How to: Create the Windows Installer Package for 64-bit Client Computers

Applies To: Windows Server 2012 Essentials, Windows Home Server 2011, Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials, Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials

After you download and install the tools, you can use them to create the Windows Installer package (.msi) files. An add-in can contain code that is installed on the server, on client computers, or on both the server and client computers.

The Deployment sample that is provided with the SDK is configured to install a new top-level tab, install an XML file that extends the home page on the server, and install the XML files that are used to extend the Launchpad on both a 32-bit client computer and a 64-bit client computer. Because of the configuration settings that are required, separate Windows Installer packages must be created if you are extending the Launchpad for both 32-bit and 64-bit client computers. For more information about extending the Launchpad, see Creating a Launchpad Add-In

The following procedure shows you how to create a Windows Installer package that is used to install the code from the sample that runs on a 64-bit client computer.

To create the Windows Installer package

1. Open Notepad.

2. Add the following XML code:

   <?xml version='1.0' encoding='windows-1252'?>  
   <Wix xmlns='https://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi'>  
      <Product   
        Name='Sample 64-bit Launchpad Add-in Deployment'   
        Id='d21da776-86C7-4D14-AEC0-86D16A69ABDE'   
        UpgradeCode='d21da776-7349-453F-94F6-BCD5110BA4FD'  
        Language='1033'   
        Codepage='1252'   
        Version='1.0.0'   
        Manufacturer='Your Company Name'>  
         <Package   
           Id='*'   
           Keywords='Installer'   
           Platform="x64"  
           Description="Sample 64-bit Launchpad Deployment"  
           Comments='Sample 64-bit Launchpad Deployment'   
           Manufacturer='Your Company Name'  
           InstallerVersion='200'   
           Languages='1033'   
           Compressed='yes'   
           SummaryCodepage='1252' />  
         <Media Id='1' Cabinet='WSSSampleAddins.cab' EmbedCab='yes' DiskPrompt="CD-ROM #1" />  
         <Property Id='DiskPrompt' Value="64-bit Launchpad Installation [1]" />  
   
         <Directory Id='TARGETDIR' Name='SourceDir'>  
            <Directory Id='ProgramFiles64Folder' Name='PFiles'>  
               <Directory Id="WindowsServerDir" Name="Windows Server">  
                  <Directory Id="WindowsServerBinDir" Name="Bin">  
                     <Directory Id="WindowsServerLaunchPadDir" Name="Launchpad">  
                        <Component Id='LaunchPadComponent' Guid='d21da776-83F1-4F22-985B-FDB3C8ABE491' Win64='yes'>  
                           <File   
                             Id='WSSLaunchpadSampleXML'   
                             Name='WSSLaunchpad.launchpad'   
                             DiskId='1'   
                             Source='binaries\WSSLaunchpad.launchpad'   
                             ProcessorArchitecture='x64'   
                             KeyPath='yes'>  
                           </File>  
                        </Component>  
                     </Directory>  
                  </Directory>  
               </Directory>  
            </Directory>  
         </Directory>  
   
         <Feature Id='Complete' Level='1'>  
            <ComponentRef Id='LaunchPadComponent' />  
         </Feature>  
      </Product>  
   </Wix>  
   

   Note

   • Each Id attribute and Guid attribute for the components must be unique.
   • The Name attribute of the File element is the name of the file that is copied to the specified folder on the target computer.
   • The Source attribute of the File element is the relative path to the file.
   • To install the files in the Program Files folder instead of the Program Files (x86) folder, the Platform attribute of the Package element must be specified to be x64, and the InstalledVersion attribute must be at least 200. All the Component elements must have the Win64 attribute set to yes. For .NET Framework 2.0 assemblies and higher, all the File elements must have ProcessorArchitecture attribute set to x64.

3. Save the file as SampleWSSClientDeployment64.wxs. When developing .msi files other than the sample, you can provide any name, but the file must have a .wxs extension.

4. Create the .wixobj file from the file that you created in the previous step by using the Candle tool from the WiX toolset. Open a command-prompt window and type the following command followed by Enter:

   candle.exe SampleWSSClientDeployment64.wxs

5. Create the .msi file from the .wixobj file by running the Light tool from the WiX toolset. In the command-prompt window, type the following command followed by Enter:

   light.exe -ext WixUIExtension SampleWSSClientDeployment64.wixobj