Develop Reference

C#, Wix toolset. Why does deleting and updating delete a file that was created by my application?

I have a WPF application, to create an installer, I chose the Wix toolset. My application creates a local database, it is not included in the lists of files for installation. When I uninstall the app, my DB file is deleted, this works, but when I update an application, the file is also deleted. Help me figure out how to ensure that the file is not deleted during the update, but is deleted when the application is only deleted.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi"
xmlns:util="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/UtilExtension">
<?define ProductName="MyApp"?>
<?define TargetFileName="MyApp Desktop.exe"?>
<?define description="MyApp"?>
<Product Id="*" Name="$(var.ProductName)" Language="1033" Version="1.0.8.0" Manufacturer="$(var.ProductName)" UpgradeCode="e7fa5ab6-bed7-4850-97e2-270bfd182983">
<Package InstallerVersion="200" Compressed="yes" InstallScope="perMachine" Description="$(var.description)"/>
<MajorUpgrade DowngradeErrorMessage="A newer version of [ProductName] is already installed."/>
<MediaTemplate EmbedCab="yes"/>
<Feature Id="ProductFeature" Title="Installer" Level="1">
<ComponentRef Id="ShortcutMenu" />
<ComponentRef Id="ShortcutDesktop" />
<ComponentRef Id="INSTALLFOLDER_Permission" />
<ComponentRef Id="MyAppFolder" />
</Feature>
<Icon Id="icon" SourceFile="IconApp.ico"/>
<Property Id="ARPPRODUCTICON" Value="icon" />
<WixVariable Id="WixUIBannerBmp" Value="Images/TopBanner.png"/>
<WixVariable Id="WixUIDialogBmp" Value="Images/DialogBanner.png"/>
<Property Id="WIXUI_INSTALLDIR" Value="INSTALLFOLDER" ></Property>
<UIRef Id="WixUI_InstallDir"/>
<Feature Id="BlazorAppFeature"
Title="BlazorWasmApplication"
Level="1"
ConfigurableDirectory="INSTALLFOLDER"
AllowAdvertise="no"
Absent='disallow'>
<ComponentGroupRef Id="PublishedComponents" />
</Feature>
</Product>
<Fragment>
<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
<Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
<Directory Id="INSTALLFOLDER" Name="StructureIT">
<Component Id="MyAppFolder" Guid="24f047db-b522-478e-b0aa-fcc552c2f1a2">
<RemoveFile Id="PurgeAppFolder" Name="MyAppDB.db" On="uninstall" />
</Component>
</Directory>
</Directory>
<Directory Id="DesktopFolder" Name="decktop"/>
<Directory Id="ProgramMenuFolder" Name="MenuFolder" >
<Directory Id="ApplicationProgramsFolder" Name="Structure IT" />
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Fragment>
<Fragment>
<Component Id="ShortcutMenu" Guid="302df662-167e-42b7-94ae-cb2ab4dec1a6" Directory="ApplicationProgramsFolder">
<Shortcut Id="StartMenu" Name="$(var.ProductName)" Description="$(var.description)" Target ="[INSTALLFOLDER]$(var.TargetFileName)" />
<RemoveFolder Id="RemoveShortcut" On="uninstall"/>
<Registry Root="HKCU" Key="SoftWare\[Manufacturer]\[ProductName]" Name="installed" Type="integer" Value="1" KeyPath="yes"/>
</Component>
</Fragment>
<Fragment>
<Component Id="ShortcutDesktop" Guid="e6a03b11-01b2-45ba-b7b3-77b0c09cdd3d" Directory="DesktopFolder" >
<Shortcut Id="ShortcutDesktop" Name="$(var.ProductName)" Description="$(var.description)" Target ="[INSTALLFOLDER]$(var.TargetFileName)" />
<RemoveFolder Id="RemoveDesktopFolder" Directory="DesktopFolder" On="uninstall" />
<Registry Root="HKCU" Key="SoftWare\[Manufacturer]\[ProductName]" Name="installed" Type="integer" Value="1" KeyPath="yes"/>
</Component>
</Fragment>
<Fragment>
<DirectoryRef Id="INSTALLFOLDER">
<Component Id="INSTALLFOLDER_Permission" Guid="76f2583f-d81a-4ea7-a76a-0eb08732b3e0">
<CreateFolder>
<util:PermissionEx User="Users" GenericAll="yes"/>
</CreateFolder>
</Component>
</DirectoryRef>
</Fragment>
</Wix>

