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How to include prerequisites with msi/Setup.exe in WIX

I have removed the default setup.exe from Visual Studio and used the MSI file and dependencies from Visual Studio to create a WiX 3.6 Bootstrapper: <?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″?> <Wix xmlns=”http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi” xmlns:bal=”http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/BalExtension” xmlns:util=”http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/UtilExtension”> <Bundle Name=”My Application” Version=”1.0″ IconSourceFile =”E:\logo.ico” Manufacturer=”My company” UpgradeCode=”4dcab09d-baba-4837-a913-1206e4c2e743″> <BootstrapperApplicationRef Id=”WixStandardBootstrapperApplication.RtfLicense”> <bal:WixStandardBootstrapperApplication LicenseFile=”E:\License.rtf” SuppressOptionsUI =”yes” LogoFile =”logo.ico” /> </BootstrapperApplicationRef> <Chain> <ExePackage SourceFile =”ReportViewer\ReportViewer.exe” … Read more

One file per component or several files per component?

One reason for “one file per component” is resiliency. When an application is started, Windows Installer can check whether the keypath of any component is missing. If the keypath is missing, the component is reinstalled/repaired. If a component has multiple files, then only one file can be the keypath. In wix you indicate this by … Read more

Wix Custom Action – session empty and error on deferred action

Similar Answers: I want to add some linkes to previous answers on the topic of deferred mode custom actions. There are links to github-samples in these answers – including one sample which uses the DTF class CustomActionData to easily send properties to deferred mode (once you are properly set up): How to hide the value … Read more

Why is it a good idea to limit deployment of files to the user-profile or HKCU when using MSI?

As stated above this section was split from an existing answer with broader scope: How do I avoid common design flaws in my WiX / MSI deployment solution? (an answer intended to help developers make better deployment decisions). 9. Overuse of per-user file and registry deployment. Some applications won’t run correctly for all users on … Read more

What is the compression method used by MSI files?

First of all: there is a script in the Windows Installer SDK called WiMakCab.vbs which is used to create *.cab files for use in MSI files. One of the lines in that script is: Dim compressType : compressType = “MSZIP”). You should probably try that script when creating the cabs. Below is an annotated quote … Read more

How to include wxi file into wxs?

use <?include ?> preprocessor tag, for example: <?include include.wxi ?>

In WiX files, what does Name=”SourceDir” refer to?

From: https://robmensching.com/blog/posts/2010/1/26/stackoverflow-what-does-namesourcedir-refer-to/ Honestly, it’s something that we should have hidden from the developer but didn’t. Sorry. The truth of the matter is that the Windows Installer expects the Directory tree to always be rooted in a Directory row where the primary key (Directory/@Id) is “TARGETDIR” and the DefaultDir column (Directory/@Name) is “SourceDir”. During an install, … Read more

Failing condition wix

NOTE: The below has not been tested extensively – conditions are notorious for being difficult to get right. Testing conditions requires real-world testing. A few more links: Condition debugging WiX launch conditions Wix Tools update uses old custom actions (example of complex conditions) How to add a WiX custom action that happens only on uninstall … Read more

WIX merge c++ runtime

It seems Microsoft recommends you use one of the redist executables (vcredist_x86.exe, vcredist_x64.exe) instead of the merge modules (see towards bottom) these days since the 2015 versions of the runtimes are more complicated than before and the merge modules are basically insufficient: “There will not be a merge module for the Universal CRT“. UPDATE: How … Read more

I screwed up, how can I uninstall my program?

Update, Stein Åsmul: Injecting this newer list of cleanup approaches. Find your package in C:\Windows\Installer, where Windows keeps copies of installed MSI packages. The names are generated randomly, so you’ll have to look at the creation dates of the files. Open the MSI file with Orca. (Unfortunately there is no simple download for the orca … Read more