Hi Bad_T,

Here are examples on how I see this story of colors (maybe the stars indicating folders may be colored instead of the squares):

http://www.pilote-virtuel.com/img/members/6381/snap015.png

http://www.pilote-virtuel.com/img/members/6381/snap016.png

http://www.pilote-virtuel.com/img/members/6381/snap017.png

http://www.pilote-virtuel.com/img/members/6381/addon-linker-1.png

Usage: If you have a lot of addons and only a few ones included into a preset, this method allows a fast lookup of what is included and not included in the preset.

As a addition, it may be also useful to expand/collapse all the colored folders related to the preset.

Hoping this Is clearer for you. But if you find this too complex to implement, do not worry, I understand.

Thanks.

Patrice.

 

 

On 11/10/2020 at 11:40 AM, cavaricooper said:

@andy1252

Andy-

How does MSFSMP updating work with this system? Once you move the official sub-folders out, can they still “signal” an update is available/needed? I broke my FSDT by moving it.., can you please provide a little more info on how (think 1d1oT’s guide)?

Ta- C

Hi Carl,

sorry, only just saw this (ms threw a wobbly on me and I have had to reinstall the sim a couple of times).

My setup is like this.

(drive)\MSFS2020\ADDONS
                                  \SCENERY
                                         \(region - eg GERMANY)
                                               \(package, eg EDDH)

The only scenery packages I've bought via the marketplace, and so the only ones that had their own folder dropped in to the "official" folder were KATL, EKCH, SKMZ and WITT. For those sceneries I COPY (not MOVE) the folder from the official folder to the appropriate "package" folder of my own. I then set the encryption off for all files in my own folders and delete the folder from the official folder. Not sure if setting the encryption off is absolutely necessary but I seem to remember the addon organiser didn't like finding encrypted json files.

I let packages bought from other sources install wherever they default to, normally the community folder, but some like FSDT put themselves in external folders and then put a junction or symlink into the community folder instead. Either way, either copy any actual folders out as above, or in the case of a junction/link, I just create a symlink to the appropriate folder (eg FSDT's own folder) in my addons folder. Then I delete anything in the community folder.

At the end of an install I have absolutely nothing left in my community folder apart from any symlinks put there by the add-on organizer.

As to the updates for the official folder stuff, I don't really know the answer to that. The four products I have still show up as "owned" in the marketplace and show up as "download available" in the content manager. And this information has survived my two recent re-installs (which is both a relief and a surprise)

Don't know if this helps, pm me if you need any more info about my setup,

Edited November 14, 20205 yr by andy1252
add text

@patrice_bambou thanks for the clarification, you will find a link below to a little test version (only the EXE you still need the other files) that will put some color on the folder that contains enabled addons. There is also a new button to expand only the folder having enabled addons (all the others will be closed). Let me know if that please if that helps a bit or not (or if you see it differently). Thanks you.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/w3z792adofna58a/MSFS_AddonsLinker_TEST_20201114.zip/file

 

@andy1252 thanks for sharing your experiences !

Hi Bad_T,

This does the job. My main concern is clarity when we have plenty of addons.

Perhaps one easy way to add more clarity would be to write the non-selected items in light-grey font (instead of bold-black font) and keep the bold-green font for the selected ones. like this: 

http://www.pilote-virtuel.com/img/members/6381/snap019.png (screenshot of a word document)

What do you think?

Hoping I am not bothering you with these problems.

Great work and good follow-up as usual.

Thanks.

Patrice.

Edited November 14, 20205 yr by patrice_bambou

After the full reinstall MSAddon Linker my system has continued as if nothing has happened! Made it less stressful🙂

Martin

no worry at all @patrice_bambou you're not bothering, it's cool to have feedback and inputs.

it could be something like in the image below but i will probably need find a way to add that as an option. I have fear that not putting them in bold might be a bit disturbing for people who have 'weak vision' .. everything is already quite small so making them harder to read might not be a good idea for everyone.

 

@sauviat, cool if all went well, my first install of FS took 50 hours with some files downloading indefinitely so i really hope i will never have to do that again until MSFS2022 🤪😜

Edited November 14, 20205 yr by Bad_T

9 hours ago, andy1252 said:

As to the updates for the official folder stuff, I don't really know the answer to that. The four products I have still show up as "owned" in the marketplace and show up as "download available" in the content manager.

