Capabilities connecting PC to console

When you are running Smartsoft with a console connected, then SmartSoft becomes part of the console.
The console itself does the 'hard work' of running the show itself, while SmartSoft acts as an expansion to the interface.

You can load and save shows to the computer hard disk, edit memories and many other functions, all acting 'Live' into the console.

If you can load and save shows back to the computer, does it still retain all the information in the memory of the console, too?  Meaning, can I do all the preshow stuff regarding patching and rough-in of cues prior to load-in, get everything setup and running, open the show from the console off the laptop, have the patch and cues save to the console, and then continue to run from the console alone without the laptop being connected?

Yes, you can.

When you load a show it's copied into the physical console as well as the SmartSoft 'extension', and any changes you make are instantly made in both the console and SmartSoft.