WiX Installer: how to remove old Product versions?

1
votes

Developer created 3 installers of the same product and changed the UpgradeCode (yes, I know, but it is).

These installers were provided to customers and some of them used these versions. Now I have built the new installer, then added records to the msi using SuperOrca: to uninstall the old product installations with incorrect upgrade codes.

How I can do it in WiX installer project do not using SuperOrca to patch the msi every time after it is built?

2
wixwindows-installer

2 Answers

3
votes

Upgrade code should not change. In an installer if you are releasing another major version you can change the product code but the Upgrade code should be same of a product throughout the lifetime. Add below tags inside product tag in Wix to automatically uninstall the previous version when you install the new version-

<Product Id="*" UpgradeCode="PUT-GUID-HERE" ... >

<Upgrade Id="PUT-GUID-HERE">
  <UpgradeVersion OnlyDetect="no" Property="PREVIOUSFOUND"
     Minimum="1.0.0.0"  IncludeMinimum="yes"
     Maximum="99.0.0.0" IncludeMaximum="no" />
</Upgrade>

<InstallExecuteSequence>
    <RemoveExistingProducts After="InstallInitialize" />
</InstallExecuteSequence>

As OnlyDetect is set to No the wix will automatically uninstall the previous version after the InstallInitialize phase. Wix will detect the version from the range that you have mentioned as example given above-Minimum-1.0 to maximum-99.0

4
votes

Many people seem to be under the impression that an upgrade can only upgrade one install and that there's something wrong with changing upgrade codes, but none of this is required. The Upgrade table in an MSI file can upgrade as many installed products as you like, as you know from using SuperOrca.

So all you need to do is add Upgrade elements naming the UpgradeCode values and range of versions you need. If there are three products that might be installed then add the three Upgrade elements naming them all. You'll end up with an Upgrade table (look in the MSI) that will turn out the same as if you added them with Orca.