Wix heat replacement with Advanced Harvesting

Question

After upgrading from WixToolset 4.0.1 to 6.0.1 we try to replace the old heat configuration in the .wixproj files with the recommended advanced harvesting. here is an example of the old config:

  <!--Harvest Java Begin -->
  <ItemGroup>
    <HarvestDirectory Include="bin/Debug/Ressources/java">
      <ComponentGroupName>JavaComponentGroup</ComponentGroupName>
      <SuppressRootDirectory>true</SuppressRootDirectory>
      <KeepEmptyDirectories>true</KeepEmptyDirectories>
      <DirectoryRefId>JavaDir</DirectoryRefId>
      <PreprocessorVariable>var.javares</PreprocessorVariable>
      <Transforms>$(SolutionDir)SymmetriXCentral\JavaWxsTransform.xslt</Transforms>
      <SuppressRegistry>true</SuppressRegistry>
    </HarvestDirectory>
    <BindPath Include="bin/Debug/Ressources/java" />
  </ItemGroup>
  <PropertyGroup>
    <!-- <HarvestDirectorySuppressFragments>true</HarvestDirectorySuppressFragments> -->
    <HarvestDirectoryGenerateGuidsNow>true</HarvestDirectoryGenerateGuidsNow>
    <HarvestDirectoryAutogenerateGuids>false</HarvestDirectoryAutogenerateGuids>
    <HarvestDirectoryTreatWarningsAsErrors>false</HarvestDirectoryTreatWarningsAsErrors>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <!--Harvest Java End -->

<DefineConstants>Debug;javares=bin\Debug\Ressources\java;ProductVersion=1.0.0.0</DefineConstants>

  <PackageReference Include="WixToolset.Heat" Version="6.0.1" />

Can the old configuration be mapped 1:1 with the new harvesting? At first glance, I don't see that even remotely possible. The HarvestFolder element does not have similar attributes or child elements. I looked here: https://docs.firegiant.com/firegiant/schema/buildtools/harvestfolder/#attributes

Rob Mensching · Accepted Answer · 2025-07-16 07:24:09Z

0

There isn't an exact replacement for Heat as it has several design flaws (which lead to it's deprecation in WiX v6). Advanced harvesting is part of the HeatWave Build Tools from FireGiant. It has many features that Heat did not have but is not free. You can find its documentation here: https://docs.firegiant.com/heatwave/build-tools/harvesting/

Also, in WiX v5+, there is the new Files element that provides the fundamental benefits of Heat in a much easier to integrate method. It's documentation is here: https://docs.firegiant.com/wix/schema/wxs/files/

There is a pretty good comparison between all of the tools here: https://docs.firegiant.com/heatwave/build-tools/harvesting/comparisons/

answered Jul 16 at 7:24

Rob Mensching

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manon Jul 30 at 6:04

Ok, thanks. Waht is the price for the HeatWave Build Tools? I could not find it here: firegiant.com/pricing When I go through my xml harvesting xml and search in the docs you shared I cannot find the equivalent in the advanced harvesting for most of them. Maybe you can go through them and list which is possible and which is not with the name of the new replacement. Is Transforms possible? And PreprocessorVariable? KeepEmptyDirectories? ....??

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