1 hour ago, Bert Pieke said:

The Community folder is part of MSFS... not changeable by Linker.

 

2 hours ago, meccadom said:

\Users\mecca\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache

In the "users ... LoclaCache" folder is a file "usercfg.opt", last entry in that file is (or can be inserted if not there) 'InstalledPackagesPath "pathname"'. For example, on my system I have my community and official folders in "E:\MSFS" so that is the value I have in my usercfg.opt. If you didn't install MSFS that way you can just (assuming you have space) create an appropriate folder on your chosen drive and then copy the original community and official folders from their original longwinded folder as shown in the above quote. Once copied/moved, change the usercfg entry and when you've confirmed it's working delete the original community/official folders.

You can then set the addons linker to use the new folders.

As to the likes of PMDG etc, I simply let such things install to the community folder, but then move them to my own folder structure which is addons linker managed. Just make sure you have these products "active" (selected) within the addons linker when doing any updates to the products.

In some cases, Inimanager for example, you might have to actually move the product to the community folder rather than link it when you want to do updates.

Not sure if this answers any of your questions, but . . .

Andy, thanks for the response.  Once set up as you have described, can I retain the original c drive reference until satisfied it all works AND THEN delete it?

Can I install a new addons linker folder to test everything?

Dom

 

I followed your instructions above.  However, system will not allow me to move some items from community and none of the contents of official (no privileges).  So now what can I do?

I really do't want to have to re-install MSFS.

 

Edited November 4, 20241 yr by meccadom

45 minutes ago, meccadom said:

none of the contents of official (no privileges).  So now what can I do?

You don't want to move anything out of Official. AddonLinker is just for managing stuff in Community. Taking stuff out of Official will break things for sure.

How I got the PMDG to AddonLinker is I "cut" the folder (pmdg-737-800) or whatever it is, and pasted it in the AddonLinker folder I wanted it to live in. When it was done moving the files, I just checked it off in AddonLinker.

As others have mentioned, for airplanes it's better to leave them in Communuity anyway.

I can assure you that I take stuff out of and put stuff into Official with addon linker almost every day. The AL top menu has an "advanced". It is for moving stuff in and out of official. I mean AL dedicates an entire section of its menu to only moving things in and out of Official. It is as easy and trouble free as moving things in and of community.

If you move something out of Official that should not ever be removed. Just click a box in AL, and all Official stuff moves back in, takes about 3 seconds. If somehow something is erased from official permanently and no longer even in AL, then just use MSFS content manager to bring it back. If you can't start MSFS to get to content manager, not to worry. When you try to boot MSFS, "Checking for updates" will find those few missing folders and replace them quickly.

AL was first built to move stuff in and out of only Community. But later it was changed by the maker to also work in Official. It's all explained in detail right up there in the pop ups that appear in the "Advanced" tab of AL.

 

 

My AL app above. Click any box in the red section and it moves to community. Click any box in the black section and it moves to Official.

To set this up, use the top menu: Tools, Options, Advanced. and this window pops and a long paragraph explains it all in detail. The green circled area: top box is where your AL official storage folders are. Bottom box is to tell AL where your MSFS official folder is located (that folder has a long goofy name with random letters in the store version, but is simply called Steam in the steam version, it is directly under the folder called Official.

8 hours ago, meccadom said:

I followed your instructions above.  However, system will not allow me to move some items from community and none of the contents of official (no privileges).  So now what can I do?

I really do't want to have to re-install MSFS.

 

Hi Dom,

been a long time since I set this up, so I'll have a look into that this afternoon and get back to you. At this point I don't remember exactly what I did in what order, but one thing I know is that I don't use the Windows File Manager for anything (I've used a tool called Directory Opus as my file manager for decades now) and that may have something to do with it. I know WFM can be picky about what it lets you move.

I had similar issue and just reinstalled AL on  top of the old installation (without first removing AL in windows control panel. It cured the issue and preserved everything, except the errors.

Edited November 4, 20241 yr by Fielder

18 hours ago, meccadom said:

However, system will not allow me to move some items from community and none of the contents of official (no privileges).  So now what can I do?

Google "unstoppable copier"..  Worked for me.

Probably not relevant, but windows "fast boot" which is the default setting, can preserve problems that a "slow boot" can eliminate.

Windows Control Panel, Power settings, choose what power buttons do, change settings that are currently unavailable, uncheck the box Turn ON Fastboot. (the underlined step will stop the option from being greyed out).

20 hours ago, meccadom said:

system will not allow me to move some items from community and none of the contents of official (no privileges).

Hi again Dom,

just checked on my system and I currently don't have any folders or files showing in my "official" folder structure with the encryption flag set. I seem to remember this might have been the thing stopping them being moved initially. I may well have set that attribute off for all files some while back, but I can't tell at this point. Like I say, my file manager pgm can override that sort of thing, but I'm not sure Windows' File Manager/Explorer will let you. Other than this, I'm not sure what other form of privilege authorisation would be involved.

As far as Linker goes, it certainly works to link stuff back in to the Official folder once you have (eventually) managed to move it out of there. Anything you buy from the Marketplace will get installed in the "official" folder, not the "community" folder. So if I buy, for example, the Boeing 707 from the marketplace, then it would be installed into "\Official\OneStore\microsoft-aircraft-b707-320c". So I move the "microsoft-aircraft-b707-320c" folder out of there in to a folder I have set up called "bought from store" in my AL folder structure, and that folder is marked within the AL as my custom official addons folder as described by @Fielder above.

So when I want to use that aircraft, I have AL make it available, which it does by putting a Junction/Symlink in to the actual "Official" folder, although the actual files remain where I moved them in my addons folder.

If you're still stuck, I'll try and put together a full diagram of my setup but I don't have a lot of time this week. If you don't mind waiting though and want me to do that let me know.

So you are able to move payware such as Fenix to the custom folder?  And by the way I discovered I had a folder for linker inside the directory for linker on my drive! 

Andy thanks i can wait.  Do you have ability to remote in?

 

57 minutes ago, meccadom said:

Andy thanks i can wait.  Do you have ability to remote in?

 

Dom, I'll get something organised for next week. If I can get it done beforehand I will - I want to get my setup clear in my head again anyway as I want to get ready for MSFS2024 (which I will run alongside 2020 initially for a while)

Not sure what you mean by "remote in" though? If you mean any kind of link up to allow us to see each others PCs online I'm way too paranoid for that sort of thing, even if I knew what was involved!

@meccadom, I've just posted some shots of my setup here - https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/653507-addons-linker-info/

Not sure if I will have answered any of your questions or just confused things further!