Windows Installer XML (WiX)

Introduction

You can now create and build WiX-based deployment packages directly in the Visual Studio IDE using the WiX Visual Studio package. This addition to Visual Studio Team System code name “Rosario” makes creating setups for your application easier. You now have the utmost control to customize your deployment package and develop it using Visual Studio. 

What is WiX?

The Windows Installer XML (WiX) platform is a set of tools and specifications that allows you to create Microsoft Windows Installer database files (MSI and MSM). The WiX tools follow the traditional compile and link model used to create executables from source code.  The source code for WiX is written in XML files. WiX source code is preprocessed, compiled, and linked to create a Windows Installer database.

The WiX toolset can be used in two ways:

• In Visual Studio Team System code name “Rosario”, the tools are integrated as part of Visual Studio so that you can build WiX projects directly from within the Visual Studio IDE.
• You can compile and link WiX source code using the WiX toolset on a command line and/or using MSBuild.

What is the WiX Visual Studio package?

It allows you to create WiX projects, to edit WiX source code using IntelliSense, and build your project in the Visual Studio IDE.

Help Resources

Wix.chm contains the WiX documentation. Click here to download WiX Documentation.