The RemoveFile On="Uninstall" doesn't mean uninstall of the application it means uninstall of the component.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/msi/removefile-table
Because your doing a major upgrade you're essentially uninstalling and reinstalling the component thus the file is deleted.
There's a few ways to address this.
If you have an EXE bootstrapper, place the component in it's own MSI and never update the MSI. This way the bootstrapper never updates that MSI and it only gets installed once and removed once.
Change the scheduling of RemoveExistingProducts in the Major Upgrade so that components get installed first and then removed. In this way the component won't be removed until final uninstall. This has side effects though that have to be understood.
Use a custom action with a condition of REMOVE="ALL" and Not UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE to delete the file.
Or altenatively don't delete the file at all. Microsoft guidelines do actually say you shouldn't remove user data.

How to config WIX installer to make exe to auto start when windows started

I have made C# project recently and try to run it at windows startup.
I configured WXS file in order to write Registry Run key (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run)
Below is full of my WXS file.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi">
<Product Id="*" Name="NACViewAgentSetupProject" Language="1033" Version="1.0.0.0" Manufacturer="JSGURU" UpgradeCode="MYGUID">
<Package InstallerVersion="200" Compressed="yes" InstallScope="perMachine" />
<MajorUpgrade DowngradeErrorMessage="A newer version of [ProductName] is already installed." />
<MediaTemplate />
<Feature Id="ProductFeature" Title="NACViewAgentSetupProject" Level="1">
<ComponentGroupRef Id="ProductComponents" />
</Feature>
</Product>
<Fragment>
<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
<Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
<Directory Id="INSTALLFOLDER" Name="NACViewAgentSetupProject" />
</Directory>
<Directory Id="ProgramMenuFolder"></Directory>
</Directory>
</Fragment>
<Fragment>
<DirectoryRef Id="ProgramMenuFolder">
<Component Id="ApplicationShortcut" Guid="MYGUID">
<Shortcut Id="ApplicationStartMenuShortcut" Name="NACViewAgent" Description="NACVIEW Agent" Target="[INSTALLFOLDER]NACViewAgent.exe" WorkingDirectory="INSTALLFOLDER">
<!--AUMID-->
<ShortcutProperty Key="System.AppUserModel.ID" Value="NACVIEW.NACViewAgent"/>
<!--COM CLSID, specifying which CLSID to activate when toast clicked-->
<ShortcutProperty Key="System.AppUserModel.ToastActivatorCLSID" Value="{MYGUID}"/>
</Shortcut>
<RemoveFile Id="RemoveApplicationShortcut" Directory="ProgramMenuFolder" Name="NACViewAgent" On="uninstall"/>
<RegistryValue Root="HKCU" Key="Software\NACVIEW" Name="installed" Type="integer" Value="1" KeyPath="yes" />
</Component>
<Component Id="ApplicationAutostart" Guid="MYGUID">
<RegistryValue Root="HKCU" Action="write" Key="Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" Name="NACViewAgent" Value="[INSTALLFOLDER]NACViewAgent.exe" Type="string"/>
</Component>
</DirectoryRef>
</Fragment>
<Fragment>
<ComponentGroup Id="ProductComponents" Directory="INSTALLFOLDER">
<!-- TODO: Remove the comments around this Component element and the ComponentRef below in order to add resources to this installer. -->
<!-- <Component Id="ProductComponent"> -->
<!-- TODO: Insert files, registry keys, and other resources here. -->
<!-- </Component> -->
<Component Id="NACViewAgent.exe" Guid="MYGUID">
