Activate Instrument in play tab is not being remembered when loading a project.
This is a known problem, which will be fixed in the next update.
It’s little bit less than a month to wait and you can tell - it’s new post! 
I suppose that Elements version can be a bit limited and disappointing, but not Pro version. Sorry, software is not so cheap to have for example this issue not fixed as it’s stated.
So far as I know, Arthur, this issue was indeed fixed in Dorico 3.1.10, which was released in in February 2020. If you’re still experiencing it in Dorico 3.1.10 or later, please do post the specific steps needed to reproduce the problem and we’ll take another look.
Hi, Daniel!
There is nothing to reproduce! It’s simply happens all the time. I bought Dorico 3 Elements in Spring this year, then updated to 3.1, then 3.5 and now in December I purchased Pro version. All these versions do the same - if I load instrument, the button is blue, but after switching to Engrave or Print forth and back, button isn’t blue, but instrument is active. If I click on it, it becomes blue. After that button works as intended until I switch again to Engrave or Print. But Setup and Write pages don’t affect button’s color 
Here is a screen capture (wow, new forum is super!) :
I can confirm that upon loading a project, all the lights are on. Moving to Engrave or Print mode, and then return to Play, and the lights are off.
Playback is unaffected, which I imagine is why it hasn’t been noticed before.
Right, in fact this specific variant of the problem reported by the original poster in this thread is different, and concerns the fact that the VST Instruments panel in Play mode is being incorrectly updated when you change the selection (either in Write mode or in Play mode). The original problem was indeed fixed in Dorico 3.1.10, and this specific problem (which is different) has been fixed in our development builds, so will be fixed in the next major version of Dorico, whenever it may appear.
So major version means upgrade to next version or update to additional subversion? One I suppose will be not for free, but this might be a bug fix for those who are happy with current version and don’t need to upgrade for some time.
When I say “major version” I do indeed mean a paid update of some kind.
So it means that this bug is included in the price of current version? I suppose that Dorico team could take a sample from a colleagues workflow - even new version of Cubase is out, they fix major bugs in previous version. Just for one reason - many composers will not upgrade, but in your case will work using these prepaid bugs.
Or maybe better would be state that total price of the product is not predictable and all customers are beta testers?
That’s a very curious way to think about it, but yes, if you want to say that this bug (and no doubt many others) is included in the price of the application, then that’s certainly one way you can look at it. The good news is that in addition to the bugs included in the price of the application, there are thousands of features included, too.
Hello Arthur,
According to my bank statement, the price was exactly what they said it was. All of us have the opportunity to demo it first, and all of us get to decide when it has features or is stable enough for our purposes. Not one piece of software is perfect, and we knew that a brand new composing tool of this scale was not going to be a version one or three undertaking.
And a button that lights a bit weirdly but does not affect functionality in any way? I’ve known some aircraft that could only wish for bugs like that, sigh.
Dorico software is great and I needed it and I bought Pro version. I’m just surprised about the attitude. I’m not talking about many other bugs because I’m programmer and I know for last 35 years what it is to program - in Assembler, C, Pascal and many other languages.
And I know that if something is loosing it’s state on refreshing, then programmer should include an additional checking procedure that turns that nice light on. And this should not be for additional price. I’m very disappointed not about this little bug, but about your attitude.
I will upgrade Cubase tonight to the great 11th version and I know that if there will be such small bug, the Cubase team will fix it and include in next update, not next upgrade.
Think twice before you talk to customers so weirdly!
P.S. Of course I will use Dorico with this bug - because I clearly remember by myself which instrument is on and which is off, I never switch off any instrument. Here was a show of principles.
No worries Arthur - I think if you spend much time here you will change your mind though.
I have no association with Steinberg whatsoever. My day job is at one of the world’s largest with several thousands apps in the portfolio depending on how you count them. I’ve a similar number of languages and years programming experience, though to be honest we architects are “nearly” useless.
And I have NEVER seen a development team with the same dedication to their customers as Dorico has. Or who have done more to step forward when folks have issues. I’m completely serious. Please forgive me for being a little protective. I wish more of my own teams would step up this much.
You will find a substantial percentage of users here for some reason with a software engineering background. It used to strike me how many of us on a team were guitar players. Sometimes its seems to me like we make the worst “patients”. And I’m definitely not here for any programming, but working in a completely different direction.
I look forward to having you around…
It’s okay, Gregory.
Thanks for your reply.
I like everything Steinberg teams are doing, I also like the videos - interviews and tutorials and especially the approach of Daniel and other good men here.
But I totally disagree that simple bugfixes should stay not released until paid upgrade. Sure I will upgrade to next subversion and next version, because if we jumped in Cubase/Wavelab/Dorico world, there is no way back to anything other.
So now actual version is 3.5.11 - see? It’s .11 subversion or bugfixes. I really don’t understand that current little bugs (and they are more than one little cherry) should wait next upgrade. What if someone is happy with 3.5 version (not only happy, but he could not upgrade for many reasons) and wants to spend the remaining life with this super version?
One of the many really refreshing things about this forum is that Daniel and the Team will be absolutely straight about where things stand. If he has to deliver bad news to a user who wants something right away, he will not make false promises or obscure references. He announces new features when he is sure they can appear and gives users a fair hearing respecting requests. Would that more companies did the same.
If Daniel and the Team need to stay focused on the next upgrade rather than distracting themselves with cosmetic fixes, I’m fine with that.
Derrek, I would say yes and no
Firstly, if you read the very end of my previous comment, maybe you will understand the point. Otherwise nevermind
Secondly, do you remember movie “5th Element”? There was a short thought about “one little cherry” that can destroy empire, in this case - understanding and discussion.
Third, I’m sure big things are possible because of million small things. And both the attitude and that “small cherry” (bug in Dorico) are small things that are important. Even they are focusing on future releases, there always can be someone who will stop supporting company and stay on current “not so bad” version.
Dorico has a small, efficient development team. The .10/.11/.20 releases are typically bug fix releases, and there have been quite a few of them over the years.
Every new version has to be tested internally and by beta testers before it’s released. Every fork reduces development time and energy for new features. Sure, Dorico has bugs, but every release - major or minor - fixes bugs in addition to headline functionality.
I understand you, but can you understand the whole discussion here?
It’s all about small bugfixes we should pay for them. I didn’t buy experimental software. I didn’t sign the contract as beta tester.
When Cubase team released 10.5 and after a half of year released update/bugfix for previous version and it’s normal because there are many people still using previous versions because of money and/or not meeting system requirements.
Okay, @dspreadbury, delete all inappropriate messages here.
Let there be light, love and music.
Merry Christmas!
It seems that every piece of software has bugs that never get terminally squashed, while new features and new bugs are added regularly. There are also irritations caused by unimplemented features that the user considers essential
On the other hand, I personally get very fed up with software that wants to be updated evey week! We all know which common applications I am referring to. There are days when my productivity and spirits are worn down by having to update programs that I want to use urgently. Often the program gives me no choice in the matter. And if I refuse to update, I get constant frequent nagging messages.
Dorico spares us such irritations by grouping together updates and giving us a choice whether/when to adopt them.
Season’s Greetings!
David