@cavaricooper - I just checked again. What I said above is true if they are NOT activated by the addon linker. If the ARE activated, the content manager shows "Download unavailable. A community copy already exists". Still doesn't really tell me/you whether it will recognise when an update is available.

Bad_T, The addon is great. I don't want to many features added to it to the point of over complicating it. Small additions that stick with the intuitive and easy use that's already there are great though. Thanks you for such a simple program that let's us easily manage our mods. It's simple and just works.

Edited November 15, 20205 yr by Phantoms

Thank you Phantoms and no worries, the base is there and it will stay that way. Everything that might be added will just be 'requested options' that the user will be free to activate and use or not, there will be no 'over complication' added and you will be able to continue using it as it is now if you have no use for the new options 👍

After having to wait for 10 min for MSFS to come up, I've completely switched to your Linker, finally, including all payware addons (except the links set by FSDT). Life is too short for sitting in front of a black screen and waiting for Godot. 

Kind regards, Michael

@andy1252 Andy, thanks for that info!

@pmb Michael, you will have no regrets- brilliant.

C

Hello,

I do not use many addons, but I do use msfsaddons-linker.
20 pages : most Fs 2020 users should know your addon ... and probably use it.

I simply want to thank Bad_T for this really useful addon.
Chapeau bas (in french)

Hi Brad...thanks for the linker...and to anone else who

responds...

I have a couple of questions:

1) If I create my new "Addons" folder (with subfolders) before running

your program, will it move the current Community addons in to the correct 

new Addons sub-folders?...

2) After the initial install, can I just place all future addons in my

new Addon folder?

3) After I initially install of your program, can I erase all the shortcuts

in the Community folder?....saw this, I think, in one of Lost Pilot's 

videos...and, 

4) If this does not work for some reason, can I just revert to 

my original Community folder and it's old file structure?...

Thanks, John H.

 

23 minutes ago, jmhelms said:

2) After the initial install, can I just place all future addons in my

new Addon folder?

4) If this does not work for some reason, can I just revert to 

my original Community folder and it's old file structure?...

I  can answer at least these two:

2) Freeware yes. However, some payware addons read the Community folder from the registry (I guess) and install automatically into it. Thus, you have to manually shift the addon afterwards.

4) Works - I did it once. (Now using the Linker again - startup times were just stacking up.)

Kind regards, Michael 

hello @jmhelms

1)
- create a new addons folder where you want on one of your disk (you can also add as many subfolders as you want in there)
- the tool will not move the addons that you have currently in the community folder automatically, you have to move them yourself and place them in the folders/subfolders that you created organizing them as you wish
- to prevent some possible problems (if you have the MS Store version), instead of moving them, it's better to copy the addons to your new folder and then delete the one you have copied from the community folder (moving them can cause problem with the ms store version, not sure if it's always but some users had that problem because of some file being encrypted, by copying them it should be ok)

2)
- yes when your addons folder is created, you just put your addons in that new folder, you don't need to touch the community folder anymore. If you have payware addons that create data in the community folder you can keep them there, in the community folder you can have a mix of 'links created by the tool' and 'normal folders' installed by payware vendors.

3)
- at this stage, you should have all addons in your new addons folder, and your community folder should be empty
- the tool will then create the links in the community folder automatically when you decide to activate them (little checkbox in front of the addons name). Enabling will create the link, and disabling the addon will delete the link.

4)
- yes of course if you decide this tool is not for you, just replace all your addons in the community folder and the starting situation will be restored. when you put them back in the community you can't keep the subfolders though, you have to put them all in the main community folder (community folder doesn't support sub folders)

you can also start slowly, just manage one or 2 addons with the tool to get the feel on how it works, when you get more confident then you can switch to 'full use'. It should be fairly simple as tool is quite simple in what it does.

feel free to ask for more info if it's not clear enough

thank you

 

and thanks @pmb, just noticed you reply now after i had already written mine

 

Edited November 16, 20205 yr by Bad_T