Cannot Open a Project

Cakewalk Sonar can open Cakewalk Project Files (.cwp), Cakewalk Bundle Files (.bun), and even pre-SONAR files in the .wrk format. If you’re having trouble opening a project, there are a few things to consider.

Errors caused by Plugins:

Plugins are the primary cause for trouble opening a project. If there are plugins saved within the project that no longer exist on the machine, you should be able to open the project but will receive a warning that the plugins are missing. Older projects that used more 32 bit plugins may be troublesome, as Cakewalk by Sonar is 64 bit. While most VST2 and VST3 plugins work without issue in CbB, there can be varied results which may result in hanging, crashes, etc, while loading the project.

Solution: Open your project in Safe Mode by holding Shift while opening the project. This will allow you to disable any or all plugins, and remove or replace them as necessary.

Errors caused by Audio Drivers:

Audio driver errors can affect opening a project as well as closing Cakewalk by Sonar. To avoid conflict between software and hardware, make sure Cakewalk by Sonar is updated, then get the latest available drivers from the manufacturer. 

Some audio driver errors include:

Cakewalk hanging at the splash screen

This can be caused by the program trying to connect to a bad driver. Additionally, if the program didn’t let go of the driver when closing, or if the driver is in use by another program, a hang at the splash screen may exist. 

Quick test: If you’re using an audio interface, disconnect it while the splash screen is hanging. This should push the program to finish opening!

Solution: Ensure your program is up to date, then install the latest available drivers from the manufacturer. If you’re not using an audio interface, you may want to try:

• Re-personalize user settings. Hold Shift + Control while opening Cakewalk by Sonar. You will see a dialog pop up, about personalizing your user settings. Click OK.
• Rename Aud.ini file. Similar to re-personalizing the settings as seen above, this method will force a new file to be written. Open the Run prompt (press Windows key + R), then enter %appdata%\Cakewalk\Cakewalk Core (for Cakewalk Sonar) then locate the file named AUD. I rename by adding a date for reference, so in this case I would rename to AUD0208. Next time Cakewalk is launched, a new AUD file is created, and you now have your older file in tact as a backup.

Note: If you see Cakewalk in the task manager after closing the program, it’s likely due to the driver not fully 

Audio Resolution Mismatch

This typically is found when attempting to open a project set to a different bit rate or sample depth than your current audio settings. You will likely be able to open the project, but will see an error immediately upon playback.

Solution: In Edit > Preferences > Audio > Driver Settings, try changing the bit depth to match the project. These are most commonly set to 16 bit or 24 bit. Click Apply and OK to save the changes, then close and reopen the program, and reopen the project.

More troubleshooting tips for audio driver errors can be found here.