<File Id="NACViewAgent.exe" Name="NACViewAgent.exe" Source="$(var.NACViewAgent.TargetDir)NACViewAgent.exe"/>
</Component>
<Component Id="GalaSoft.MvvmLight.dll" Guid="MYGUID">
<File Id="GalaSoft.MvvmLight.dll" Name="GalaSoft.MvvmLight.dll" Source="$(var.NACViewAgent.TargetDir)GalaSoft.MvvmLight.dll"/>
</Component>
<Component Id="Newtonsoft.Json.dll" Guid="MYGUID">
<File Id="Newtonsoft.Json.dll" Name="Newtonsoft.Json.dll" Source="$(var.NACViewAgent.TargetDir)Newtonsoft.Json.dll"/>
</Component>
<Component Id="Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.dll" Guid="MYGUID">
<File Id="Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.dll" Name="Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.dll" Source="$(var.NACViewAgent.TargetDir)Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.dll"/>
</Component>
<Component Id="CommonServiceLocator.dll" Guid="MYGUID">
<File Id="CommonServiceLocator.dll" Name="CommonServiceLocator.dll" Source="$(var.NACViewAgent.TargetDir)CommonServiceLocator.dll"/>
</Component>
<Component Id="System.Windows.Interactivity.dll" Guid="MYGUID">
<File Id="System.Windows.Interactivity.dll" Name="System.Windows.Interactivity.dll" Source="$(var.NACViewAgent.TargetDir)System.Windows.Interactivity.dll"/>
</Component>
<Component Id="GalaSoft.MvvmLight.Extras.dll" Guid="MYGUID">
<File Id="GalaSoft.MvvmLight.Extras.dll" Name="GalaSoft.MvvmLight.Extras.dll" Source="$(var.NACViewAgent.TargetDir)GalaSoft.MvvmLight.Extras.dll"/>
</Component>
<Component Id="GalaSoft.MvvmLight.Platform.dll" Guid="MYGUID">
<File Id="GalaSoft.MvvmLight.Platform.dll" Name="GalaSoft.MvvmLight.Platform.dll" Source="$(var.NACViewAgent.TargetDir)GalaSoft.MvvmLight.Platform.dll"/>
</Component>
<Component Id="Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.ExtendedLinguisticServices.dll" Guid="MYGUID">
<File Id="Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.ExtendedLinguisticServices.dll" Name="Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.ExtendedLinguisticServices.dll" Source="$(var.NACViewAgent.TargetDir)Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.ExtendedLinguisticServices.dll"/>
</Component>
<Component Id="Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.Sensors.dll" Guid="MYGUID">
<File Id="Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.Sensors.dll" Name="Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.Sensors.dll" Source="$(var.NACViewAgent.TargetDir)Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.Sensors.dll"/>
</Component>
<Component Id="Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.Shell.dll" Guid="MYGUID">
<File Id="Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.Shell.dll" Name="Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.Shell.dll" Source="$(var.NACViewAgent.TargetDir)Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.Shell.dll"/>
</Component>
<Component Id="Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.ShellExtensions.dll" Guid="MYGUID">
<File Id="Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.ShellExtensions.dll" Name="Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.ShellExtensions.dll" Source="$(var.NACViewAgent.TargetDir)Microsoft.WindowsAPICodePack.ShellExtensions.dll"/>
</Component>
<!--Tell WiX to install the shortcut-->
<ComponentRef Id="ApplicationShortcut"/>
<ComponentRef Id="ApplicationAutostart"/>
</ComponentGroup>
</Fragment>
</Wix>
build wix project and install it, then I can see NACViewAgent value in Run key like below.
I restarted my machine.
but unfortunately my exe does not auto start when windows boots.
Thanks in advance!

