Request Summary:
I would like to see all automation lanes that are being created automatically (by recording them using latch, write or touch) to be included in the corresponding track's drop-down window, instead of being created on a new and separate track. It could be an option you can toggle on / off, so everyone who likes it this way or that can set it to their preference. It should include every automation parameter corresponding to that track, so not only volume and panning, but also parameters of the inserts on the track, send levels, mute etc. It should be the case for audio tracks as well as instrument tracks.
Further Explanation & Arguments:
Recording automation used to work great for inserts on audio tracks before a couple of versions ago, but not anymore due to some changes. I would like to see it implemented again, for all types of tracks and including all types of automation that are part of that track. Instruments with multiple tracks connected to them will either need a new track for automation to be created by default or have it go under the drop-down of the first / main track. However, as long as there is only one track connected to an instrument (which will be most of the time) there is really no reason to have a newly created track hold the automation lanes when you record manually.
Bus channels are currently the perfect example of how it should be. Throw a couple of inserts on it, activate latch for all of them and have a blast recording as much parameters as you want in one go, with everything neatly collected in the bus channel's drop-down window.
All in all I feel like automation lanes should be more closely connected to the track they're recorded on, keeping things simple and the workflow fast and easy. Right now some automation on audio tracks is included in the drop-down, and some isn't. For instrument tracks none of it is, and for bus channels all of it is. This should be way more streamlined. It's the standard way of how it's set-up in some other DAWs I've worked with, including Cubase and Ableton.
Currently the only two work arounds are: 1. touching the desired parameter, then dragging the hand icon onto the track, then going back to the parameter and record. 2. start recording freely, then later one by one dragging and dropping the automation lanes that are created under a new track onto the track they belong to. Both of the above mentioned work arounds are fine if you record automation about 3 times a day, but not if you do it more than 100 times. It becomes very cumbersome and distracting from being creative and making music.