This post is for @meccadom, and is meant to show my own Addons Linker setup, in the hope that it might help.

I have a very large AL setup, as I have thousands of addons to manage. Not in any way suggesting that this is THE way to do things, but it's how I'm set up. I simply could not manage my MSFS environment without the AL.

Once you've decided how to organise your addons, and have set up your basic "Addons" folder structure, you can then start installing your addons, or if you already have a bunch of addons installed you can jump in here at step 2.

Hopefully, the images are fairly self explanatory. Just a couple of things to say here. I did initially do things like installing the aerosoft products directly in to my own "Addons" folders, but found that updating the products was easier if I let the Aerosoft installer just use its stupid library and link to those entries myself. Same with Orbx etc. What you do need to watch for though is that when you DO do updates, the updater (Orbx does this for sure) may put new symlinks into the community folder. It is generally safe to delete these new symlinks, but check first that the actual target folders for these new links have the same names as your existing targets (sometimes an update will rename the target folder, particularly if the original folder name didn't follow MS/Asobo's recommended naming format)

Also, I only use (activate/select) the "\Addons - Official\Bought from store" folders if I want to put MSFS back to its initial install state for some reason. In which case I select the entire "bought from store" folder, which will put junctions for all marketplace-bought addons into the official folder. Otherwise, when I just want to use a marketplace addon for a sim session I activate it's symlink in my standard Addons folder setup and that creates a junction in the community folder in the normal way.

If I've just added to the confusion, I apologise. PM me if you have a real problem and if I can help I will.

Andy, thank you very comprehensive and well thought out response.  I need to preserve this.

You thoughts if i perform this action (as edited from a previous posts:)

1.  change the location of the community folder to be something other than C:\Users\mecca\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe and

2. Then create a new folder for example named "MSFS New Community on another drive

3.  then changed In the "users ... LoclaCache" folder a file "usercfg.opt", last entry in that file is (or can be inserted if not there) 'InstalledPackagesPath "pathname"'.  Some entries may need to be reinstalled maybe.

Can this entry be "REM'd" out and the new pathname inserted?

Will I lose my addons?

What backup is needed in case of emergency? 

Can I revert back to the original "usercfg.opt" entry?

All of this because I cannot move some payware to my custom folder in toto.  I purchased a scenery title and had to manually copy and paste the data. which took over an hour to accomplish.

I look forward to your comments, and greetings from the Colonies

Dom