{{Short description|Windows Installer creation toolset}} {{About|a software installation tool|the website builder tool|Wix.com|other uses|Wix (disambiguation){{!}}Wix|}} {{Infobox software | name = WiX Toolset | logo = WiX logo (2016, black).svg | logo size = x64px | logo alt = | screenshot = <!-- Image name is enough --> | caption = | screenshot alt = | collapsible = | author = Rob Mensching, Microsoft | developer = .NET Foundation | released = {{Start date and age|2004|04|05|df=yes}} | discontinued = | latest release version = 6.0.0 | latest release date = {{Start date and age|2025|04|07|df=yes}} | latest preview version = | latest preview date = | repo = {{URL|https://github.com/wixtoolset}} | programming language = C++, C# | operating system = Windows | platform = | size = | language = | language count = <!-- Number only --> | language footnote = | genre = Software development tools | license = Microsoft Reciprocal License | alexa = | website = {{URL|wixtoolset.org}} | standard = | AsOf = }} '''Windows Installer XML Toolset''' ('''WiX''', pronounced "wicks") is a free software toolset that builds Windows Installer packages from XML. It consists of a command-line environment that developers may integrate into their build processes to build MSI and MSM packages. WiX was the first Microsoft project to be released under an open-source license, the Common Public License.<ref name="cw">{{cite web |last=Lawson |first=Stephen |date=6 April 2004 |title=Microsoft goes open source with WiX tool |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/1580079/microsoft-goes-open-source-with-wix-tool.html |access-date=15 April 2024 |website=Computerworld}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Bisson |first=Simon |date=2021-12-01 |title=Using WiX to build Windows installers |url=https://www.infoworld.com/article/3642378/using-wix-to-build-windows-installers.html |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=InfoWorld |language=en}}</ref> It was also the first Microsoft project to be hosted on an external website.<ref name="cw" />
After its release in 2004, Microsoft has used WiX to package Office 2007, SQL Server 2005, Visual Studio 2005/2008, and other products.<ref>{{cite web |last=Robbins |first=John |date=18 October 2007 |title=WiX: Hints for New Users (Part 1 of 3) |url=http://www.wintellect.com/blogs/jrobbins/wix-hints-for-new-users-part-1-of-3 |work=Wintellect |access-date=16 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222022121/http://www.wintellect.com/blogs/jrobbins/wix-hints-for-new-users-part-1-of-3|archive-date=22 February 2014}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
WiX includes Votive, a Visual Studio add-in that allows creating and building WiX setup projects using the Visual Studio IDE. Votive supports syntax highlighting and IntelliSense for {{mono|.wxs}} source files and adds a WiX setup project type {{mono|.wixproj}} to Visual Studio.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Ramirez |first=Nick |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IxD182o_jQMC&q=Windows+Installer+XML+Toolset |title=WiX: A Developer's Guide to Windows Installer XML : Create a Hassle-free Installer for Your Windows Software Using WiX |date=2010-10-18 |publisher=Packt Publishing Ltd |isbn=978-1-84951-373-9 |language=en}}</ref>
==History== WiX was the first Microsoft project to be released under an open-source license, the Common Public License.<ref name="cw"/><ref name=":0" /> Initially hosted on SourceForge, it was also the first Microsoft project to be hosted externally.<ref name="cw" />
On June 6, 2010, WiX moved from SourceForge to CodePlex. On August 14, 2012, Microsoft transferred the WiX copyright to the Microsoft-sponsored Outercurve Foundation.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Ramirez |first=Nick |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S5VFSs_iKywC&q=Windows+Installer+XML+Toolset |title=WiX 3.6 - A Developer's Guide to Windows Installer XML |date=2012-01-01 |publisher=Packt Publishing Ltd |isbn=978-1-78216-043-4 |language=en}}</ref> At the same time, the license was changed from the Common Public License to the Microsoft Reciprocal License. On May 4, 2016, WiX was transferred to the .NET Foundation.
Visual Studio 2012 removed the traditional setup project type. However, due to user feedback, an MSI setup project type was made available as a free extension starting with Visual Studio 2013. WiX is one of a set of recommended alternatives.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hodges |first=Buck |date=17 March 2011 |title=Visual Studio setup projects (vdproj) will not ship with future versions of VS |url=https://devblogs.microsoft.com/buckh/visual-studio-setup-projects-vdproj-will-not-ship-with-future-versions-of-vs/ |access-date= 22 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Visual Studio Installer Projects Extension|url=https://devblogs.microsoft.com/visualstudio/visual-studio-installer-projects-extension/}}</ref>
==Functions== WiX is a toolset designed to build Windows Installer (.msi) packages using the command line.<ref name=":1" /> It comes with the following tools:<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Johnson |first=Bruce |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wjcKAwAAQBAJ&dq=Windows+Installer+XML+Toolset&pg=PA961 |title=Professional Visual Studio 2013 |date=2014-03-05 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-1-118-83205-9 |language=en}}</ref>
* Candle: compiles source files into object files * Light: combines object files into a .msi file * Lit: creates libraries that can be linked by Light.exe * Dark: decompiles a .msi file into WiX code * Heat: creates a WiX source file * Pyro: creates Patch files (.msp) without needing the Windows Installer SDK * Burn: coordinates dependency installer
==See also== {{Portal|Free and open-source software}} *List of installation software *Shared Source Initiative
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== *{{Official website}} *[http://osdir.com/Article380.phtml Interview with Rob Mensching of Microsoft's WiX Project]
{{Microsoft FOSS}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wix}} Category:Free installation software Category:Free software programmed in C++ Category:Free software programmed in C Sharp Category:Free software projects Category:Microsoft development tools Category:Microsoft free software Category:Windows-only free software Category:XML-based standards Category:2004 software