad.
 
I have a question: Does your book cover IN DEPTH how to set up multiple ACT MIDI controller plugins?
 
I own a Kore2 Controller, configured a MIDI template for it which I'm using to completely control Cubase 6. I tried to use this template to configure Sonar X1, and I succeeded, using multiple ACT MIDI controller plugins and the Cakewalk Generic Control Surface plugin (saved the different setups as presets), which are all bound to the same Kore2 MIDI port, to replicate nearly the same workflow as with cubase.
 
However, once I start Sonar X1, these ACT controllers doesn't work and I have to reload each preset into the corresponding ACT MIDI controller plugin in order to have it working again.
 
I cannot find a way around this. If your book might help me with this, I'll instantly hit the "buy" button on amazon to order the hardcover version! *g*
 

...It... remembers its settings...

 
Thanks subtle, I'm interested. And I'd like to share my work, too, but it doesn't work ;)
 
How did you do that?
How many ACT MIDI controller plugins do you use?
 

I should be able to deliver something this evening, and it would be great to have someone to test it on a Kore2 unit, as well as generally. 

I'm using two plugins concurrently... basically, one for the left half of the unit and one for the right half. 

I'm afraid I don't have any insight into why the ACT presets wouldn't be loading properly on your system, so I can't guarantee that mine will either. Here it automatically loads the last used preset when you start the program. 

Whoa. That's pretty wacky. I'm not seeing anything quite so bizarre as that here. It turns out I spoke a bit too soon, my ACT presets were not properly loaded when I opened X1 just now, but cracking open each one and loading the preset brought the expected and desired results. 

The only quirk here is that each window shows the name of the last preset loaded in either, with an * asterisk to indicate that it's been changed, but each plugin works as it's supposed to. You just have to be sure not to hit the save button with the wrong name there - which means you have to be sure which one you're editing, manually type in the correct name and then confirm overwriting. 

I agree however that ACT is not exactly a perfectly smooth experience yet, and to be honest it's one of a number of areas where CW have implemented a much-requested and much-ballyhooed Big Feature, put a bunch of work into it (sometimes implementing some deep and powerful features) but then somehow drop the ball and leave it in an unfinished, unpolished, more-or-less-functional-but-definitely-wonky state for version after version. It's disappointing. There is a lot to like in X1 but there really are a few messes-swept-under-the-carpet that start to show as soon as you get into the program in a heavy way, and ACT is one of those. 

However, if you accept it on its terms and work around its quirks you can get results out of it. Well, that's been my experience anyway. Hopefully my presets will work for you too, but again I can't really promise anything.