Use multiple .wxs files to create .msi in a GitHub workflow (WiX Toolset)

Question

I want to create an .msi file using the WiX Toolset within a GitHub Action. Since I generate a .wxs file (Components.wxs) using the "heat" command, I have two files (Components.wxs and Product.wxs) that need to be used during compilation. Unfortunately, the reference to the Components.wxs file is not working.

The Components.wxs file look kinder:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi">
    <Fragment>
        <DirectoryRef Id="PATH">
            <Component Id="SOMEDLL.dll" Guid="*">
                <File Id="SOMEDLL.dll" KeyPath="yes"
                      Source="SourceDir\SOMEPATH" />
            </Component>
        </DirectoryRef>
    </Fragment>
<Fragment>
    <ComponentGroup Id="Components">
            <ComponentRef Id="SOMEDLL.dll" />
    </ComponentGroup>
</Fragment>

Initially, I attempted to directly use a ComponentGroupRef with the respective Id from the Components.wxs file within my Product tag in the Product.wxs.

<Feature Id="ProductFeature" 
     Title="Setup" 
     Level="1">
    <ComponentGroupRef Id="Components" />
</Feature>

However, this consistently resulted in the error Product.wxs(21) : error LGHT0094 : Unresolved reference to symbol 'WixComponentGroup:Components' in section 'Product:*'.

Subsequently, I tried adding the following tag to the ItemGroup section in the Setup.wixproj: <Compile Include="Components.wxs" />. However, this did not bring about any changes.

Now, I attempted to include a .wxi file in the project, which is included in the Product.wxs and references the ComponentGroup in the Components.wxs file. Unfortunately, I encountered an error stating that the ComponentGroupRef tag is not allowed.

IncludeComponents.wxi:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Include>
    <ComponentGroupRef Id="Components" />
</Include>

In the Product.wxs:

<Feature Id="ProductFeature" 
     Title="Setup" 
     Level="1">
    <ComponentGroupRef Id="Components" />
</Feature>

Error: IncludeComponents.wxi(3) : error CNDL0005 : The Wix element contains an unexpected child element "ComponentGroupRef".

Here is the run-block in the GitHub action:

run: |
  cd Setup
  C:\wix\heat.exe dir ..\publishData -ag -dr PublishData -srd -sfrag -suid -cg Components -out Components.wxs
  C:\wix\candle.exe -ext C:\wix\WixIIsExtension.dll -ext C:\wix\WixUIExtension.dll Components.wxs Product.wxs 
  C:\wix\light.exe Product.wixobj -ext C:\wix\WixIIsExtension.dll -ext C:\wix\WixUIExtension.dll -out MySetup.msi

I have no idea why this is not working, and after a day, I've reached the limit of my patience. Can someone please tell me how to properly reference another .wxs file within the Product.wxs file? Thanks for any help.

Rob Mensching · Accepted Answer · 2023-08-29 22:38:09Z

0

The issue is that this line in your .wixproj does not seem to be finding this file:

<Compile Include="Components.wxs" />

You don't provide enough information to know why that file is not found, but (assuming WiX v3) you need two Compile items in your .wixproj:

<ItemGroup>
  <Compile Include="Products.wxs" />
  <Compile Include="the\correct\path\to\the\Components.wxs" />
</ItemGroup>

What you are attempting to do with the Include file (.wxi) is confusing you. You don't need and should not use Include files.

answered Aug 29, 2023 at 22:38

Rob Mensching

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3 Comments

QuLa Over a year ago

First of all thank you for the help. However, I don't think it's the fault, because the Components.wxs is in the same directory as the .wixproj file. Could it be the command itself C:\wix\candle.exe -ext C:\wix\WixIIsExtension.dll -ext C:\wix\WixUIExtension.dll Components.wxs Product.wxs is wrong? Must the .wixproj also be specified there?

Rob Mensching Over a year ago

MSBuild.exe, not candle.exe, interprets the .wixproj. Editing the .wixproj will have no effect. Your candle.exe command-line could be correct but the error is coming from light.exe. You should edit your question to be clear about how you are building.

QuLa Over a year ago

ohh man, you are right. The light command is wrong, not the candle command. I've been looking for it wrong all along. I will add the complete run block to my question. Sorry

QuLa · Accepted Answer · 2023-08-31 13:31:04Z

0

I found the error. In the light command the Components.wixobj had to be included before the Product.wixobj.

answered Aug 31, 2023 at 13:31

QuLa

14 bronze badges

1 Comment

Rob Mensching Over a year ago

The order doesn't matter. You just need both files.

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