Hello all. :) I'm new to this list and have been reading for a couple of days now. Seems you folks deal with some pretty complex issues surrounding WiX so if you know of a more appropriate venue for my "n00b" questions, please just let me know. :)
Before I jump in with my questions, here's a bit of context: I have been tasked with taking an old MSI (built primarily with ORCA by a previous employee) and replacing/updating the contents with new/additional components. The MSI is fairly small and simple. It only needs to deliver about a dozen files that create a paltry TWO system services. As for *my* skill set, I'm not *completely* unfamiliar with using MSI files. :) I've created transforms using ORCA and built some simple "snapshot" MSI's in the past as well. I've also done quite a bit of scripting and have a passing familiarity with programming in various languages (gathered over the last 20 years!) :) So, after "googling" around a bit, I've got most of the tools I think I'll need and have used them to successfully extract the original MSI using DARK. I then was able to take the WiX source code and open/view/edit it in Visual Studio. After a few minor changes (more or less "hello world" level stuff) I was able to re-compile the XML source using CANDLE, then link the result using LIGHT to create an MSI. So far so good. :) Though I have been able to get this far, I'm now unsure of how to move forward on the next steps on this project. For example: 1) I need to deliver 64-bit components - can I do this from a "32-bit" MSI that "detects" the target platform and chooses the correct components and target locations (i.e. "%SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS" vs "%SYSTEMROOT%\SysWOW64"), or do I need to create separate 64-bit and a 32-bit MSIs, one with each payload? 2) The XML created by DARK seems to be somewhat... messy (reminds me of "save as HTML" under WORD!). ;) As all I need to do is deliver a handful of files and a couple of services, would I be better served by starting from scratch rather than trying to figure out how the DARK generated XML works and then altering it? 3) The original MSI author created an entire GUI that we have discovered is not really necessary as most of the people that use the MSI are using it simply for GPO/AD deployment w/a transform. I would like to simplify the MSI if at all possible. Is there a straightforward way to "strip out" the GUI? I know some of the above questions call for subjective answers and there isn't much in the way of perspective given to help make the call. However, I've found most folks in a given field of expertise tend to have solved similar issues and can provide insight based on experience. I will be happy to have any advice you can share. :) Thanks for reading this admittedly long post and for any comments or help you can offer. :) Vern -- Vern Graner CNE/CNA/SSE | "If the network is down, then you're Senior Systems Engineer | obviously incompetent so why are we Texas Information Services | paying you? Of course, if the network http://www.txis.com | is up, then we obviously don't need Austin Office 512 328-8947 | you, so why are we paying you?" ©VLG ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Throughout its 18-year history, RSA Conference consistently attracts the world's best and brightest in the field, creating opportunities for Conference attendees to learn about information security's most important issues through interactions with peers, luminaries and emerging and established companies. http://p.sf.net/sfu/rsaconf-dev2dev _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
