Author Topic: Community Folder Organization  (Read 1976 times)

Doug

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Community Folder Organization
« on: November 18, 2020, 09:47:44 AM »
If we just keep dropping "mods" into the Community Folder, it is soon looking like a digital trash heap and you cannot find anything because the "mod names" are not unique for organization. The attached is how I am solving the problem for my community folder.  Notice for any "airport mod" I am putting AIRPORT-NAME- ahead of the actual mod name. For Scenery I'm putting SCENERY-NAME- ahead of the actual mod name. Same for AIRPLANE mods and UTILITY mods. Notice I'm keeping the "mod name" intact so if there is an update down the line I can match the update with what I have and replace it properly. Notice also an ARCHIVED folder at the top of the list. When I put in a mod and I don't like it, I take it out and put it into this ARCHIVED folder.  This system is working fine for me, maybe you could use it or maybe you have a better idea.

Doug

nbrich1

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Re: Community Folder Organization
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2020, 12:33:34 PM »
For sure Doug. I do a similar "total re-org/naming" of each and every add-on file - from the zip to the main folder: for all scenery, any addon aircraft, any airport improvement/ui-Mods.

It is a total mish-mash out there and no orderly naming convention so if one doesn't' fix it to keep it all in order it soon becomes a total mess and no-one would be able to know which addon is which. So yep do a similar thing and can exactly tell which piece is which.

(In lieu of your archive folder I use a community OFF folder. Just pop any add-ons that I want to be OFF to my "Community OFF" folder.  Works fine). (But I keep all the zips on a storage drive - and went want to fly in those areas just unzip those to the active community folder.)

Others might use the add-on linker (which the user defines paths and the "linker" simply creates symbolic links into the community folder).. But again unless you keep track of every piece in some way, you have no idea which piece is which.

Unless someone has a better idea?
Regards from Toronto, Canada. Home Airport CYYZ.
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xxd09

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Re: Community Folder Organization
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2020, 04:55:37 AM »
There is a program-an Addons mod! available at Flifgtsim.to
MSFS 2020 Addons Linker is its name -it had some traction on the Avsim boards
It seems to work well for some people
I tried it but had equivocal results
Something is certainly needed as the Community folder fills up-and especially as MSFS2020 updates often break installed Addons -until they in their turn are updated
I keep a running backup Community Folder
I keep large Addons separate ie like the latest Utah Parks flight
X-Plane has the same problem .P3D does allow you to to isolate unused Sceneries,Planes etc
However as a rule the less Addons you have installed the better the sim works
Simmers have to make a personal choice
xxd09

kaha

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Re: Community Folder Organization
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2020, 10:43:32 AM »
That's weired.

Honestly, could you imagine most of your P3D addons suddenly not working any more as soon as the next update (e.g.5.2) arrives?

MS has to do something about updates being mandatory.

As long as this is not resolved I don't play it anymore (Also waiting for aircraft from A2A, Milviz, JustFlight  ...).

Karl
i9-9900K@5.0 | RTX 3080TI | 55" 4K | MSFS2020

stiletto2

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Re: Community Folder Organization
« Reply #4 on: November 19, 2020, 11:01:54 AM »
Microsoft's list of bugs now includes the request to do beta releases for updates before they do final releases.   Clearly many have complained about being forced to be Microsoft's MSFS Update beta testers.   The status says they have started working on this.

There is hope though you would think they would have thought of this a long time ago.

Rod

One-Eye

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Re: Community Folder Organization
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2020, 12:37:28 PM »
With you all the way! It's not just the addons themselves that MS/Asobo keep breaking - almost every repaint I have downloaded or tried to add my own has been broken by at least one update, some even break every time and I spend hours trying to fix.

Oh, and they blatantly ignore any attempts at us creating authentic repaints because they insist on using mirrored aircraft parts. Data load hasn't been a problem since FS2002/4 when we started creating HD and UHD texture sheets at 2048 and 4096 pixels.

Humpf!
All the best,
Chris "One-Eye" Brisland aka EagleSkinner aka "Dances with paintbrushes"
Check out my msfs 2020 videos on YouTube (Christopher Brisland)