Patterns in FruityLoops can hold not only notes and their properties, but many other events as well, as, for example, turning up the volume wheel of a channel, tweaking the cutoff of TS404 etc. - it can hold the value changes in time of any control that can be automated. You can set FruityLoops in special recording mode, so it records all changes in those wheels, sliders, LCD-s etc. that can be automated. To do this turn on the Record button in the Transport panel. Press the Play button (located in the Transport panel too). FruityLoops will play the melody as normal, but this time it tracks and saves any changes that occur during the playback to the currently selected pattern.
If you want to use one global events track (FruityLoops 2.x style), you can create a special pattern to hold automation events only. Then put it in the first bar of the Playlist, select it (so it shows in the Step Sequencer) and make your recording session. FruityLoops 2.x projects are imported using this solution - special pattern called "Main Automation" is automatically created and all events are put in it.
You can cancel a recording session (so it does not apply the recorded events) in two ways. The first one is to choose Cancel Current Recording command from Help menu, but note that you should do this while recording, BEFORE pressing the Stop button. If you press it, you can still undo the whole recording session by choosing Undo from the Edit Menu.