C# Wix Service installer - Unresolved reference to symbol

I crated a service in C# with Viwual Studio 2017.
Now I'm trying to create an installer with Wix. It's not my first time with wix, but this time I can't build my setup. I have error :
Unresolved reference to symbol 'Component:InstallComponents' in
section 'Product:*'.
I saw some topic about this, but it did not solve my problem.
There is my product.wxs :
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<?define compagny = "myCompagny"?>
<?define product = "Service Name"?>
<?define service = "MyService"?>
<?define version = "!(bind.FileVersion.MyService.exe)"?>
<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi">
<Product Id="*"
Name="$(var.product)"
Language="1033"
Version="$(var.version)"
Manufacturer="$(var.compagny)"
UpgradeCode="XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXX">
<Package InstallerVersion="200" Compressed="yes" InstallScope="perMachine" InstallPrivileges="elevated"/>
<MajorUpgrade DowngradeErrorMessage="A newer version of [ProductName] is already installed." />
<Media Id="1" Cabinet="MyService.cab" EmbedCab="yes" />
<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
<Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
<Directory Id="CGYFOLDER" Name="$(var.compagny)">
<Directory Id="INSTALLFOLDER" Name="$(var.product)" />
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Directory>
<ComponentGroup Id="InstallComponents">
<Component Id="InstallService" Guid="XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXX" Directory="INSTALLFOLDER">
<File Id="MyService.exe.config"
Name="$(var.service).exe.config"
Source="$(var.MyService.TargetDir)\$(var.service).exe.config"
Vital="yes"/>
<RemoveFile Id="ALLFILES" Name="*.*" On="both" />
<ServiceInstall Id="ServiceInstaller"
Type="ownProcess"
Vital="yes"
Name="$(var.service)"
DisplayName="$(var.product)"
Description=""
Start="auto"
Account="LocalSystem"
ErrorControl="normal" />
<ServiceControl Id="Service_Start" Name="MyService" Start="install" Wait="no" />
<ServiceControl Id="Service_Stop" Name="MyService" Stop="both" Remove="uninstall" Wait="yes" />
</Component>
</ComponentGroup>
<!-- Tell WiX to install the files -->
<Feature Id="ProductFeature" Title="$(var.product)" Level="1">
<ComponentRef Id="InstallComponents" />
</Feature>
</Product>
</Wix>
InstallComponents exists in ComponentGroup, I don't understand why I have this error.

The mistake was in my Feature.
My InstallComponents is define as ComponentGroup, so to install it, my feature must be like this :
<Feature Id="ProductFeature" Title="$(var.product)" Level="1">
<ComponentGroupRef Id="InstallComponents" />
</Feature>

