Can WiX generate a MSI bootstrapper as opposed to an exe?

Question

Is there a reason that the bootstrapper is an exe as opposed to an MSI? And, is there a way to instead generate a MSI?

I need to have multiple localizations of the bootstrapper and would like to apply transforms like can be done for a WiX MSI. And, since the bootstrapper uses the same localization files it'd be nice to be able to use the same approach for the bootstrapper as for an installer.

Answer 1

Many of the things being bootstrapped are MSI based, and you can't really run an MSI from within an MSI install. Bootstrappers are typically executables that contain one or more embedded MSI files - the executable checks if the prerequisite is installed or not, and if not launches the appropriate MSI installs, patches, whatever else is in there.