Moving Feature to a Fragment Throws Error

Question

I am new to WiX, but I have one issue that I can't figure out. I have the following code which "installs" fine (basically it just adds a text file to the Program Files folder).

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi">
    <Product Id="*" Name="WixTemplate" Language="1033" Version="1.0.0.0" Manufacturer="My Company" UpgradeCode="d7c4cfc2-4e50-4002-9273-e900112e2b03">
        <Package InstallerVersion="200" Compressed="yes" InstallScope="perMachine" />
        <MajorUpgrade DowngradeErrorMessage="A newer version of [ProductName] is already installed." />
    <MediaTemplate EmbedCab="yes"/>
    <Feature Id="ProductFeature" Title="WixTemplate" Level="1">
      <ComponentGroupRef Id="ProductComponents" />
    </Feature>
  </Product>

  <Fragment>
    <Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
      <Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
        <Directory Id="INSTALLFOLDER" Name="WixTemplate" />
      </Directory>
    </Directory>
  </Fragment>

  <Fragment>
    <ComponentGroup Id="ProductComponents" Directory="INSTALLFOLDER">
      <Component Id="TextFileComponent">
        <File Id="FooTxt" Source="foo.txt" />
      </Component>
    </ComponentGroup>
  </Fragment>

</Wix>

However, if I move the Feature section to its own Fragment, it compiles fine, but when I run it with logging, it fails with an overall "Installation success or error status: 1603" and the first error value of 3 indicating "Note: 1: 2205 2: 3: ActionText" meaning that the ActionText table was not found.

Here is the code that fails to install:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi">
    <Product Id="*" Name="WixTemplate" Language="1033" Version="1.0.0.0" Manufacturer="Blue Ribbon Technologies, LLC" UpgradeCode="d7c4cfc2-4e50-4002-9273-e900112e2b03">
        <Package InstallerVersion="200" Compressed="yes" InstallScope="perMachine" />
        <MajorUpgrade DowngradeErrorMessage="A newer version of [ProductName] is already installed." />
    <MediaTemplate EmbedCab="yes"/>
  </Product>

  <Fragment>
    <Feature Id="ProductFeature" Title="WixTemplate" Level="1">
      <ComponentGroupRef Id="ProductComponents" />
    </Feature>
  </Fragment>

  <Fragment>
    <Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
      <Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
        <Directory Id="INSTALLFOLDER" Name="WixTemplate" />
      </Directory>
    </Directory>
  </Fragment>

  <Fragment>
    <ComponentGroup Id="ProductComponents" Directory="INSTALLFOLDER">
      <Component Id="TextFileComponent">
        <File Id="FooTxt" Source="foo.txt" />
      </Component>
    </ComponentGroup>
  </Fragment>

</Wix>

So what's special about the Feature section that it can't be a fragment where Components and Directories can?

A missing ActionText table doesn't typically cause a fatal 1603 error - it just goes ahead and displays the default data. Is there nothing else in the log? Perhaps post all of it somewhere? — PhilDW
– PhilDW, Commented Mar 26, 2015 at 16:11

Bob Arnson · Accepted Answer · 2015-03-26 17:06:13Z

2

Nothing in your Product references the Feature. WiX won't link in a Fragment unless something references a resource in it. Add a FeatureRef to your Product to pull in the Feature which will in turn pull in the ComponentGroup which pulls in the Component.

answered Mar 26, 2015 at 17:06

Bob Arnson

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2 Comments

bigmac Over a year ago

That makes sense. Thanks for the clarification. I'm surprised the the code passed the candle and light compilers/linkers without issue, but I appreciate you pointing me in the right direction.

Bob Arnson Over a year ago

It's legal to have stuff that isn't referenced -- that's how you can build libraries. There is an error if you reference a component but don't connect it to a feature.

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