This is the same situation as we have here. It's preferable, if you can to carry the build through to completion to produce a new, updated MSI as though you were going to do a major upgrade. Then perform an admin install of that and add Ref elements into the Family element to choose which parts of it to include in the patch.
If you cant do that and have to duplicate the source admin install and drop files into it, then you will have more work to do. The relevant tables in the updated MSI have to be updated. I used a VBScript for this. The product version needs updating and a PropertyRef adding too. You wont need to create a new package code for making the patch. Updating a versioned file just requires changes to the File table. Updating a non-versioned file means generating and updating the MSI file hash too. Adding a new file means you have to create a File, Component, Then theres the possibility you might be registering the file for COM, GAC, etc We only had a few files when doing that so it was manageable but it can become a lot of work, hence my recommendation to do the build work, which is less error prone. Once the target has been prepared, you run torch and pyro to make the patch. If youve any more specific questions then feel free to ask. I could probably send you my wix, vbscript and msbuild scripts, which are simple enough. Most of my information comes from Peters blog, this list and trial and error. The comments section on the blog contains useful info too. -----Original Message----- From: Christopher Painter [mailto:chr...@deploymentengineering.com] Sent: 04 October 2010 18:03 To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: [WiX-users] Patching with WiX I was wondering if anyone could provide me with any links or pointers for the following story. Foo.msi is a large ( 15,000 files ) installer that is currently build with InstallShield and services via Major Upgrades. Foo.msi's file comes from a couple dozen builds and the upstream build team doesn't do incremental builds. All DLL's will be rebuilt with newer version numbers. The goal is to check pick files from the latest build and generate a patch for the fielded build. I've read Peter Marcu's blog on patching installers you didn't build with WiX and the part about doing an admin install, make a copy of the extract and drop your files in seems to be close to what I'm looking for but it was pretty light on details. Has anyone ever done this? What I'm trying to do is somewhat like InstallShield QuickPatch projects only I want to do alot more automation then IS (seems to) allow. Thanks, Chris Christopher Painter, Author of Deployment Engineering Blog Have a hot tip, know a secret or read a really good thread that deserves attention? E-Mail Me ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Virtualization is moving to the mainstream and overtaking non-virtualized environment for deploying applications. Does it make network security easier or more difficult to achieve? Read this whitepaper to separate the two and get a better understanding. http://p.sf.net/sfu/hp-phase2-d2d _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users SDL PLC confidential, all rights reserved. If you are not the intended recipient of this mail SDL requests and requires that you delete it without acting upon or copying any of its contents, and we further request that you advise us. SDL PLC is a public limited company registered in England and Wales. Registered number: 02675207. Registered address: Globe House, Clivemont Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 7DY, UK. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Beautiful is writing same markup. Internet Explorer 9 supports standards for HTML5, CSS3, SVG 1.1, ECMAScript5, and DOM L2 & L3. Spend less time writing and rewriting code and more time creating great experiences on the web. Be a part of the beta today. http://p.sf.net/sfu/beautyoftheweb _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users