WiX installer .msi doesn't install the attached .lib and .dll files

So I have a fully working Product.wxs file that installs a nifty Signature drawing program. I added a TestLibrary project with a TestClass with a very basic Add(int, int) method, and used it in my program just for testing purposes, then harvested the class' directory with heat (and ran it through and XSLT file for formatting), linked the Output.wxs to the project, referenced the ComponentGroup, and tried to install the whole thing together, hoping that the class would be installed along, and the software could run. This is not the case, it builds and installs flawlessly, just for the installed .exe to fail on launch.
Here's the Product.wxs:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi">
<Product Id="6daf7a49-43a8-403b-8d15-96197c8751cc" Name="SetupProject_Sig" Language="1033" Version="1.0.0.0" Manufacturer="VTC" UpgradeCode="f2ad826c-59b9-4f9f-af0d-8c9d80030605">
<Package InstallerVersion="200" Compressed="yes" InstallScope="perMachine" />
<Condition Message="You need to be an administrator to install this product.">
Privileged
</Condition>
<MajorUpgrade DowngradeErrorMessage="A newer version of [ProductName] is already installed." />
<MediaTemplate />
<Feature Id="ProductFeature" Title="SetupProject_Sig" Level="1">
<ComponentGroupRef Id="ProductComponents" />
<ComponentGroupRef Id="ComComponents" />
</Feature>
<Property Id="ApplicationFolderName" Value="Signature" />
<Property Id="WixAppFolder" Value="WixPerMachineFolder" />
<WixVariable Id="WixUISupportPerUser" Value="1" Overridable="yes" />
<WixVariable Id="WixUISupportPerMachine" Value="1" Overridable="yes" />
<Property Id="WIXUI_INSTALLDIR" Value="APPLICATIONFOLDER" />
</Product>
<Fragment>
<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
<Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
<Directory Id="APPLICATIONFOLDER" Name="SetupProject_Sig" />
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Fragment>
<Fragment>
<Feature Id="Complete" Title="Signature Tosz 1.0" Description="All files." Level="1" Display="expand" ConfigurableDirectory="APPLICATIONFOLDER">
<Feature Id="MainProgram" Title="Program" Description="The main executable." Level="1">
<ComponentRef Id="MainExecutable" />
<ComponentRef Id="HelperLibrary" />
<ComponentRef Id="ProgramMenuDir" />
</Feature>
<Feature Id="Documentation" Title="Description" Description="Instruction manual." Level="1000">
<ComponentRef Id="Manual" />
<Condition Level="1">FILEEXISTS</Condition>
</Feature>
</Feature>
</Fragment>
<Fragment>
<ComponentGroup Id="ProductComponents" Directory="APPLICATIONFOLDER">
<Component Id="ProductComponent" Guid="b3594fac-7524-4529-8874-5811705996b8">
<File Source="$(var.Control_Sig.TargetPath)" />
</Component>
</ComponentGroup>
</Fragment>
<Fragment>
<DirectoryRef Id="TARGETDIR">
<Component Id="RegistryComp">
<RegistryKey Id="ToszRegApplicationfolder" Root="HKLM" Key="Software\VTC\Tosz 1.0" Action="createAndRemoveOnUninstall">
<RegistryValue Type="string" Name="APPLICATIONFOLDER" Value="[APPLICATIONFOLDER]" />
<RegistryValue Type="integer" Name="Flag" Value="0" />
</RegistryKey>
</Component>
</DirectoryRef>
</Fragment>
</Wix>
The pre-build heat command:
call "%wix%\bin\heat.exe" dir "$(SolutionDir)\TestLibrary\bin\Debug" -var "var.TargetDir" -gg -g1 -srd -cg ComComponents -template fragment -out "$(ProjectDir)\Output.wxs" -v -t "$(ProjectDir)\bin\Debug\Filter.xslt"
