My First Installer

Description

This Pill demonstrates how to create a simple installer that deploys one file.

Content:

• How to install WiX Toolset and its extension for Visual Studio;
• The relation between WiX Toolset and Windows Installer;
• What is an MSI file;
• Create a simple installer project.
• The relation between Product, Feature, Component and File;
• Deploy a file.

How to use

a) Tutorial (article)

• doc/article/README.md
• This document contains a step-by-step tutorial. You can find there additional explanations on the described problem and steps to solve it.
• I suggest to read this tutorial in parallel with the code.

b) Code example

• sources
• I provided the complete Visual Studio solution that solves the described problem. Use it if you need to test it by yourself, in your environment or if you have further ideas that you want to verify.

c) Code notes

• A shorter version of the tutorial can be found directly in the source code.
  • Open Visual Studio solution
  • Search (Ctrl+Shift+F) for the START comment. It usually can be found in the Product.wxs file, but it is not a rule.
  • Then follow the Step comments in the numbered order.
• Note: The NEXT tags at the end of each comment indicates the file where to search for the next Step.

d) Log file examples

• doc/logs
• Sometimes a quick look into the log files may be useful, but running the installer each time is cumbersome. I generated the log files for the meaningful scenarios and I placed them into this directory. Have a look when needed.

e) Kata

• doc/kata/README.md

• I think that a good practice for someone that just starts to learn WiX Toolset is to exercise daily in order to get familiar with the concepts. This project can be used as a kata and this document contains instructions on how to perform it.

• When this kata is mastered, there are other exercises that are worth looking at:

  • Immediate Custom Action
  • Deferred Custom Action
  • Bundle with MSI

Discussions and Suggestions

GitHub Discussions

Fill free to use the discussions page whenever needed:

• Do you have an improvement suggestion?
• Is there any typo in the articles or bug in the code?
• I appreciate any information on how you used this tutorial and if it was useful to you or not.
• Do you have any other questions?

Donations

If you like my work and want to support me, you can buy me a coffee: