New FREE version/tier of the venerable Cakewalk Sonar

[User 905133]

53 minutes ago, aidan o driscoll said:

Am I noticing changes in CW Sonar since this latest update . . . . 

Yes, much nicer to have shorter wait times for the Free Tier. I am getting initial countdowns from around 8 or 9 and then just the button (no countdown) later on.

Clicking on Workspaces seems to have its own independent countdown timer (from around 8 or 9) just like the initial splash page. During the same session a second click just had the button (Use Free Tier, no wait timer).

People who don't like long waits should appreciate this!  Thanks!!!

[Starship Krupa]

12 hours ago, Xoo said:

I think they'll have to revert to bitmapped graphics (and soon before they add new functionality so they can seamlessly reuse the existing themes from CbB).

Really?

I don't see that happening. First, for the reason you state, they've already added plenty to the program, like the stuff in the new Track Manager and the business about the free tier. Everything about the free tier notifications is via the vector UI. Resizable Console modules is only doable with the vector UI.

All Sonar needs is to restore the size of text (and some graphical elements like note value buttons) in certain locations and give users control over some colors.

I've been watching the factory color schemes closely. Theoretically, every screen element that is different between any 2 color schemes is a screen element where the user can be given control over its color.

So far that would include the main program and view frames and backgrounds, various text and backgrounds such as track names, button text and highlights, and Browser text. Although our once proud order has been driven into hiding if not outright extinction, my fellow .STH Lords and I could do some cool schemes with only access to those colors.

Control Bar buttons still have the same 4 states (inactive, rollover, pressed, active). One guess I have is that where each of those buttons used to require 5 different bitmap images, instead of images those are now the same image in 4 different colors. Given access to those colors, I could make schemes that would help the accessibility issues Sonar has for other people with vision problems.