Can't get it up without assistance
 

I'm talking about my convertible top of course. Its been giving me grief for a while now. It started getting kind of jerky. Then it would get stuck part way if you waited a minute it would start moving again. I left it down all summer. Well tonight I tried to put it up and it would barely move. I found if I used a stick on the button and pulled the hatch with my hand it would go. Then I had to get in the car and pull the top forward while pushing the switch. I got it to close but the dash light is still on. My thought is the motor is getting weak but research shows the motor rarely fails. Anyone with similar issues or first hand knowledge.

This might be a good place to start, if you haven't already read through it.

https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Boxster_Tech/71-BODY-Convertible_Top_Repair/71-BODY-Convertible_Top_Repair.htm

Any noises accompanying the motion of the automatic top?

the clamshell has runners that run in tracks on each die of the opening. Check if there is any binding there. If there's a lot of dirt in the tracks it can make the motor work hard. A squirt of lithium grease will make it running smoothly after cleaning.

Just got home from riding the Harley up to sleeping bear dunes. The mechanism does clunk and jerk a little when it's trying to operate. I don't know if it's sticking. Or if it's the motor. I should try and find someone to operate it while I inspect from the back. I wonder if it will work if one of the transmission is bad. Will one good side do all the work I do have the 101 book and the Bentley manual as well just looking for ideas before I start tearing everything apart

Running on one motor? No.

If it were me, I wouldn't operate it until I had a pro look at it... unless I felt confident enough to start taking things apart.

Good luck.

If only one transmission is bad, that side will not move yet the other will not. This will twist the top/clamshell and possibly(likely) cause damage.
It sounds to me like your motor is going out, but it's hard to tell without more information about the motion of the shell. Video?