Installing Mods to the Community Folder

Installing Mods to the Community Folder is as easy as unzip the file, drag and drop the mod folder into the Community Folder and launch MSFS.

The mod appears exactly where it should do, with no more effort than that.

However, to avoid any CTD's or other anomalies, please be aware that once MSFS has been launched with the Mod installed, the Mod should also appear in the Content.xml list which shows up in the sim as the Content Manager list.

The Content.xml file can be found in:

C:\Users\yourname\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache

The Content.xml file can opened with Notepad or Notepad++ (freeware).

I've found that certain filenames won't be recognised and added to the list, basically anything 'With Capital Letters' or 'IN ALL CAPITALS' won't appear in the list and this can cause problems.

You need to edit any mod filename with capital letters into all lower case, and if necessary add the filename manually into the Content.xml.

MSFS will load the mods in alphanumerical order, but it doesn't list them in the Content.xml in that order automatically.

I've re-organised mine by filename because I'm a sad case, it's not really necessary so don't be like Tim... :p

Edited October 1, 2020 by tiger1962

By "mods" do you mean addon scenery files? If so, I am confused, because my content.xml file contains only what appear to be default MSFS airports. None of my addon scenery files in the Community folder show up in the content.xml. Please clarify.

 

Thanks.

Yes addon scenery files, repaints, gauges and FDE's are all types of modifications or "mods".

Below the list of Asobo entries in the Content.xml file should be all the filenames of the mods in your Community folder, such as:

Not that Tim needs his work checked :) I can verify that all my add-ons are indeed listed in the Context folder, and like he stated all entries contain NO upper case letters.

 

Thrid party and solo modders must know this, because there are no caps anywhere in all their file names.

Looks as if we have a mystery! Here is my content.xml file. All Asobo stuff, no addons in it, yet my addon scenery shows up when I run MSFS.

This file is unchanged by anything I do to the Community folder.

 

OK, an update. I removed the addon files from Community, removed the content.xml file, restarted MSFS, allowing it to rebuild a new content file, shut down MSFS, restored the addon files to Community, and restarted. The content.xml file now contains all the addons as it should.

 

Why i was able earlier to see the addon scenery even when content.xml was not updating, I have no idea -- as I said, a mystery.

Tim:

Your advice of checking capital letters is one of the best tips for the new sim. As many others, we have sometimes the idea of naming addon directories to our needs and put first letter in cap, i reckon a reason why many times mods dont work and people think its broken.

 

Thanks!

Thank you Kapitan.

When I first noticed the missing entries, and then the capital letters I thought of how scenery errors could cause all kinds of issues in previous sims, from stutters to CTD's.

Keeping the Content.xml in order is just good housekeeping really, and doesn't cost a penny!

 

A new observation:

I've also noticed that when you remove an outdated mod from the Community folder, the Content.xml entry for it is sometimes still there - this can also cause the same kind of faults because the updated mod has often got a different filename.

i am new to this. so i downloaded the mod zip files. do i copy and paste those zip files into the community folder and than open the game(FS2020). do i have to switch developers to "on" before doing all of this. i don't want to ruin my original program.

i am new to this. so i downloaded the mod zip files. do i copy and paste those zip files into the community folder and than open the game(FS2020). do i have to switch developers to "on" before doing all of this. i don't want to ruin my original program.

 

Unzip each file, then copy and paste each unzipped folder into your Community folder and launch the sim. There's no need to activate anything.

OK, an update. I removed the addon files from Community, removed the content.xml file, restarted MSFS, allowing it to rebuild a new content file, shut down MSFS, restored the addon files to Community, and restarted. The content.xml file now contains all the addons as it should.

 

Why i was able earlier to see the addon scenery even when content.xml was not updating, I have no idea -- as I said, a mystery.

 

Likewise, I have the B36 Bonanza mod and the G1000 mod in my Community folder and both work just fine, but neither appear in the content.xml file. Not going to mess with things since they're working!

Tim, I am having problems with addon airports not showing up properly in MSFS. Typically, the buildings are there, but no runways! Also the ICAO codes do not appear in the airport search function, nor do the airports show up in the world map. However, this info DOES appear in the VFR map application addon and also in Little Nav Map. Any ideas?

It could be that the airport mod needs to be updated in order to be compatible with the latest version of MSFS, but some mods only update the buildings while others only update the runways and taxiways.

...MSFS will load the mods in alphanumerical order, but it doesn't list them in the Content.xml in that order automatically.

I've re-organised mine by filename because I'm a sad case, it's not really necessary so don't be like Tim... :p

 

LOL... I share the same obsession. I always put FSX aircraft.cfg repaints in the folder order. Now you just opened another point of OCD! :)

The problems occur even with new mods, eg. the Greenland package and Stuttgart, Germany (EDDS). As I mentioned, it's not just the runways -- the airport locations do not show up in the MSFS world map or search tool, even though they are in the data base (as shown by the fact they they appear in the VFR map and Little Nav Map). It must be something about my settings but I have no idea what it could be. I should repeat that I am talking about new addon airports, i.e. ones that were omitted by MSFS (e.g. EDDS). Edited December 24, 2020 by cobalt

Thx Tim, this is the best tip I have received since day 1!

Nigel, Vancouver

"Letters' or 'IN ALL CAPITALS' won't appear in the list and this can cause problems." this I didn't know cheers Tiger....

Likewise, I have the B36 Bonanza mod and the G1000 mod in my Community folder and both work just fine, but neither appear in the content.xml file. Not going to mess with things since they're working!

 

Could I get some clarification on the above comment?

 

I too have MANY mods in the COMMUNITY folder which DO NOT appear in the contents list but do seem to work perfectly. For example - Robert Young G36 Bonanza and G1000/G3000 working title. I am 100% certain those mods work correctly and 100% certain they are not listed in contents.

 

And... many of the mods I see in the content list DO HAVE capital letters in the folder names as they appear in the COMMUNITY folder but are ALL lower case in the contents list

 

Thus - I am confused!

Edited December 25, 2020 by tacomasailor
spacing

I use an addon manager to keep things reasonable in the Community Folder. MSFS Add-Ons Linker is the utility which I use before each session so that the C/F is not cluttered up with stuff I'm not going to use and keep startup times to a minimum. There is nothing left "permanently" in the C/F.

 

Not had any problems caused by capitals but I'll take a few minutes to scan the files, just in case. Fairly easy to do because MSFS Addons Linker provides a list of all items it's placing in the C/F.