What does red box in automation track mean?

Looks like you have Autopunch enabled. Does that red box on the Automation Lane disappear when you disable Autopunch?

Hope that helps,

My "UserName"

Author of the best-selling book series "Graphically Enhanced Manuals (GEM)"

Now I see that the Autopunch has nothing to do with that. Now I see that your mystery red box is below the ruler. BTW, Autopunch is for recording Audio/MIDI data and has nothing to do with recording Automation.

However, I figured out what is going on. You forgot to mention that this is a Software Instrument Track (not an Audio Track). In this case there are a few conventions.

• • When you are in record mode, Logic will only create a Region (to store the incoming MIDI Messages) when you actually play your MIDI controller (MIDI Message coming in). That becomes the area with the narrow light red box. Because in Automation View, the Region is only displayed in the Region Header section (the strip) on top.
  • The big dark red box is the area of the incoming MIDI Data but Logic round the length of a MIDI Region to the full bar. This is usually the red area that evolves when you record on a Track.
  • The red area is only one bar because I stopped playing more MIDI notes. So Logic is still in Record Mode, but doesn't create empty MIDI Regions.
  • The Playhead is still red because I'm still Record Mode, but Logic doesn't record anymore because I passed the Autopunch out position.

Just switch the Automation on or off to see how Logic divides the Track Lane into the Track Lane + Automation Lane. What's happening during the recording (the view of the red boxes) depends on the various factors I explained above.

Toggle Autopunch with Key Command ctr+opt+cmd+P or make the Autopunch visible in the Control Bar by right+clicking on the control bar and select "Customize Control Bar and Display to open that Popover. There you enable the checkbox Autopunch.