How to get WiX major upgrade working?

upgrade, windows-installer, wix

Solution

Here's a snippet of what I use for all my packages, refined over many internal and public releases

<Product Id="*"
         UpgradeCode="$(var.Property_UpgradeCode)"
         Name="!(loc.ApplicationName)"
         Language="!(loc.Property_ProductLanguage)"
         Version="$(var.version)"
         Manufacturer="!(loc.ManufacturerName)" >

    <Package Description="!(loc.Package_Description) $(var.version)"
           Comments="!(loc.Package_Comments)"
           Manufacturer="!(loc.ManufacturerName)"
           InstallerVersion="301"
           Compressed="yes"
           InstallPrivileges="elevated"
           InstallScope="perMachine"
           Platform="$(var.ProcessorArchitecture)" />

    <Media Id="1" Cabinet="media1.cab" EmbedCab="yes" />

    <Upgrade Id="$(var.Property_UpgradeCode)">
        <UpgradeVersion OnlyDetect="yes"
                        Minimum="$(var.version)"
                        Property="NEWERVERSIONDETECTED"
                        IncludeMinimum="no" />

        <UpgradeVersion OnlyDetect="no"
                        Maximum="$(var.version)"
                        Property="OLDERVERSIONBEINGUPGRADED"
                        IncludeMaximum="no" />

        <!-- Detect for changes in 4th field only -->
        <UpgradeVersion Property="ANOTHERBUILDINSTALLED"
                 Maximum="$(var.version)" Minimum="$(var.version)"
                 IncludeMinimum="yes" IncludeMaximum="yes" OnlyDetect="yes" />

    </Upgrade>

    <CustomAction Id="CA_BlockOlderVersionInstall" Error="!(loc.LaunchCondition_LaterVersion)" />
    <CustomAction Id="CA_BlockAnotherBuildInstall" Error="!(loc.LaunchCondition_AnotherBuild)" />

    <InstallExecuteSequence>
        <Custom Action="CA_BlockOlderVersionInstall" After="FindRelatedProducts">
            <![CDATA[NEWERVERSIONDETECTED]]>
        </Custom>

        <!-- Prevent installation on 4th version field change only -->
        <Custom Action="CA_BlockAnotherBuildInstall" After="FindRelatedProducts">
            <![CDATA[ANOTHERBUILDINSTALLED]]>
        </Custom>

        <LaunchConditions After="AppSearch" />

        <!-- Schedule RemoveExistingProducts early -->
        <RemoveExistingProducts After="InstallInitialize" />
    </InstallExecuteSequence>

    <InstallUISequence>
        <Custom Action="CA_BlockOlderVersionInstall" After="FindRelatedProducts">
            <![CDATA[NEWERVERSIONDETECTED]]>
        </Custom>

        <!-- Prevent installation on 4th version field change only -->
        <Custom Action="CA_BlockAnotherBuildInstall" After="FindRelatedProducts">
            <![CDATA[ANOTHERBUILDINSTALLED]]>
        </Custom>

        <LaunchConditions After="AppSearch" />
    </InstallUISequence>

    <!-- .... -->

</Product>

Problem

I am struggling to enable the major upgrade functionality in WiX. I want every new version of the installer to be a major upgrade (full uninstall, then new install) as we don't want different upgrade and clean install versions. I started off trying to do it using the tag stuff, but I kept getting "Another version is installed." error message when I run the installer. So I implemented the new tag that was added in V3.5 to make upgrades easier. I was still getting the error message. I then read somewhere that you need to change the Id GUID for each new version. So I set Id="*" to get WiX to generate them. Now when I install the newer version it doesn't uninstall the older version, and you end up with two installations to the same folder. I worked this out because running either MSI (new or old) would bring up the repair/remove screen. Also the program was not overwritten with the new version. Here is the start of my WiX script: ``` <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi"> <Product Id="*" Name="Foo" Language="1033" Codepage="1252" Version="!(bind.FileVersion.Foo.exe)" Manufacturer="Foo Bar Ltd." UpgradeCode="dac2fab2-7d76-4e47-b25f-0748380dab81"> <Package Description="Foo" Comments="This installer database contains the logic and data required to install Foo." InstallerVersion="300" Languages="1033" SummaryCodepage="1252" Platform="x86" Compressed="yes" /> <!-- Remove older versions --> <!-- Important note: MSI ignores the last version digit 1.0.0.? when comparing versions, so always change at least the 3rd digit for new external releases--> <MajorUpgrade DowngradeErrorMessage="The version currently installed is newer than the version you are attempting to install."/> ```

Original source