Trouble checking for .NET 4.0 framework in WIX Bootstrapper

Question

I have a WIX bootstrapper application that installs a Windows Service (MSI) and an EXE. I've been trying to check for the presence of the .NET 4.0 framework as a prerequisite for the windows service installer. I would like to stop the installer if the framework is not present and point them to where they can download it. Currently the service installer ignores the condition and tries to install the service regardless if the framework is present or not.

This snippet is in the windows service installer:

<Product Id="*" Name="TestService" Language="1033" Version="1.0.0.1" Manufacturer="xxxxxx" UpgradeCode="<xxxxxxxx">
    <PropertyRef Id="NETFRAMEWORK40FULL" />
    <Condition Message="You need to have the .NET 4.0 Framework installed">
        <![CDATA[Installed OR NETFRAMEWORK40FULL]]>
    </Condition>
</Product>

This snippet is from the Bootstrapper:

<Bundle Name="BundledInstall" Version="1.0.0.0" 
    UpgradeCode="xxxxxx">
<BootstrapperApplicationRef Id="WixStandardBootstrapperApplication.RtfLicense">
  <bal:WixStandardBootstrapperApplication
    LicenseFile="xxxxxxxx"
    LogoFile="xxxxxxxx"
    />
</BootstrapperApplicationRef>

<Chain>
    <PackageGroupRef Id="MyPackage" />
    <PackageGroupRef Id="ServicePackage" />
</Chain>
</Bundle> 

<Fragment>
 <PackageGroup Id="ServicePackage">
    <MsiPackage
   SourceFile="C:\Users\Max\dev\wix\pappBootstrapper\sebService.msi" Cache="no" ForcePerMachine="yes">
      </MsiPackage>
 </PackageGroup>
</Fragment>

Thanks for the help.

Answer 1

You can make use of the WixNetfxExtension properties as defined in this page: WIXNETFXEXTENSION

For example, to check whether 3.5 framework or 3.5 SP is installed you can make use of the below properties.

NETFRAMEWORK35 - Set to #1 if the .NET Framework 3.5 is installed (not set otherwise).
NETFRAMEWORK35_SP_LEVEL - Indicates the service pack level for the .NET Framework 3.5.

To make use of these properties in your project, follow the below steps:

Step 1. Add the WiX .NET extensions library to your project If you are using WiX in Visual Studio you can add the extensions using the Add Reference dialog:

1. Open your WiX project in Visual Studio
   1. Right click on your project in Solution Explorer and select Add Reference...
   2. Select the WixNetFxExtension.dll assembly from the list and click Add
   3. Close the Add Reference dialog

Step 2: Add the WiX .NET extensions namespace to your project

Once the library is added to your project you need to add the .NET extensions namespace to your project so you can access the appropriate WiX elements. To do this modify the top-level element in your project by adding the following attribute:

<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi"
     xmlns:netfx="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/NetFxExtension">

Step 3: Reference the required properties in your project

<PropertyRef Id="NETFRAMEWORK20"/>

Step 4: Use the pre-defined properties in a condition

To check against the service pack level of the framework use the *_SP_LEVEL properties. The following condition blocks installation if .NET Framework 3.0 SP1 is not present on the machine.

<Condition Message="This application requires .NET Framework 3.0 SP1. Please install the .NET Framework then run this installer again.">
    <![CDATA[Installed OR (NETFRAMEWORK30_SP_LEVEL and NOT NETFRAMEWORK30_SP_LEVEL = "#0")]]>
</Condition>

Source: How to check .Net framework versions