Spending hours trying to turn on an Arpeggio?

Question

Ok seriously. What gives here?
I have been trying for a few hours to get the arpeggiators in Logic's environment window to work and am about to gouge my eyes out with a usb dongle. The Logic manual entry on using the arpeggio is a joke. It only says to click arpeggiator->new and tells what the parameters do. That's it! Hahaha
My goals are very simple in concept.
1. Have a separate arpeggiator for each of my 5 synthesizers.
2. Set a key command to toggle on and off the arpeggio for whichever midi track is selected in the arrange window.
3. Have the notes that the arpeggios produce be recorded as midi events in real time down in the good ol' piano roll.
If I need to change parameters, I'll just go into the environment window and do it there. No big deal.
Please take a look at the screenshot in the link below and help me get from where I am so far to where I need to be. Or if what I have is all wrong, please be so kind as to let me know.
A bit about my setup...
Two of my synths have built-in midi and are connected to port 1 and port 3 on my AMT8. The other three are connected to a Kenton midi-to-cv/gate converter. The Kenton converter assigns midi channels to the cv/gate outputs, and is connected to port 2 on the AMT8.
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/8842/logicarpeggiatorenviron.png
Even if you can't help me, I'd like to thank you for taking the time to read this.

Answer 1

At the risk of proposing something too simple, what I usually suggest is to put the arpeggiator in the *clicks and ports layer* and attach it to a cable switcher. That way, all you have to do is click on the cable switcher to toggle between arpeggiator and non-arpeggiator modes, and you don't have to futz with making an arpeggiator for every synth:
(Here's the stupid simple way--without the switcher--just to be totally clear)
Open the environment, choose the "click and ports" layer, select "new" and then, arpeggiator. Next, the cable that normally goes from "*Input notes*" into "*input view*" --drag that to the arpeggiator, then drag a cable from the arp to the "input view". Now, when you hit the play or record button, you can just hold down keys on your keyboard and the arpeggiator will do its thing and the arpeggiated notes will be recorded.
To have the switcher option, you would put a switcher *New > Fader > Specials > Cable Switcher* in between the *Input Notes* and the Arpeggiator, then drag a new cable from one of the other switch positions straight to the Input View (bypassing the Arp). Clicking the switcher will toggle between the arp and the bypass.
Since you're using external synths, you can use the "external instrument" option on your software instrument track and the midi from the arpeggiator will trigger your external gear as well as be recorded.