Hi All Rob has a point, WIX is a great product, unfortunately the documentation not only leaves a lot to be desired but is downright misleading.
Due to the substantial changes in version 1.0/2.2/03.0 the current basic online documentation is worse than useless. I do understand the desire to get the product stable and usable, I also understand that producing reams of documentation that is outdated in weeks as a waist of energy and time, however here is the problem. Without at least some basic documentation the learning curve becomes excessively steep, users become frustrated by seemingly silly issues that cause hours of head banging. This will lead to a poor pick up rate in the utilization of the product and could even lead to its early demise. I am not trying to preach, I do understand that documenting an evolving product is not a trivial task. Here is what I recommend: 1. Create a Q&A forum that. Ensure that the forum categorizes questions and answers. 2. Remove the WIX email group, post all question and answers via the forum. Direct the people who respond to emails to answer via the forums. 3. Recruit forum mediators via the current developers and user groups. Allows ALL individuals to contribute. 4. Use the forum as a source of tracking and registering bug, potential enhancements and a repository for actual documentation. I'm sure the above suggestion is not new to you, I'm sure you have considered it but are concerned about policing, costs etc. I think you have reached a point in this products lifecycle that you no longer have an option, you must resolve the documentation issue or suffer the consequences. I am sure there are a number of uses who would be willing to volunteer as mediators and documenters. I for one would be more than pleased to assist in any way that might help this product evolve. All other thoughts and suggestions are welcome from other members. James -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Rob Mensching Sent: Friday, November 09, 2007 2:34 AM To: Cryptonomicon Cc: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: Re: [WiX-users] File Reference Syntax The TargetFile creates a reference to a File/@Id. So, you should just need to do: TargetFile="File_ClientExe" and the rest is managed for you. As for the documentation, would you mind putting "your time where your feedback is" and provide information that we can add to the WiX.chm to help in this case? That would move us one step closer to the goal. Cryptonomicon wrote: > Once again I am struggling badly with wix. > > I have a file > > <File Id="File_ClientExe" Name="StrawberryFields.exe" > Source="$(var.ClientRoot)$(var.ClientExeName)" Checksum="no" ReadOnly="yes"> > > that I want to use as the target of a verb > > <ProgId Id="StrawberryFields.sbf" Description="!(loc.SampleDescStr2)"> > <Extension Id="sbf" ContentType="application/sbf"> > <Verb Id='open' Command='Open' TargetFile='[!File_ClientExe]' > Argument='"%1"' /> > </Extension> > </ProgId> > > What is wrong with my use of File_ClientExe? > > Error 25 Unresolved reference to symbol 'File:[#File_ClientExe]' in section > 'Fragment:'. > D:\Home\Development\StrawberryFields\InstallationKit\StrawberryFieldsIns tall er\Client.wxs > 24 1 StrawberryFieldsInstaller > > > I have tried the usual sequence of '[!File_ClientExe]' '[#File_ClientExe]' > '[File_ClientExe]' '!File_ClientExe' > > etc - which never works > > Can someone please point me to the complete language syntax and scope rules > > > BTW in the documentation for Wix - it describes using Wix as a mind set > change - where your installer should be written in parallel with your > development. I would say that the same goes for documentation. > > I am afraid that to date the last couple of weeks of using Wix has been the > most depressing and frustrating experience in a quarter of a century of > coding. The years of effort that have gone into this thing which should be > a poster child is totally let down by inadequate documentation, lack of > examples etc. > > So as a word of advice - Stop all development now and work on the > documentation. If all the words that have been typed into this forum had > been typed into a wiki the job would have been done long ago. As it is the > same people are repeating the same answers to the same questions to the > point that they cant be bothered providing answers that people can > understand. > > Once you have an up to date and complete language definition and a full set > of examples - then by all means respond to queries with "Its in the Wix 3 > chm" - but at the moment I've looked - and I cant find it - and if I can > find it I can't understand it. > > Sorry about the venting. > > Now can someone tell me how to refer to a file by its id > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - This SF.net email is sponsored by: Splunk Inc. Still grepping through log files to find problems? Stop. Now Search log events and configuration files using AJAX and a browser. 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