Install prerequisites for winforms application with WiX bootstrapper

Question

I have created a C# WinForms Application which depends on the .NET Framework Version 4.6.1 and GhostScript 9.2.1 (32-bit Windows). I made a simple Windows Installer ( .msi file) for the WinForms App, but the GhostScript library refused to install. Therefore, I decided to make a bundle installer using the WiX bootstrapper.

In the bootstrapper project I packaged the GhostScript exe installer and the simple msi installer from earlier. I think I also took care of the .NET framework in the first few lines of the bootstrapper.

Now, I'm still facing an issue while with the Bootstrap Installer. The issue is that the installation skips over the msi installer. How do I get the Bootstrap installation to successfully complete?

Here is the XML for the bootstrapper project:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi">
    <Bundle Name="Bootstrapper1" Version="1.0.0.0" Manufacturer="POD" UpgradeCode="390cbc0b-980b-4f35-a9de-a11228f75b69">
        <BootstrapperApplicationRef Id="WixStandardBootstrapperApplication.RtfLicense" />
    <PayloadGroup Id="NetFx461RedistPayload">
        <Payload Name="redist\NDP461-KB3102436-x86-x64-AllOS-ENU.exe"
                 SourceFile="C:\Users\Admin\Downloads\NDP461-KB3102436-x86-x64-AllOS-ENU.exe"/>
    </PayloadGroup>

        <Chain>
            <!-- TODO: Define the list of chained packages. -->
            <!-- <MsiPackage SourceFile="path\to\your.msi" /> -->
      <PackageGroupRef Id="NetFx461Web"/>
      <ExePackage Id="Ghostscript_32_bit_Version_9.2.1"
                  Cache="yes"
                  Compressed="yes"
                  PerMachine="yes"
                  Permanent="yes"
                  Vital="yes"
                  SourceFile="C:\Users\Admin\Downloads\gs921w32new.exe"
                  InstallCommand="/passive /norestart" />
      <MsiPackage Id="POD_Measuring_Tool"
                  Cache="yes"
                  Compressed="yes"
                  Permanent="yes"

                  Vital="yes"
                  SourceFile="C:\Users\Admin\Documents\POD\Workspace Folder\c# projects\6lumber\toolPOD\Debug\toolPOD.msi" />
        </Chain>
    </Bundle>
</Wix>

I reference the WixBalExtension and the WixNetFxExtension, and the msi file and ghostscript exe are from my computer.

Check the Burn log in %TMP% directory for mentions of the MSI. — Bob Arnson

burrt burrt · Accepted Answer · 2018-11-16T08:32:56

The issue is that the installation skips over the msi installer.

This may indicate that the product is already install. MsiPackage will automatically detect if the msi is already installed by checking the product code in the registry.

The MsiPackage/@Permanent attribute will also mean that your product will not be removed when uninstalling your Bootstrapper - so check that you did remove your msi manually and logging helps with the -l logfile.txt switch.

Install prerequisites for winforms application with WiX bootstrapper

1 Answers