Ok so I started messing around with this, as I have put about 100 add-ons now in the community folder.
What I DIDN’T do is use AL to move the files, I created an addon folder and just dumped everything in there(cut and paste) and organized into subfolders. Messed around for a few hours and nothing worked.
I got frustrated and moved a few of the aircraft back into community and they were there but invisible. A few sceneries and they showed in content manager with their icons but didn’t load.
I went back to original zip folders(glad I didn’t delete that stockpile yet) and unzipped back into community and it worked. So apparently just cut and past does something to the way the sim actually sees the file.
SO, if I go back and start another ‘addon’ folder is it best to just unzip them again directly into that? I think something in the AL transfer keeps the file intact versus cut and paste?
AND, if there are items I will never fly without, does it make sense to just keep them in community, or move everything to the AL folder? FTSTL and WB152 are going to be in every single ‘custom’ load I’m going to run anyway.
Since I somehow corrupted all the unzipped files I can just build it from scratch again either way. It got to 3am and I gave up so I never did try unzipping to either a folder and launching with AL no did I try transferring a ‘working’ add on from there using AL’s tools.
I’m pretty much ‘naked’ again with all the original dl zip files and everything else cleared out(except I moved the unzipped files to another storage spot for now). I don’t mind just unzipping them all again as when I played with AL I kept coming up with better ideas for subfolders as I tinkered.
Main question being do you have to unzip to community first then transfer?
Hi @phutyoo
Are you using the MS Store or DVD version of MSFS?
I have not installed Addons Linker but I have downloaded the v20b_2WH0F zipfile. In it there is a file called “- NEW USERS READ ME FIRST.txt” which states:
The first thing you’ll probably do when trying this tool for the first time is move your currently installed addons outside of your ‘real community folder’ to put them in your new ‘custom addon folder’.
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When moving files outside of the community folder, some people with the MS-Store version of the sim might encounter problems because the files do not work when they are moved into another folder (sometimes it’s even impossible to copy them back to the community folder). It’s still unclear to me why some people have the problems and others not, but it’s not something my tool can control unfortunately, it’s just some sort of Windows security enforced by the MS-Store applications depending on your security settings level i guess. There are some little tricks that you can try if you want (msg me if needed).
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So, to avoid potential problems, please try first only with a single addon to make sure everything works fine for you. It would be sad if you move 200GB and then you notice it does not work for you and you can’t even move them back in your community folder. If it doesn’t work moving the files but still want to use this tool, you would have to redownload them and put them straight in your new ‘custom addons folder’ (never put them in the real community folder).
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Files placed directly in the new folder will always work but, but for some users (not the majority) the files moved outside the real community folder might get encrypted if you have the MS-Store version so it’s worth checking with a single addon before moving them all and noticing it does not work.
Sounds like this is what has happened to you 
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That looks like the issue, I think I read that before going Fix It Felix. I have premium deluxe from the XB brought into the PC. It’s actually quite difficult to even find all of MSFS in the file structure.
I built ‘stash’ files to hold the DL zips and what I had unzipped so I could do whatever again. It isn’t nearly my first evening killed in menus and reboots(MSFS has still yet to even remotely eclipse the world of force feedback wheels and car tuning…). Even with flightsim.to I just opened 6 tabs and just went nuts conveyer-belt downloading, so not a very long process there either.
Will try it tonight, just re un-zippng to the new folder. I think I figured out 90% of AL even though nothing launched right, so I can unzip directly into subfolders. I had way too many of those at first because making regional templates with that ridiculous awesome map view made micro-managing regions redundant. Then I’d be cut/pasting them around folders again. It wasn’t until later I noticed all the icons and regions/states listed in sub descriptions so I assumed there was more work than needed the first pass anyway.
I imagine unzipping everything to there would also facilitate a much easier transition to 2024 than the community folder.
Is there any issue just building a file folder directly in the C: root structure?
This PC is only for FS and racing sims/direct RL peripherals gaming, XBSX can handle the rest.
Yes, cut & paste from the Community Folder tends to cause problems so I just place all my addons directly into an Addons Linker Store folder which I linked via the app.
There are a couple of addons I’ve found are not happy about being unzipped to anywhere but the C/F, some won’t let you, but like you I always fly with them anyway so for ease of use I just leave them there. Hasn’t caused any problems up to now.
