Book Image

WiX 3.6: A Developer's Guide to Windows Installer XML

Book Image

WiX 3.6: A Developer's Guide to Windows Installer XML

Overview of this book

The cryptic science of Windows Installer can seem far off from the practical task of simply getting something installed. Luckily, we have WiX to simplify the matter. WiX is an XML markup, distributed with an open-source compiler and linker, used to produce a Windows Installer package. It is used by Microsoft and by countless other companies around the world to simplify deployments. "WiX 3.6: A Developer's Guide to Windows Installer XML" promises a friendly welcome into the world of Windows Installer. Starting off with a simple, practical example and continuing on with increasingly advanced scenarios, the reader will have a well-rounded education by book's end. With the help of this book, you'll understand your installer better, create it in less time, and save money in the process. No one really wants to devote a lifetime to understanding how to create a hassle-free installer. Learn to build a sophisticated deployment solution targeting the Windows platform in no time with this hands-on practical guide. Here we speed you through the basics and zoom right into the advanced. You'll get comfortable with components, features, conditions and actions. By the end, you'll be boasting your latest deployment victories at the local pub. Once you've finished "WiX 3.6: A Developer's Guide to Windows Installer XML", you'll realize just how powerful and awesome an installer can really be.
Table of Contents (23 chapters)
WiX 3.6: A Developer's Guide to Windows Installer XML
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

UpgradeCode and detecting related bundles


In this section we will find out how to detect and update older versions of your bundle.

Updating existing bundles

Each time that you compile your bootstrapper project in Visual Studio, it is assigned a new identity—a GUID called BundleId that you cannot change. In this respect, every bundle that you create is unique. The UpgradeCode attribute allows us to link two bootstrappers, making them related bundles. This relationship allows one bundle to detect and upgrade the installed packages of the other.

The UpgradeCode attribute is set on the Bundle element, as shown:

<Bundle Name="Awesome Software Bundle"
        Version="1.0.0.0" 
        Manufacturer="Awesome Company"
        Copyright="(c) All rights reserved."
        UpgradeCode="3601032C-A8C9-4323-88E0-1967A9C2145E">

Now, having two bundle executables with the same UpgradeCode attribute does not mean that one will automatically replace the other. Their versions have a big part to play. Two...