33

I'm trying to compile a WiX installer (which has custom actions, which I suspect are the source of the issue) on a build server and I'm getting the following error:

  c:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\Microsoft.Common.targets(1360,9): warning MSB3245: Could not resolve
this reference. Could not locate the assembly "Microsoft.Deployment.WindowsInstaller, Version=3.0.0.0, Culture=neutral,
 PublicKeyToken=ce35f76fcda82bad, processorArchitecture=MSIL". Check to make sure the assembly exists on disk. If this
reference is required by your code, you may get compilation errors. [C:\code\rms1-moverssuite\src\RMSS.Setup.CustomActi
ons\RMSS.Setup.CustomActions.csproj]

Any idea what needs to be installed? I vaguely remember that I had to install something from the Windows SDK last time I did this, but can't remember what it was.

Josh Kodroff
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4 Answers4

38

It's part of Windows Installer XML (WiX) an open source project formerly from Microsoft but since transferred to the Outercurve Foundation. It can be found on CodePlex. 3.7 is the latest release.

This interop assembly is part of Deployment Tools Foundation (DTF) and you'll find an SDK help file installed in the start menu. The actual assembly will be found in C:\Program Files (x86)\WiX Toolset v3.7\SDK.

Update 5/10/2023-

As part of WiX Toolset's migration to Nuget and ProjectStyle SDKs, this assembly has been renamed to WixToolset.Dtf.WindowsInstaller and is available via Nuget.

https://www.nuget.org/packages/WixToolset.Dtf.WindowsInstaller

Christopher Painter
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  • Turned out to be a version mismatch issue - didn't have the same 3.x installed on my machine as the build server. If you want some more potential rep, there's a followup question: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15836917/whats-the-simplest-way-to-ensure-that-wix-projects-build-without-having-to-inst – Josh Kodroff Apr 05 '13 at 14:47
  • For future reference, this DLL also seem to be getting sucked into various package managers. WiX is the origination though. – Christopher Painter Feb 06 '15 at 13:30
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    Since CodePlex is defunct, the new WIX Toolset page is at GitHub: https://github.com/wixtoolset/wix3. Also at wixtoolset.org. – Bacon Bits Jun 10 '19 at 00:21
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    And a [nuget package](https://www.nuget.org/packages/WiX/): `dotnet add package WiX --version 3.11.2` – Alexander Malakhov Dec 17 '21 at 14:21
  • and now `dotnet add package WixToolset.Dtf.WindowsInstaller --version 4.0.0` – Christopher Painter May 10 '23 at 15:11
5

I downloaded WiX v3.11 from official website which eventually lands to this git hub page. The set up is actually an executable (*.exe) rather an MSI which shows you this installation page:

enter image description here

Just click on the install gear icon. Once installation completes select the reference to Microsoft.Deployment.WindowsInstaller in Visual Studio solution explorer and click refresh from toolbar.

RBT
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5

For me this was just a matter of providing a hint for the reference in cproj file, pointing to the Wix nuget package.

<Reference Include="Microsoft.Deployment.WindowsInstaller"> 
 <HintPath>..\packages\WiX.3.11.2\tools\Microsoft.Deployment.WindowsInstaller.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
Bart Tyla
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  • I did this as well, this avoids installing VS extension on build farm, and enables us to use just the wix nuget package. – Nenad Aug 29 '22 at 12:37
0

You have to create a Custom Action Project and refer it to your installer. That will locate the assembly Microsoft.Deployment.WindowsInstaller.

Custom Action Project

β.εηοιτ.βε
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v.t.
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