WiX 3.11.1 -- error LGHT0103 : The system cannot find the file

WiX 3.11.1 on Windows 10 Pro Version 1703 64-bit. NOT using Visual Studio. Using simple text files as follows.

Here is a test case of the situation I am finding.

myapp.wxs is this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi"
     xmlns:netfx="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/NetFxExtension">

    <Product Id="*"
             Name="MyApp"
             Language="1033"
             Version="1.0.0.0"
             Manufacturer="Me"
             UpgradeCode="PUT-GUID-HERE">

        <Package InstallerVersion="301"
                 Compressed="yes"
                 InstallScope="perMachine"
                 Manufacturer="Me"
                 Description="My App"
                 Keywords=".NET,Installer,MSI" />

        <MediaTemplate EmbedCab="yes" />
        <UIRef Id="WixUI_Minimal" />
        <UIRef Id="WixUI_ErrorProgressText" />

        <!-- ****************************************** -->
        <WixVariable Id="WixUIDialogBmp"
                     Value="[CMP_Refresh_file]" />
        <!-- ****************************************** -->

        <Feature Id="MyFeature"
                 Title="MyApp Feature"
                 Description="Installs MyApp"
                 Level="1">
        </Feature>
    </Product>

    <Fragment>
        <Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
            <Directory Id="TestFolder" Name="TESTfolder" />
        </Directory>
        <Component Id="CMP_Refresh_file" Guid="*" Directory="TESTfolder">
            <File Id="FILE_RefreshPNG" Source= "Refresh.png" KeyPath="yes" />
        </Component>
    </Fragment>
</Wix>

myapp.bat is:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\WiX Toolset v3.11\bin\candle.exe" myapp.wxs
"C:\Program Files (x86)\WiX Toolset v3.11\bin\light.exe"  myapp.wixobj -ext WixUIExtension -ext WixUtilExtension
@pause

When I run the .bat file, it cannot find the CMP_Refresh_file (error LGHT0103 : The system cannot find the file). The folder TESTfolder is a direct sub-folder of the folder in which the .wxs file exists.

Substituting the full file path solves the issue. BUT that is not what I want as I will have a multitude of files and folders. (Also, if I put the file in the same folder as the .wxs file, of course, it finds it.)

I suspect it is purely a syntactic issue caused by my ignorance. In any case, I have tried endless variations of syntax for the Value of WixUIDialogBmp without joy (except the full name).

Help to resolve very much appreciated. Thanks!

Solution

Looking at your WiX code I can see that you are getting confused between the MSI destination and the source folder paths. The Directory tag is to create a folder on the machine where you run the MSI (where you want to deploy your application) - it has nothing to do with the source folders from where you package your files.

Replace your filepath with:

<File Id="FILE_RefreshPNG" Source= "\TESTfolder\Refresh.png" KeyPath="yes"/>

As you can see, the file -> source attribute path should be written with reference to your WXS file path.

If you are planning to deploy the refresh.png underneath the testfolder on the client machines then you got to move to closing </Directory> tag right after your <File> tag