I couldn't find a feature request for that with a couple of quick searches, but it is possible that I missed it.
This is definitely not a trivial problem to solve, but I don't see why it would be an intractable one. For a first pass, I'd generate a fragment WXS file where one element is a hash or CRC of the rest of the file. As long as the existing file generates the same hash/CRC, the file is unmodified and you can safely import the existing autogenerated XML structures. You can then do a diff with the existing file/folder structure and only modify where necessary. I'd make doing a merge with the existing file a new command line switch for Heat. Obviously, there are a lot of implementation details I'm sweeping under the rug, but conceptually I don't see why the problem is really hard, assuming that the first pass can only work with unmodified output of the Harvester. It wouldn't make everyone happy, but it is a method which most people could work with. -Jamey ____________________________________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:wix-users- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Rob Mensching > Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2008 11:01 AM > To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. > Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Merge Module Help > > This is a constant feature request (I'm surprised there isn't a feature > request already). Generating Component GUIDs that follow the Component > Rules is an *extremely hard* problem to solve perfectly. The auto- > generated Component GUIDs is pretty good (assuming it doesn't have any > bugs) but has a number restrictions. Heat already supports those with the > "-ag" switch. > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:wix-users- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of James Minnis > Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2008 09:15 > To: 'General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset.' > Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Merge Module Help > > That's unfortunate. > > I could probably write something to keep the GUIDs standardized, but it > would be more work than it's worth for a hobby project I'm doing in my > spare > time. > > Most of our updates will only involve changes to text files rather than > adding or removing files. That implies a patch to me. If we have to add > or > remove more than a small number of files, I guess we'll bite the bullet > and > do a major upgrade. It isn't ideal but it will work. > > I submitted a feature request (#2022259). Hopefully it will get some > attention. > > -Jamey > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:wix-users- > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Luke Bakken > > Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2008 8:09 AM > > To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. > > Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Merge Module Help > > > > >> I'm surprised that Heat doesn't have the functionality of leaving the > > >> existing GUIDs in place. I just presumed I wasn't seeing how to do > it. > > > > > > There was (is?) a project called "Paraffin" (http://xrl.us/mnhwj) for > > > managing GUIDs. I've never used it so I can't vouch for it, but it may > > > be what you're looking for. > > > > > > > Hm. On re-reading that article it appears that Paraffin doesn't > > actually manage your GUIDs. You could accomplish something custom for > > your app using heat.exe and a database of some sort. It's definitely a > > missing part of the toolset. > > > > Where I work, teams that deal with large numbers of components just do > > major upgrades all the time. We figured that we would cross the GUID > > bridge when we had to for patches. > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > - > > This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Moblin Your Move Developer's > > challenge > > Build the coolest Linux based applications with Moblin SDK & win great > > prizes > > Grand prize is a trip for two to an Open Source event anywhere in the > > world > > http://moblin-contest.org/redirect.php?banner_id=100&url=/ > > _______________________________________________ > > WiX-users mailing list > > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Moblin Your Move Developer's > challenge > Build the coolest Linux based applications with Moblin SDK & win great > prizes > Grand prize is a trip for two to an Open Source event anywhere in the > world > http://moblin-contest.org/redirect.php?banner_id=100&url=/ > _______________________________________________ > WiX-users mailing list > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Moblin Your Move Developer's > challenge > Build the coolest Linux based applications with Moblin SDK & win great > prizes > Grand prize is a trip for two to an Open Source event anywhere in the > world > http://moblin-contest.org/redirect.php?banner_id=100&url=/ > _______________________________________________ > WiX-users mailing list > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Moblin Your Move Developer's challenge Build the coolest Linux based applications with Moblin SDK & win great prizes Grand prize is a trip for two to an Open Source event anywhere in the world http://moblin-contest.org/redirect.php?banner_id=100&url=/ _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
