How to build Wix projects on build server with just "Buildtools für Visual Studio 2022" installed

[rkieslinger]

A colleague of mine used to install VS Enterprise on our build servers to build everything (including wix projects) - that worked great. But now, as I overtake the reigns, I am trying to install just "Buildtools für Visual Studio 2022", because we don't need an IDE there.

As expected, I get the following error when trying to build a wix project:

Error MSB4019: The imported project "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\BuildTools\MSBuild\Microsoft\WiX\v3.x\Wix.targets" was not found. Confirm that the expression in the Import declaration "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\BuildTools\MSBuild\Microsoft\WiX\v3.x\Wix.targets" is correct, and that the file exists on disk.

So I was trying to install the VS extension (votive), but that doesn't work, as it apparently requires either Community/Professional/Enterprise. Here's the log:

11.02.2022 13:47:07 - Microsoft VSIX Installer
11.02.2022 13:47:07 - -------------------------------------------
11.02.2022 13:47:07 - vsixinstaller.exe version:
11.02.2022 13:47:07 - 17.1.1035-preview2
11.02.2022 13:47:07 - -------------------------------------------
11.02.2022 13:47:07 - Command line parameters:
11.02.2022 13:47:07 - C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer\resources\app\ServiceHub\Services\Microsoft.VisualStudio.Setup.Service\VSIXInstaller.exe,C:\Users\TFSBuild\Desktop\Votive2022.vsix
11.02.2022 13:47:07 - -------------------------------------------
11.02.2022 13:47:07 - Microsoft VSIX Installer
11.02.2022 13:47:07 - -------------------------------------------
11.02.2022 13:47:07 - Skipping product Microsoft.VisualStudio.Product.BuildTools (fe7124ab) since it does not support extensions
11.02.2022 13:47:07 - Initializing Install...
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - Extension Details...
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 	Identifier         : WixToolset.VisualStudioExtension.Dev17
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 	Name               : Wix Toolset Visual Studio 2022 Extension
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 	Author             : WiX Toolset
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 	Version            : 1.0.0.18
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 	Description        : Visual Studio integration for the WiX Toolset - the most powerful set of tools available to create your Windows installation experience.
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 	Locale             : en-US
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 	MoreInfoURL        : http://wixtoolset.org/
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 	InstalledByMSI     : False
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 	SupportedFrameworkVersionRange : [4.5,)
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 	SignatureState     : ValidSignature
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 	SignedBy           : WiX Toolset (.NET Foundation)
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 	Certificate Info   : 
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		-------------------------------------------------------
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		[Subject]       : CN=WiX Toolset (.NET Foundation), O=WiX Toolset (.NET Foundation), L=Redmond, S=wa, C=US, SERIALNUMBER=603 389 068
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		[Issuer]        : CN=.NET Foundation Projects Code Signing CA, O=.NET Foundation, C=US
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		[Serial Number] : 0D5EF90303C2280377DFE04D74E20861
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		[Not Before]    : 03.04.2019 02:00:00
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		[Not After]     : 07.04.2022 14:00:00
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		[Thumbprint]    : C95FC39334E667F3DD3D82AF382E05719B88F7C1
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 	Supported Products : 
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		Microsoft.VisualStudio.Community
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 			Version : [17.0,18.0)
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 			ProductArchitecture : amd64
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 	References         : 
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		-------------------------------------------------------
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		Identifier   : WixToolset.VisualStudioExtension.Schemas3
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		Name         : WiX Toolset v3 Schemas for Visual Studio
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		Version      : 
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		MoreInfoURL  : 
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		Nested       : Yes
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		-------------------------------------------------------
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		Identifier   : WixToolset.VisualStudioExtension.Schemas4
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		Name         : WiX Toolset v4 Schemas for Visual Studio
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		Version      : 
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		MoreInfoURL  : 
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		Nested       : Yes
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 	Prerequisites      : 
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		-------------------------------------------------------
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		Identifier   : Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.CoreEditor
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		Name         : Visual Studio core editor
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 		Version      : [17.0,18.0)
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - Signature Details...
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 	Extension is signed with a valid signature.
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - 
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - Searching for applicable products...
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - Found installed product - Global Location
11.02.2022 13:47:08 - VSIXInstaller.NoApplicableSKUsException: This extension is not installable on any currently installed products.
   at VSIXInstaller.ExtensionService.GetInstallableDataImpl(IInstallableExtension extension, String extensionPackParentName, Boolean isRepairSupported, IStateData stateData, IEnumerable`1& skuData)
   at VSIXInstaller.ExtensionService.GetInstallableData(String vsixPath, String extensionPackParentName, Boolean isRepairSupported, IStateData stateData, IEnumerable`1& skuData)
   at VSIXInstaller.ExtensionPackService.IsExtensionPack(IStateData stateData, Boolean isRepairSupported)
   at VSIXInstaller.ExtensionPackService.ExpandExtensionPackToInstall(IStateData stateData, Boolean isRepairSupported)
   at VSIXInstaller.App.Initialize(Boolean isRepairSupported)
   at VSIXInstaller.App.Initialize()
   at System.Threading.Tasks.Task`1.InnerInvoke()
   at System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Execute()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Telemetry.WindowsErrorReporting.WatsonReport.GetClrWatsonExceptionInfo(Exception exceptionObject)

It says:

Skipping product Microsoft.VisualStudio.Product.BuildTools (fe7124ab) since it does not support extensions

If Microsoft.VisualStudio.Product.BuildTools does not support extensions, what's the recommended approach here? Should I manually copy the wix target files into the right folders?

[barnson]

Install WiX on the build machine and re-create your .wixprojs to use the new template.

WiX doesn't use issues for support. We moved this issue to the experimental GitHub discussions area. You might also consider asking your question on the wix-users mailing list or posting on Stack Overflow.

[rseanhall]

#5804

[rkieslinger]

Thank you very much, works like a charm!