WiX can scale to virtually anything that Windows Installer/MSI can support, including all of its extension points, and the entire functionality of the platform is exposed by the toolset. Understanding how to use it requires some understanding of Windows Installer, so be prepared to spend some time experimenting and learning before you deploy to production. However, those who use it a lot generally seem to be quite pleased with it.
-Install\Configure a web site (with the help of some Custom Actions to tweak some config files) -- If you are talking about IIS then IIS7 or newer currently requires the IIS compatibility whatever-it-is-called, but seems to work reasonably well for "web application" installations. -- WiX supplies custom actions built into the toolset that can tweak config and other XML files. -Various Custom Actions: call windows installer .dlls, call executables stored in the .msi, call executables on destination or installed w/application -- All supported in WiX. <an aside: calling executables installed w/ application is often referred to as "self-registration". It generally isn't a good idea because too many things go wrong when it leaves your office./> -Dialog addition and editing -- Supported. Not always as easy as you may like. You can also completely craft your own dialogs and not use WiX's at all. -Copy, Move and Delete File operations (Wise - basically populates the Move.. and RemoveFile tables -- Supported. -Query the Registry up front for launch condition values and values to populate dialog controls in the UI -- Supported. -Add, update INI files -- Supported. -Add File Associations/Extensions -- Supported. -Create and control Windows Services -- Supported. -Install Pre-requisite checking -- Supported, to a degree. MSI components, Products based on UpgradeCode, Registry Keys, Ini Files, File presence, Directory presence can all be searched, as well as a fair bit of platform information, and you can extend to do any additional checks needed. -Language localization support -- Supported, within the bounds of what Windows Installer itself supports. Windows Live Essentials localizes to over 50 different languages, and every installation package used there is built using WiX (including localization support). Oh, and those of us who have contributed code to WiX won't be offended easily if people want to discuss the cons of WiX, as long as they keep the discussion germane to the issues, are willing to consider alternate view points (we truly don't all have to agree), and stay away from personal attacks. We each have things we wish it did either differently or some way it would support our scenarios more easily, as well. -----Original Message----- From: Matt Walker [mailto:matt.wal...@synergis.com] Sent: Thursday, November 12, 2009 11:00 AM To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. Subject: Re: [WiX-users] InstallShield 2010 vs InstallAware 9 >From just initially talking about or thinking about WiX my first guess would be that this would be the option for simpler installation processes/tasks and that the 'Top Shelf' products (with regard to price not quality) would pull the heavier weighted install stuff. I would be interested in the cons of WiX, but I don't know if that would offend anyone in this group. Here is the list of what our installations do... what can't be done or is difficult to do with WiX? -Install\Configure a web site (with the help of some Custom Actions to tweak some config files) -Various Custom Actions: call windows installer .dlls, call executables stored in the .msi, call executables on destination or installed w/application -Dialog addition and editing -Copy, Move and Delete File operations (Wise - basically populates the Move.. and RemoveFile tables -Query the Registry up front for launch condition values and values to populate dialog controls in the UI -Add, update INI files -Add File Associations/Extensions -Create and control Windows Services -Install Pre-requisite checking -Language localization support -----Original Message----- From: Christopher Painter [mailto:chr...@deploymentengineering.com] Sent: Thursday, November 12, 2009 1:34 PM To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. Subject: Re: [WiX-users] InstallShield 2010 vs InstallAware 9 Anything? Really? I'm sorry, I like WiX a lot but I can list out a couple dozen glaring feature and usability gaps. WiX is nice but let's keep some perspective here. --- On Thu, 11/12/09, Brian Simoneau <bsimon...@freedomscientific.com> wrote: > From: Brian Simoneau <bsimon...@freedomscientific.com> > Subject: Re: [WiX-users] InstallShield 2010 vs InstallAware 9 > To: "General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset." <wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net> > Date: Thursday, November 12, 2009, 11:05 AM > My company was using InstallShield > before switching to WiX. I have > never used InstallAware, but the only advice I can give is > to use WiX. > It's free and can do anything that the commercial products > do, sometimes > better. > > -Brian Simoneau > > -----Original Message----- > From: Matt Walker [mailto:matt.wal...@synergis.com] > > Sent: Thursday, November 12, 2009 9:10 AM > To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net > Subject: [WiX-users] InstallShield 2010 vs InstallAware 9 > > Hi All, > > > > I'm new to the group and was pointed here by an individual > from whom > I've received valuable assistance on many .NET, install > related topics > over the past several years. I know this is a Wix > users group, but I'm > hoping someone can give me some insight, guidance, etc. > > > > We as a company are looking to switch our install build > product. The > company whose product we use has undergone several company > takeovers/changes recently and it doesn't look like the > development > effort is there for this particular product. > > > > We've been focusing on InstallShield 2010 and InstallAware > 9. I've used > InstallShield products in the past and never really had any > major > problems to speak of. IS seemed fairly easy to use > and suited all of > our needs. This seems to be the case with > InstallShield 2010. > > > > InstallAware is a tool of a different kind as it appears to > be primarily > script based but does have a Visual interface as > well. It might be > because I could be subconsciously hooked on InstallShield, > but > InstallAware seems cumbersome to me. I guess that may > also be that I'm > just not used to their way of doing things. > Conversion for us would > take a larger amount of time with this product, but if it > works and is > stable, that really won't matter much to me. > > > > What I've heard and from what I already knew, they are both > major > players with InstallShield having a longer lifespan so > far. I've been > told that InstallAware claims to be on the cutting edge, > but their > installs at times display weird behavior. > > > > I'm trying to find an individual(s) that has used both or > similar > products for a compare and contrast of sorts. What > are the pros and > cons? Early on, > > > > Of course price will be a factor for us, but I just want to > be sure > after making a selection I don't miss major advantages of > the product > that is left behind by our decision. > > > > Please help if you can. > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > ------ > Let Crystal Reports handle the reporting - Free Crystal > Reports 2008 > 30-Day > trial. Simplify your report design, integration and > deployment - and > focus on > what you do best, core application coding. Discover what's > new with > Crystal Reports now. http://p.sf.net/sfu/bobj-july > _______________________________________________ > WiX-users mailing list > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- > Let Crystal Reports handle the reporting - Free Crystal > Reports 2008 30-Day > trial. Simplify your report design, integration and > deployment - and focus on > what you do best, core application coding. Discover what's > new with > Crystal Reports now. http://p.sf.net/sfu/bobj-july > _______________________________________________ > WiX-users mailing list > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Let Crystal Reports handle the reporting - Free Crystal Reports 2008 30-Day trial. Simplify your report design, integration and deployment - and focus on what you do best, core application coding. Discover what's new with Crystal Reports now. http://p.sf.net/sfu/bobj-july _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Let Crystal Reports handle the reporting - Free Crystal Reports 2008 30-Day trial. Simplify your report design, integration and deployment - and focus on what you do best, core application coding. Discover what's new with Crystal Reports now. http://p.sf.net/sfu/bobj-july _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Let Crystal Reports handle the reporting - Free Crystal Reports 2008 30-Day trial. Simplify your report design, integration and deployment - and focus on what you do best, core application coding. Discover what's new with Crystal Reports now. http://p.sf.net/sfu/bobj-july _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
