Set Directory in WiX

Question

I am trying to create a folder at a location different from the application installation location which happens to be C:\Program Files(x86). I am using the following fragment

 <Fragment>
    <DirectoryRef Id="TARGETDIR">
      <Directory Id="PhotosDir" Name="Photos" />       
    </DirectoryRef>
    <!--<SetDirectory Id="PhotosDir" Value="[TARGETDIR]Photos" Sequence="execute"></SetDirectory>-->
  </Fragment>

I tried with a SetDirectory element as shown above and also with a CustomAction as shown below. (If I use both, I get an error saying Id is duplicated. Hence I commented it.)

<CustomAction Id="SetPhotosDir" Directory="PhotosDir" Value="[TARGETDIR]Photos"></CustomAction>
    <InstallExecuteSequence>    
      <Custom Action="SetPhotosDir" Before="CreateFolders"/>
    </InstallExecuteSequence>

I have a component also defined for this directory element as below.

<Component Id="cmpPhotosDir" Guid="{8F757344-CA0A-42BC-B292-A51CE86B19E2}" KeyPath="yes" Directory="PhotosDir"><CreateFolder/></Component>

But the directory called Photos is always getting created in D drive, even though it is nested inside of TARGETDIR. I actually want to control the location where this directory gets created, probably through UI. I googled for SetDirectory element example, but couldn't find a proper working sample. All I get to see is that I have to use a custom action type 35 or 51. But it is not clear what code should go inside of these custom actions. Also, I am not sure, if these custom actions are required in addition to the SetDirectory element or not. Can anyone please help me achieve this, with some working sample?

Michael Urman Michael Urman · Accepted Answer · 2018-01-29T14:45:09

The problem is your directory identifier is not PUBLIC. Change its name to include no lower-case letters; use only upper-case letters, numbers, and underscores. (This came up in reverse pretty recently over here.)

I would also probably schedule the action to After="CostFinalize" , or just set the property of the same name Before="CostInitialize. Neither of those are likely to be relevant to your symptoms, however.

Set Directory in WiX

1 Answers