I have created an MSI product installer for a product that has a main feature
(call it MF) and a sub feature (call it SF). It is mandatory to install the
main feature but the sub feature is optional.
I am experimenting with creating patches (small updates) using Wix 3.5 for this
product. I have a patch which adds a couple of new files to the distribution.
Using Pyro to generate the msp file using the diff.wixmst between the two
builds (the original and the one with added files), Pyro gives me the waning:
"Pyro.exe: warning PYRO1110 : Component 'XXX' was added to feature <SF>. If
you cannot guarantee this feature will always be installed, you should consider
adding new components to top-level features to prevent prompts for source when
installing this patch."
I would have expected that if you initially installed the product without
feature SF, then you install the patch, that the relevant component 'XXX' would
not be installed (because you don't the feature that it belongs to). Then if
you ever modified the original installation to include feature SF (with the
patch already installed), a new view of the product would be generated that
includes component XXX. It seems that this is not the case? Can anyone explain
how MSI works in this case? I have found this blog
(http://blogs.msdn.com/b/pmarcu/archive/2008/05/30/patching-something-you-didnt-build-with-wix-using-wix-.aspx
) where Peter Marcu says that you should create a new top level feature
(presumably that is always installed?) in order to add these new files via a
patch. Otherwise "Adding them to existing features that are not always
installed can leave you in some pretty unfortunate situations". Can someone
explain to me what these "unfortunate situations" are?
Also, If I have to create a new top level feature in the patch that always
installs the components, that would be pretty odd because I would have to
potentially install many redundant files (in the cases where the user never
installs the sub feature). Can I avoid this?
Thanks in advance
sanjay
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