Square Highlighted Box Around Take Lanes in Track View

[Jerry Gerber]

I can't seem to get rid of the box around take lanes, which I never use.   Once I turn on the take lanes and close them, the box remains.  If I click on the "X" to delete it, it deletes all the MIDI data in the track.   Isn't there a way to remove the box?   I'm using the latest version of Cakewalk (Sonar, paid version, 2025.09)

Thanks,

Jerry

 

 

[Xoo]

No.  It's been like this for years and years.  Nothing serious just a trifle irritating as it's logically "wrong".

[msmcleod]

@Jerry Gerber - a screenshot might help identify what it is?

[Jerry Gerber]

2 hours ago, msmcleod said:

@Jerry Gerber - a screenshot might help identify what it is?

Sure, here it is.  Notice the annoying box around the take option.  I never use this feature and I am unable to reduce screen clutter by getting rid of the white box.   It's on every track.  I tried to remove it but the only way is to delete actual midi data, which of course I don't want to do.

Thanks,

Jerry

https://www.jerrygerber.com

 

Edited 13 hours ago by Jerry Gerber

[Chaps]

On page 441 of the Cakewalk Sonar Reference file it says:

Quote

The Expand/collapse Take Lanes button has three states:
Collapsed, with no existing lanes. The button is not highlighted .
Collapsed, with at least one existing lane. The button has a soft blue glow .
Expanded. The button is solid blue .

And:

Quote

To remove a lane
Click the lane’s Delete Take Lane button . The lane is removed, and any existing clips are deleted.

Basically, the first take lane you create is the same data as the original track. If you don't need more than one take lane I don't see a reason to open the take lanes at all because the first take lane just duplicates the original data. It seems to me that once a take lane is created it is permanent and the take lane button will always have that highlighted box. At least I can't find a way to restore it to its original condition. If someone knows how I'd love to see how it's done.

[Jerry Gerber]

17 minutes ago, Chaps said:

On page 441 of the Cakewalk Sonar Reference file it says:

And:

Basically, the first take lane you create is the same data as the original track. If you don't need more than one take lane I don't see a reason to open the take lanes at all because the first take lane just duplicates the original data. It seems to me that once a take lane is created it is permanent and the take lane button will always have that highlighted box. At least I can't find a way to restore it to its original condition. If someone knows how I'd love to see how it's done.

Yes, this is all true. But I accidentally hit one of the take buttons and now, as you pointed out, it's not possible to restore it to its original condition without deleting the track's data!   It looks weird to see one track with the button highlighted, as it needlessly calls my eye's attention to it. 

 

 

 

 

Edited 12 hours ago by Jerry Gerber

[sjoens]

There was an exact post on this years ago.

1. You can't have track data without a take lane.  It IS the track.
2. If you never click the button in a track with data, it may be unlit. (huh??)
3. If you click the button in a track with data, it will remain lit dimly when closed even if it wasn't lit before you clicked it. (see 1)
4. If you drag a clip or record data to an empty track, the button will be lit dimly. (see 1)
5. If you click the button in an empty track (no data), it will  create a take lane and remain lit dimly when closed. (huh??)
6. Delete this take lane and you delete the track data. (see 1)

Whether any of these are bugs is hard to tell.  The only thing you can be sure of is the button will be lit dimly if you click it regardless of track status.

So what I learned is if it being lit bugs you - don't click it!  

Edited 11 hours ago by sjoens

[Amberwolf]

I don't have access to this feature to test it and see it's behavior (I dont' have the modern Sonar), but:

Personally I would expect that there should always be a way to turn something back off, once turned on, without destroying the information there, for anything that hasn't actually created new information by doing so.  (other than by an immediate Undo, since some things wont' be noticed until it's too late to do this). 

Even if it has, turning it off should only remove the new information, and should also ask you if you would like to keep taht information if there is a way to do so, or warning that this informaiton would be lost. 

But...that's just me.  

Edited 9 hours ago by Amberwolf

[sjoens]

If you have X2 thru CbB, the feature and behavior is the same.  Only the looks have changed to confuse the user. 

Prior to Sonar the button would be dimly lit.  Now it's outlined.

[msmcleod]

Ok, the box is there to indicate that you have at some point enabled take lanes and there are clips in one or more lanes.

When you first record on to a track, the clip has no lane and so no indicator is visible.

As soon as you open the take lanes, it is placed into the first lane.

From then on, all clips on that track will be placed into a lane.

[EDIT] - actually it appears this is wrong...  the indicator appears as soon as a clip is placed on a track.  It's there to show that data is there.

[Jerry Gerber]

39 minutes ago, msmcleod said:

Ok, the box is there to indicate that you have at some point enabled take lanes and there are clips in one or more lanes.

When you first record on to a track, the clip has no lane and so no indicator is visible.

As soon as you open the take lanes, it is placed into the first lane.

From then on, all clips on that track will be placed into a lane.

 

Thank you for explaining. I have no need to use lanes, it's not how I work. 

How do I clear the lanes and still keep the data if that's possible? 

Thanks, 

Jerry 

 

[msmcleod]

12 minutes ago, Jerry Gerber said:

Thank you for explaining. I have no need to use lanes, it's not how I work. 

How do I clear the lanes and still keep the data if that's possible? 

Thanks, 

Jerry 

 

Oh actually I mispoke... the indicator appears AS SOON as there is a clip available.  There's no way of removing it at the moment.  I've edited my original reply.
 

[Jerry Gerber]

44 minutes ago, msmcleod said:

Oh actually I mispoke... the indicator appears AS SOON as there is a clip available.  There's no way of removing it at the moment.  I've edited my original reply.
 

OK.  I consider this a bug as it clutters the screen with an indicator that has no function if the take lane option is not open.  Any chance the developers can re-work this so that the lit box around the take lane is completely off when take lanes are not needed or being used?

Thanks,

Jerry

 

[Chaps]

10 minutes ago, Jerry Gerber said:

OK.  I consider this a bug as it clutters the screen with an indicator that has no function if the take lane option is not open.  Any chance the developers can re-work this so that the lit box around the take lane is completely off when take lanes are not needed or being used?

 

You posted that you don't even use take lanes so the simplest solution seems to be to stop expanding the take lanes. Then the button will never change color. Expanding take lanes without using at least two take lanes serves no practical purpose. You aren't turning on the take lanes, you are expanding them and, ironically, causing the problem that is vexing you. There is nothing you can do about the lanes you have already expanded and have changed color but in the future you can avoid this problem by not clicking the take lane button unless you have a need for multiple take lanes.