I am working on a C# application that currently has a simple WiX installer to generate an MSI file. This application requires prerequisite software (such as the .NET Framework 4) and I would like to build a WiX Bootstrapper that will install the prereqs before installing my MSI file. I know Visual Studio has a Bootstrapper project template that is capable of creating a WiX bootstrapper executable, however I am developing with SharpDevelop 4.3.
I am wondering if there is a way to create and compile a burn bundle into a bootstrapper executable without using Visual Studio?
To create a Burn based bootstrapper/chainer bundle, you only need WiX v3.6+. The Bundle element in a .wxs file is the place to start. It's just like the Product element in a .wxs file is the place to start a .msi file.
Visual Studio has a bootstrapper system but it has nothing to do with Burn.
Related
Hi I am trying to run dotnet build <Sln file> to build the project but I am getting this error MSB4025: The project file could not be loaded. Data at the root level is invalid. Line 1, position 1.
Build Failed
Folder Structure: C:\Users\USERNAME\PROJECTNAME\Folder0\File0.vdproj(1,1)
Dotnet Version: 6.0.301
I think that this information is useful.
vdproj is a MSI creation project for Visual Studio. Its been deprecated and most people have moved on to either WIX or NSIS or a professional grade installer creation tools such as Install Shield. If you do not require an installer for your product just exclude the vdproj project from the solution and continue with your life. For fun if you want to try to transition right away to wix, try this powershell script https://github.com/chrisoldwood/vdproj2wix
Visual Studio - vdproj is incompatible
MSI setup (.vdproj) This project can't be opened in Visual Studio 2013 because it doesn't support that project type. We recommend that you use InstallShield Limited Edition for Visual Studio (ISLE), a free deployment solution that directly supports most Windows platforms and application runtimes. You can also use ISLE to import data and settings from Visual Studio Installer projects.
Port, migrate, and upgrade Visual Studio projects
How to know and retrieve all the WIX actions(Standard, Custom etc used in the .Net Application)
I have read similar questions on SO and other forums but can't what I want. I have obfuscated my binaries using 3rd party tools, and want to use these binaries in the setup.
Visual Studio Installer lets us choose the projects we want to deploy, and creates the installer using the outputs of those projects.
WiX creates a setup using the files I want but does not have an option to install .NET framework, if it doesn't already exists.
Is there a way I can use my own assemblies in Visual Studio Installer ? Or a similar alternative ?
EDIT:
I have already packed all dependencies in the binary. I don't want the installer to find the dependencies for linking them. I just want it to install .net (if not already installed) and place the binaries in a directory.
Not exactly the answer you'd hope for, but you mentioned WIX and dependency to .net framework. For that reason people write bootstrappers (i.e. a binary compiled to native win32) using something like Autoit which makes sure of the framework. All you may have to do is read registry key of corresponding framework and if required it pull down the file and install. Then execute the msi !
You can use the good old Visual Studio Setup Project (Installer Project) template.
To do so, you need to download the Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects depending to your VS version from one of the following links:
Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects 2013
Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects 2015
Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects 2017 and 2019
Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects 2022
The project could be used to deploy anything, including your project or instead of adding Project Output you can simply right click on your setup project node in solution explorer and under Add menu, add File or Assembly.
Then all dependencies will be added automatically. You can also add other files and artifacts that you need to be installed on target machine.
I have created a WPF app on Visual Studio 2015. I have created installer using WIX toolset. Now I need to add an external exe file into setup.
Please, let me know the way, How to add exe file into my installer package.
I am trying to create installer of my c# application.
I found that installer can be created using Visual Studio but not using express edition.
So i wanted some free tool.
So i tried to use WIX but i found it also needed to integrate with visual studio and visual studio 2010 express do not allow to extend it.
I found following link but unable to work because i am having visual studio 2010 express.
http://wixtoolset.org/documentation/manual/v3/votive/authoring_first_votive_project.html
So is there any way how to use WIX without visual studio?
And directions how to use WIX?
I am creating installer first time so i am new to this.
Thanks for support.
You don't need Visual Studio to create Wix projects you can use any editor (Notepad) of your choice it's just that you will miss IntelliSense and building from within VS. I believe you can still use VS to edit .wxs/.wxi (xml) files.
To build you just need Wix Toolset and MSbuild (.net).
Working with MSBuild documentation: http://wixtoolset.org/documentation/manual/v3/msbuild/
See if WiX edit works for you:
http://wixedit.sourceforge.net/
and WiXAware may be an option, if it's still available, do your research first:
http://www.installaware.com/news-installaware-wixaware-200.htm
SharpDevelop is an IDE that supports WiX projects in a way similar to Visual Studio.
Ultimately, WiX source files are schema-validated XML so any good XML editor with syntax highlighting and schema-based editing assistance would work. WiX tools can be run directly on the command-line but WiX projects are generally more convenient. WiX projects are Visual Studio projects that are MSBuild projects. As with WiX source files, MSBuild project files are XML. The WiX installer and/or zip distribution provides MSBuild targets and tasks that call the WiX tools during a build with MSBuild, Visual Studio or SharpDevelop.
When learning WiX, do keep in mind that it is a tool to build Windows Installer packages from an abstract declaration. Go to the Windows Installer documentation for conceptual information and WiX documentation for how to implement the concepts. You'll then see how much simpler WiX is. However, compared to other installer tools, WiX is not simple-but it doesn't limit you, either.