How to port Wix 3.0 project (with bootstrapper) to Wix 3.7

StackOverflow https://stackoverflow.com/questions/15000020

  •  10-03-2022
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Question

i've inherited a setup project which uses Wix 3.0 For programming reason we must switch to VS2012 and therefore to Wix 3.7, too.

While reading about Wix 3.7 i found out that 3.7 offers project type "Setup project" and project type "Bootstrapper project".

My first question is: Have i to make a Setup project as before AND a bootstrapper project and combine it or just a bootstrapper project.

Using Wix 3.0 the bootstrapper stuff was located in the wixproj file:

<ItemGroup>
  <BootstrapperFile Include="Microsoft.Net.Framework.3.5.SP1">
    <ProductName>Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1</ProductName>
  </BootstrapperFile>
  <BootstrapperFile Include="Microsoft.Windows.Installer.3.1">
    <ProductName>Windows Installer 3.1</ProductName>
  </BootstrapperFile>
</ItemGroup>

<Target Name="AfterBuild">
  <GenerateBootstrapper Condition=" '$(Platform)' == 'x86' " ApplicationName="$(ProductName)" BootstrapperItems="@(BootstrapperFile)" ComponentsLocation="HomeSite" CopyComponents="True" OutputPath="$(TargetDir)%(CultureGroup.OutputFolder)" Culture="%(CultureGroup.Identity)" FallbackCulture="en-us" Path="$(WindowsSDKPath)" />
  <GenerateBootstrapper Condition=" '$(Platform)' == 'x64' " ApplicationName="$(ProductName) (x64)" BootstrapperItems="@(BootstrapperFile)" ComponentsLocation="HomeSite" CopyComponents="True" OutputPath="$(TargetDir)%(CultureGroup.OutputFolder)" Culture="%(CultureGroup.Identity)" FallbackCulture="en-us" Path="$(WindowsSDKPath)" />
</Target>

Is this still possible? Here i have to change from .Net 3.5SP1 to .Net 4.5

Can somebody help me?

Was it helpful?

Solution

First, you could upgrade by just using WiX Toolset 3.7 and running wixcop on your WiX files to upgrade them.

If you want to use the new WiX bootstrapper...

You need both project types. A "Setup" project creates an .msi file. A "Bootstrapper" project creates an .exe file.

Remove the Visual Studio Bootstrapper items and GenerateBootstrapper tasks from your setup project. Create corresponding ExePackage or PackageGroupRef elements in your bootstrapper's Chain. A PackageGroup roughly corresponds to a Visual Studio Bootstrapper package but the "syntax" is different. To recreate a Visual Studio Bootstrapper package consult the files under C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\Bootstrapper\Packages or equivalent.

For the Microsoft .NET framework, the WixNetfxExtension extension defines package groups that you can just reference.

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