I’ve got well over a terabyte of addons; using the Addons Linker programme helps me keep things in order, especially for updates, and reduces how much is loaded into the sim on startup.
I think I may keep any traffic items and overall addons like we love vfr in community and do everything else by continent then customize from there. I’m not a tuber so don’t need vast swaths of liveries or flight plans. I did get quite the pile of liveries of airliners because a ‘sale’s a sale’, but those are in content manager already, albeit currently uninstalled as I’m not using MSFS live traffic and had hoped at one point on XB that would somehow end colorvomit AI aircraft.
I just don’t want to dump dozens of bush strips in Alaska into the sim if I’m flying in the Bahamas.
I will say the one thing that chaps my ■■■ for no particular reason is the dumb MS/XB liveries on default aircraft.
Yeah you could do, but my tip would still be to put anything you can outside of the Community folder.
If they are things you will always want, just make a folder inside your top level store called Always Active or whatever and put them in there. That way if you DO need to disable anything for debugging purposes it’s all set ready to do just that.
The only things I have directly in Community are those which have their own installer and give you no choice (Just Flight products mainly).
What you could do is create a “Base” profile that has all the core stuff you always want activates. Then before a flight, load that, then use the map view (draw polygon shape) to toggle on anything route specific for that session but don’t save the profile. Then in future just load the Base one again to reset to the core addons and repeat the extra selections.
Or from that you can save them as new named profiles if there are common sets you always want to quickly be able to pick again.
Not sure why things didn’t work for you first time. I’m on Steam so can’t really say. Maybe you didn’t point BOTH fields correctly in the Settings?!
One for the source and one for your real Community folder.
But the way I do it is have 2 Explorer windows open. Left is the download folder (the ZIP’s), right is the AOL top level. Then double click a Zip, go in to the correct folder in that if it’s down a level (sometimes it is) and drag and drop the mod folder to the right. That unzips and copies it correctly and gives you most control of where things go and easy drag and drop way. That’s fastest for my workflow. YMMV 
Note if you have AOL open whilst adding or moving anything it’s tracking, you need to hit the Refresh button to see new things appear (the recycle 
type icon on the left).
Also not sure what you meant by this “transfer”.
There is no transfer going on. AOL just puts a symbolic link in the community folder. It’s not moving the actual files from your source location.
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Not as such but if you need to reinstall Windows ever, you’ll probably lose that stuff.
Apparently cut and paste on the MS store version makes for item no worky. I guess desktop for the ‘storage’ folder for Addon Linker then? I wasn’t sure if AL can actually move files for you or not, I already ‘took care of it’ first, meaning broke it all out of the gate…
I’ll do a core subfolder that has I love VFR/Gaist/FTLSL and never NOT LOAD things like the WB152 and baglou’s 172’s, etc. All of my stuff right now is either from the MS store already in the game C/M or freeware. I haven’t bought an aircraft directly from a store yet. With all the new tweaks it may be MS2024 before I buy anything else. Heck, I flew the 350i with the G1000 and JayDees FM for the first time in 3 years, since the last ‘first time/last time’ I flew it… It’s actually an aircraft now.
Desktop is still on C drive. Don’t you have a separate D disk?
Nah just the 2TB WD SSD for now. I figure even if I partitioned it, it might be a bad guess and and up fighting for space on either side of it. I figure 2020 won’t even be on here anymore next year. We’ll see how big this monster gets, may throw another gen 4 on here and move onto that one. It has room for one gen 5 but don’t know if it’s worth the heat. Expecting a huge leap in utilization for 2024, but it’s still not going to be a bleeding edge AAA.
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Omfg, when I first copied the file location into AL, I used the address from properties, which is correct-except for not adding the /COMMUNITY part… 
it’s not exactly going to give you the extension to the file you’re already IN.
At least the second time around I got the file structure the way I wanted it. And cut and paste worked, so not so painful. Derpy derp 
It had all my add-ons showing but were blank entities, so I never looked up the possibility of them never making it into the community folder on launch, because that’s not really a thing.
Like when I built and took apart the new PC because it ‘wouldn’t power up’ when for 2 hours I forgot to push that pesky power button on the front.