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Wix installer bundle produces corrupt "msi"

Using very simple code almost same as in examples:

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    <Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi">
    <Bundle Version="1.0" Manufacturer="ACME" UpgradeCode="6AF8AF7D-3B44-4496-9E64-56206DF66C55">
    <BootstrapperApplicationRef Id="WixStandardBootstrapperApplication.RtfLicense"/>
    <Chain>
    <MsiPackage SourceFile="wpftoolkit.msi"/>
    </Chain>
    </Bundle>
    </Wix>

I get a setup.msi file that produced error imidiatly in start:

    msiexec /i setup.msi /l*v log.txt
    log.txt:
    === Verbose logging started: 02.10.2013  14:12:11  Build type: SHIP UNICODE 5.00.7600.00  Calling process: C:\Windows\system32\msiexec.exe ===
    MSI (c) (B0:48) [14:12:11:804]: Font created.  Charset: Req=204, Ret=204, Font: Req=MS Shell Dlg, Ret=MS Shell Dlg
    MSI (c) (B0:48) [14:12:11:805]: Font created.  Charset: Req=204, Ret=204, Font: Req=MS Shell Dlg, Ret=MS Shell Dlg
    MSI (c) (B0:A4) [14:12:11:823]: Resetting cached policy values
    MSI (c) (B0:A4) [14:12:11:823]: Machine policy value 'Debug' is 0
    MSI (c) (B0:A4) [14:12:11:823]: ******* RunEngine:
    ******* Product: Setup.msi
    ******* Action: 
    ******* CommandLine: **********
    MSI (c) (B0:A4) [14:12:11:824]: Note: 1: 2203 2: Setup.msi 3: -2147286960 
    MSI (c) (B0:A4) [14:12:11:824]: MainEngineThread is returning 1620
    === Verbose logging stopped: 02.10.2013  14:12:11 ===

Tool dark.exe from Wix SDK says that setup.msi is corrupt and cannot be disassembled. Several times last week I managed to compile this type of bundle and msi worked well, but I can't figure out any corellation between what I was doing.

I've also tried to compile this example without using MSBuild, but directly with Wix SDK tools - still no luck - compilation finishes without errors, but resulting msi is corrupt anyway:

    candle *.wxs
    light *.wixobj -out setup.msi -ext WixBalExtension

Is there something I've missed about compiling Wix bundles that prevents it from working right way?

Solution

  • It is absolutely counterintuitive, but I think I've found a solution:

    candle *.wxs
light *.wixobj -out setup.EXE -ext WixBalExtension

    The output format is EXE, not MSI. Simple, right?

    BTW, SharpDevelop (as well as Visual Studio, I believe) doesn't have any option to specify the output file as EXE - only MSI, msp and wixlib.