WiX compiler extension tutorial?

Question

I need to create a WiX extension to handle interacting with the HTTP API (httpapi.dll) so that I can set URLACLs and SSL bindings for a WCF service that is being installed.

As I understand it, I need to create a WiX compiler extension, so that I can define an XML grammar (XSD), and then implement a compiler to turn the XML into records in tables defined in the MSI.

I have most of that up and running, but I am stumped on how to set up my project to use the XsdGen custom tool, and I am sure there are more issues lurking around the corner after that.

Is there a full tutorial that shows how to create a Wix compiler extension?

Answer 1

You might take a look at the extensions in the WiX contrib project. Since they aren't part of the WiX toolset they have the extra steps needed to build the extension.

Answer 2

XsdGen is defined in WixBuild.Common.targets for the WiX build itself; it's not exposed via the "normal" wix.targets. You can run xsdgen.exe in a prebuild event instead.

Answer 3

Expecting a full tutorial is a bit optimistic. Writing a WiX extension is a very advanced use case that very few people will ever need to do. Instead, you can take a look at the source of all the official extensions in the WiX source code.