Output.wxs
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi">
<Fragment>
<DirectoryRef Id="TARGETDIR" />
</Fragment>
<Fragment>
<ComponentGroup Id="ComComponents">
<Component Id="cmp278E5D4E5835479434800F8B4056EB4B" Directory="TARGETDIR" Guid="A09371FD-ACE5-474E-B1B8-D9C83CF05497">
<Class Id="{DB173953-D21D-3F29-BC10-C6299EBD2BFF}" Context="InprocServer32" Description="TestLibrary.TestClass" ThreadingModel="both" ForeignServer="mscoree.dll">
<ProgId Id="TestLibrary.TestClass" Description="TestLibrary.TestClass" />
</Class>
<File Id="fil296E15219B07AF9559E0660E87293FC3" KeyPath="yes" Source="$(var.TargetDir)\TestLibrary.dll" />
<RegistryValue Root="HKCR" Key="CLSID\{DB173953-D21D-3F29-BC10-C6299EBD2BFF}\Implemented Categories\{62C8FE65-4EBB-45e7-B440-6E39B2CDBF29}" Value="" Type="string" Action="write" />
<RegistryValue Root="HKCR" Key="CLSID\{DB173953-D21D-3F29-BC10-C6299EBD2BFF}\InprocServer32\1.0.0.0" Name="Class" Value="TestLibrary.TestClass" Type="string" Action="write" />
<RegistryValue Root="HKCR" Key="CLSID\{DB173953-D21D-3F29-BC10-C6299EBD2BFF}\InprocServer32\1.0.0.0" Name="Assembly" Value="TestLibrary, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null" Type="string" Action="write" />
<RegistryValue Root="HKCR" Key="CLSID\{DB173953-D21D-3F29-BC10-C6299EBD2BFF}\InprocServer32\1.0.0.0" Name="RuntimeVersion" Value="v4.0.30319" Type="string" Action="write" />
<RegistryValue Root="HKCR" Key="CLSID\{DB173953-D21D-3F29-BC10-C6299EBD2BFF}\InprocServer32\1.0.0.0" Name="CodeBase" Value="file:///[#fil296E15219B07AF9559E0660E87293FC3]" Type="string" Action="write" />
<RegistryValue Root="HKCR" Key="CLSID\{DB173953-D21D-3F29-BC10-C6299EBD2BFF}\InprocServer32" Name="Class" Value="TestLibrary.TestClass" Type="string" Action="write" />
<RegistryValue Root="HKCR" Key="CLSID\{DB173953-D21D-3F29-BC10-C6299EBD2BFF}\InprocServer32" Name="Assembly" Value="TestLibrary, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null" Type="string" Action="write" />
<RegistryValue Root="HKCR" Key="CLSID\{DB173953-D21D-3F29-BC10-C6299EBD2BFF}\InprocServer32" Name="RuntimeVersion" Value="v4.0.30319" Type="string" Action="write" />
<RegistryValue Root="HKCR" Key="CLSID\{DB173953-D21D-3F29-BC10-C6299EBD2BFF}\InprocServer32" Name="CodeBase" Value="file:///[#fil296E15219B07AF9559E0660E87293FC3]" Type="string" Action="write" />
</Component>
<Component Id="cmp5BD81C93D46AA48BFAA1819DF54A67EB" Directory="TARGETDIR" Guid="86402057-DA0F-4B8E-BD0B-4973739A4008">
<File Id="fil108FAB265F126BACEED88B56AB065A99" KeyPath="yes" Source="$(var.TargetDir)\TestLibrary.tlb">
<TypeLib Id="{A9413C7C-F0C0-4DB1-82E3-116C411A0342}" Description="TestLibrary" HelpDirectory="TARGETDIR" Language="0" MajorVersion="1" MinorVersion="0">
<Interface Id="{A13FF8B0-AC7C-33E5-B0F3-5366304512AC}" Name="_TestClass" ProxyStubClassId32="{00020424-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}" />
</TypeLib>
</File>
</Component>
</ComponentGroup>
</Fragment>
</Wix>
The added line in Main() for testing:
System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine(new TestLibrary.TestClass().Add(5, 3));
I've been trying to fix it for two days, and it's driving me nuts. Can't seem to figure out where it goes wrong, the Output looks perfect, the class should be getting installed, and yet the Signature program fails to launch.
Thanks in advance!

