Multi dock disappeared

[jkoseattle]

Somehow, I've managed to make it so I can't bring up any views at all. I have track view open, but trying to get to PRV or Console view etc nothing happens. I've long ago learned that when that happens, to look for a tiny window in the bottom corner which I have to maximize, but no tiny window now, trying to open any view does nothing at all. 

This seems to be project-based. Exiting out of CW entirely does not fix it for this project, but other projects work fine. How can I resolve this?

(Years and years of wrestling with that stupid Multi Dock. In attempting to make things easy, Cakewalk has managed to make switching among different views exquisitely confusing at every turn. I really, really hate the multi-dock system. I've never understood it, it never seems to behave how I expect, and there are so many different configuration options that there's no way to keep them straight. There are "workspaces", and there are "views", and there is "docking", but it's proprietary docking of some kind which is different from regular Windows docking. And if you have multiple monitors, all bets are off. Cakewalk, it's too frickin' COMPLICATED. Can't I just have tabs along the top of the screen like every other application does? Honestly, the multi-dock is the #1 reason I am tempted to switch to a different DAW entirely.)

[John Vere]

4 hours ago, jkoseattle said:

I've never understood it, it never seems to behave how I expect, and there are so many different configuration options that there's no way to keep them straight.

So why not study the documentation and tutorials and once you do understand it you will have no more issues. 

First solution I will offer is to open a Basic Project Template, Now choose the Advanced Workspace. Your screen should look like my screen shot unless you over wrote the Advanced workspace somehow. You should see the multi dock tab "Console" as in my screenshot.

Now go to Views and add the Piano roll or what every other tabs you need. When you add these the multi dock should pop up 1/3 screen with the new tab open. 

Pressing the "D " key will open and close the multidock to what ever tab you have highlighted.

You can also click once on a tab to open 1/3 screen. 

If you want it full screen double click the tab.  Double Click again it will be 1/3 screen. Hit D and it will close. Or click the double down arrows bottom right. 

This is all you need to know if your using one monitor.

Simple and easy to see what you want with a keyboard shortcut or the mouse. The tabs are always there. 

But where it can go haywire ( i think this is your case) is when you float the multi dock and it can be lost possibly hiding behind the main view or if you use 2 monitors it might be over there. There are lots of options and if you take the time to explore the workspace it all makes perfect sense eventually. I learned all of this by simply exploring the workspace and a few shortcut tips from the documentation shortcut list. 

If you do use 2 monitors drag the multidock to the second monitor, open it full screen and make sure you save this as your workspace. It will always be there from then on. If you don't always want it on that monitor then make sure you have a workspace saved that it is back on the bottom of your main screen. 

Edited July 11, 2021 by John Vere

[jkoseattle]

@John Vere Thanks for all the detail, and thanks for the gentle RTFU nudge :-). The "D" key was the solution in my case, didn't know about that. Occasionally I am using just the laptop with no external monitors, so that first scenario is going to come in handy.

When at my studio I have two external monitors side by side. When working on a piece I like to have the Multi Dock spread across those two monitors so there's lots of horizontal space, and then have Track View down on the laptop screen for track switching, soloing etc. When it comes time to mess with the Arranger or otherwise work on the piece at a more macro level, then I like it the other way around, so that Track View is above spanning two monitors and the Multi Dock below. I always drag them manually (I don't have to do this very often), though I know there is a sexier solution with workspaces. 

Thanks again, super helpful.

[John Vere]

Sounds good. Workspace is a time saver. Whenever you have a screen set up you use just save it. Easy. 
And it worthwhile to print off or even just write down the common shortcut list. I’m more of a mouse person I guess cause I started on an Atari