Self updating application install with WIX?

Question

I am writing an application that needs to be installed on a large number of desktops and also needs to update itself. We are looking at WIX for creating the installation. I ha

Answer 1

Just how "auto"-update does it have to be? :-)

We use WiX (2.0) for an app that needs to be installed over and over again. As long as you go with "major upgrades" from version to version, that works just fine - you can uninstall the old version and then re-install the new one - no major problems here.

The key is to have a stable "UpgradeCode" (a GUID in your WiX) that never changes - it's the key for your app - and to have a new ProductCode for every release.

Then, in your wxs file, you need two bits:

That should do it!

Other than that - nothing really much to say - it just works :-)