I don't have the intricate COM knowledge that Phil has so here's how I debug it.
Fire up a clean snapshotted VM.
Install your MSI.
Run a registry snapshot differencing tool such as InstallWatcher Pro.
Run regsvr32.exe your.dll
Take a another snapshot and compare.
Run your program to confirm regsvr32.exe fixed the problem. If not, look elsewhere for the source of your troubles.
Roll the VM snapshot back.
If so, analyze the differences and author it into your .wxs and rebuild. Rinse and repeat.

Registry change upon installing application C#

Just about to try and make an install package for an app for that first time with visual studio. I have a registry value that needs to be changed when the program is installed I need the program to start everytime the computer starts.
Is this a fairly trivial task? Could someone point me towards something to try and achieve this.
So far I just have the app with it's forms etc.

I have same problem, I'm using WIX and follow the answer from this Stackoverflow question. I'm also new on WIX, here's my full WIX working script if you might interest (tested on Windows XP & Windows 8.1):
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi">
<Product Id="*"
Name="FooSetup" Language="1033"
Version="1.0.1.1"
Manufacturer="Foo Enterprise"
UpgradeCode="9235c293-2f08-4c2b-b7a5-69d01f5fca32">
<Package InstallerVersion="200" Compressed="yes" InstallScope="perMachine" />
<MajorUpgrade DowngradeErrorMessage="A newer version of [ProductName] is already installed." />
<MediaTemplate EmbedCab="yes" />
<!-- Step 1: Define the directory structure -->
<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
<Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
<Directory Id="INSTALLFOLDER" Name="FooSetup" />
</Directory>
<Directory Id="ProgramMenuFolder">
<Directory Id="ApplicationProgramsFolder" Name="Foo Application"/>
</Directory>
<Directory Id="DesktopFolder" Name="Desktop" />
</Directory>
<!-- Step 2: Add files to your installer package & add autostart feature -->
<DirectoryRef Id="INSTALLFOLDER">
<!-- The main executable file-->
<Component Id="FooApplication" Guid="3F122E60-3745-4AEB-ADA3-B90DCB87E0BD">
<File Id="FooMainApp" Source="$(var.Foo.TargetPath)" KeyPath="yes"/>
</Component>
<!-- The main lib file-->
<Component Id="FooLib" Guid="83BEDB02-C9F5-4A06-B3D5-0A4D61D6A99C">
<File Id="FooFileLib" Source="$(var.Foo.Lib.TargetPath)" KeyPath="yes"/>
</Component>
<!-- Register windows autostart registry -->
<Component Id="RegistryEntries" Guid="45C7AC46-1101-4301-83E1-D24392283A60">
<RegistryValue Type="string"
Name="FooStartup"
Value="[#FooMainApp]"
Root="HKLM"
Key="Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"
Action="write"/>
</Component>
</DirectoryRef>
<!-- Step 3: Add the shortcut to your installer package -->
<!-- Start Menu -->
<DirectoryRef Id="ApplicationProgramsFolder">
<Component Id="FooShortcutMenu" Guid="3874D005-4E1C-4C0E-9CEA-8CD8D5442B60">
<Shortcut Id="FooApplicationStartMenuShortcut"
Name="Foo Application"
Description="The Foo is Cool!"
Target="[#FooMainApp]"
WorkingDirectory="INSTALLFOLDER"/>
<RemoveFolder Id="ApplicationProgramsFolder" On="uninstall"/>
<RegistryValue Root="HKCU" Key="Software\Microsoft\FooApplication" Name="installed" Type="integer" Value="1" KeyPath="yes"/>
</Component>
</DirectoryRef>
<!-- Desktop Menu -->
<DirectoryRef Id="DesktopFolder">
<Component Id="FooDesktopShortcutMenu" Guid="D4D0A2ED-C0DB-4524-AC53-D30F904DB846">
<Shortcut Id="FooApplicationDesktopShortcut"
Name="Foo Application"
Description="The Foo is Cool!"
Target="[#FooMainApp]"
WorkingDirectory="INSTALLFOLDER"
Directory="DesktopFolder"/>
<RemoveFolder Id="DesktopFolder" On="uninstall"/>
<RegistryValue Root="HKCU" Key="Software\Microsoft\FooApplication" Name="installed" Type="integer" Value="1" KeyPath="yes"/>
</Component>
</DirectoryRef>
<!-- Tell Wix -->
<Feature Id="ProductFeature" Title="FooSetup" Level="1">
<ComponentRef Id="FooApplication" />
<ComponentRef Id="FooLib" />
<ComponentRef Id="FooShortcutMenu"/>
<ComponentRef Id="FooDesktopShortcutMenu"/>
<ComponentRef Id="RegistryEntries" />
</Feature>
</Product>
</Wix>

It depends the tool you used to create the install package, generally you need to add a String Value under
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run or
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
like "AppName" : "AppPath"
You also can achieve this by add the regstry in your code.