BR 800 & Sonar LE -getting connected? baby steps

[Glenn Mitchell]

There isn't much in the manual on this.
I'm referring to the BR page 121 about controllers that can be used.
I followed the directions in both Sonar and the BR and have the Control Surface on the BR screen and Mackie controller installed in Sonar.
I imported some files and the computer keyboard plays them, but how do you get the BR to control the tracks instead?
I did do the BR connection and then opened Sonar in that order as specified.
They refer to setting up the audio playback software (I use Realtek HD) but I don't see anything that helps connect to the BR instead of (or in addition to?,) the keyboard.
I assumed I could load files from the computer into sonar and use the BR to control them?
Is it only if I am recording or playing from the BR or if I already have something on the BR that was sent to Sonar?
Trying to find the limitations here.
Thanks for your patience in these early stages

[64Guitars]

I found this in the Roland US Knowledge Base:

SONAR LE Control Surface Setup
Knowledge Base ID: 105258
Product: BR-800


Use the following steps for setting up the BR-800 as a control surface for SONAR LE.

Note: Install the BR-800 driver according to the instructions on the included BR-800 DVD-ROM before performing the steps below.

BR-800 Setup

• Press the MENU button.
• Cursor to "USB," and then press ENTER.
• Cursor to "CONTROL SURFACE," and then press ENTER—this puts the BR-800 in Control Surface mode.

SONAR LE Setup

• Launch SONAR LE.
• From the Options menu, select "MIDI Devices..."
• Click the BR-800 boxes for both the Input and Output windows—a checkmark appears inside both boxes.
• Click OK.
• From the Options menu, select "Controller/Surfaces..."
  Note: If there are any control surfaces already listed, select each one and click the red "X" to delete it.
• Click the yellow "Add New Control Surface" button above the red "X". The Controller Surface Settings window appears.
• In the Controller Surface Settings window, set Controller/Surface to "Mackie Control." In addition, set both the Input Port and Output Port to "BR-800."
  
• Click OK, and then close the Controller/Surfaces window.

The BR-800 is now set up to act as a control surface for SONAR LE.

I think what you were missing is the MIDI Devices setup. You need to select the BR-800 in both the Input and Output sections of that dialog. I don't think the BR-800 manual mentions that.

[Glenn Mitchell]

Woo hoo, We are up and running. thanks again.
Yes it was the MIDI that confused me, I ignore anything that says MIDI 'cause I don't use it. lol
And once that happened , the in and out appeared as options.

[markophonic]

My first post!

Thank you very much...this was some of the information I was looking for also as I tend to not look at anything related to MIDI either.

I should probably get up to speed on MIDI stuff.   

Nice place y'all got here.