Visual Studio

Install

Download and install WiX (WiX Installer).

Re-start Visual Studio and you will be able to create a new WiX Project.

Items

To add new items to the installer project, right click on the project node followed by Add, New Item.

Debug

Performing a logged MSI install to debug WiX errors

msiexec /i bin\release\installer.msi /l*v Install.log

User Interface

Using Built-in WixUI Dialog Sets

To add a minimal user interface,

  • Update the wxs file:

            <UIRef Id="WixUI_Minimal" />
    </Product>
</Wix>

  • If you are on the command line, add -ext WixUIExtension to the call to light.exe.

  • If you have a WIX project in visual studio, add a reference to WixUIExtension by right clicking on References in the Solution Explorer.

Notes…

  • Package GUIDs need to be different with each package you create. To make it easier and less likely to forget to issue a new one, we can instruct WiX to autogenerate one by typing an asterisk - but remember, this only applies to package GUIDs: all other GUIDs will need to stay unique and kept recorded for times to come:

    <Package Id='*' Keywords='Installer'

  • Setting EmbedCab to yes will embed the cab file into the msi file creating a single self-contained file for download or shipment on media.

  • Identifiers (Id) must be unique because we will cross-reference them all across the WiX source file….

  • The component is the atomic unit of things to be installed. A component should only contain items that belong together so strongly that they always need to be installed or removed together.

Utility

heat

cd c:\projects\ie\AddOn\Voucher\Release
"c:\Program Files\Windows Installer XML v3\bin\heat" file Voucher.dll -srd -gg -dr MyFolder -cg MyGroup -out MyGroup.wxs