WiX x64 platform target

Question

When I create a WiX project and try to build it with the platform set to 'x64', I get errors in my build output like this:

------ Build started: Project: MyProject, Configuration: Release x64 ------
C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\Microsoft\WiX\v3.x\wix2010.targets(444,7): error : The OutputPath property is not set for this project.  Please check to make sure that you have specified a valid Configuration/Platform combination.  Configuration='Release'  Platform='x64'
Done building project "MyProject.wixproj" -- FAILED.
------ Build started: Project: MyProject, Configuration: Debug x64 ------
C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\Microsoft\WiX\v3.x\wix2010.targets(444,7): error : The OutputPath property is not set for this project.  Please check to make sure that you have specified a valid Configuration/Platform combination.  Configuration='Debug'  Platform='x64'
Done building project "MyProject.wixproj" -- FAILED.

It claims that there's no output path set for the project, but of course, there is. The output path is set to bin\x64\Debug\ for the debug configuration and bin\x64\Release\ for the release configuration. So what's the error?

Also, the error doesn't show up in the Errors window. Now, I know it's a rookie mistake to blame the compiler, but I'm beginning to wonder... Is this a build tool bug, or am I missing something stupid?

Markova

The interesting fact is that we've updated from v3.11.1.2318 to v3.11.2.4516 and ever since we can't build the setup file any more (Configuration: Release|x86). We have downgraded to the previous version and everything seems to be working fine again. Think there is a problem with the latest version of WIX. – Penates

Answer 1

If you open your .wixproj file in a text editor, you will see that your x64 configuration items are at the bottom of the file (below the import of the standard WiX build targets) and your x86 configuration is at the top (above the import). If you shift the XML for the x64 config so that it's adjacent to the x86 config, then you will find that your project builds properly for both platforms.

Nevermore

Yes, that was the problem. I moved the two PropertyGroup segments and now the x64 build works. +1 and accepted answer. So I guess this is a Votive issue, I'll update my bug report appropriately. – Markova

@TimLong, the bug, if i found the correct one, is now on GitHub, if you want to follow it there. – Liles

@TsahiAsher thanks for the link. I wonder what happened to the bug I filed in June 2011? I've had this problem with every WiX project I've ever created and always ended up having to directly edit the project file. – Markova

@TimLong the original bug on sourceforge was filed by anonymous, so I don't know if that was you or not. – Liles

End of 2017 and this fixed my stuff. Up-to-date VS 2017, up-to-date WIX, nice. – Regicide

The key for me was "above the import". I had already made sure the configuration items were together (because I'm nit-picky like that) but struggled with this for over an hour until I noticed that! – Maloney

Hi, thank for the tip... it has saved a lot of time. I also confirm that the issue is still present on 2020-02-13, and the 3.11.2.4516 version of the WixToolset – Geronto

Answer 2

I had the same issue. In my case, however, the wixproj file was not malformed, but the

<PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Release|x64' ">

was missing completely. Just made a copy of the x86 config, saved and all is good.

Tripalmitin

This appears to still be an issue in 3.9 R2. It appears that adding an x64 project platform through the standard Visual Studio configuration manager does not actually add the property groups to the project file. – Navarrete

And it's still doing that as of March 2017. – Markova

I'm experiencing this issue as well, and it's 2021! – Parik

Answer 3

First make sure you are using the latest version of the WiX toolset (v3.5 or current v3.6 drop). If this still reproduces there it sounds like a bug. Please do file it here: http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=105970&atid=642714

Vientiane

Thanks Rob, I'm using 3.5 but I will update to 3.6 and see if I can repro. If I can, I will file a bug. – Markova

Filing a bug - still happens in 3.6 – Markova

this bug is still a thing? Ran into this problem on a new project in WiX 3.11 – Melson

Jason, make sure your .wixproj is up to date with the latest templates – Vientiane

@Rob Mensching how do we obtain and install the latest templates? – Postfix

@Rob Mensching $5,000/yr for ten support tickets. Noice. – Postfix

@Postfix Don't forget the included code review and a two-hour phone consultation if you're talking about the current FireGiant Professional Service offering. Most of our FireGiant customers choose the Enterprise Support Program to build a long term relationship with us and help support the WiX Toolset's continued development. If you want free support, the mailing lists are always available and you can always open additional questions here on StackOverflow. – Vientiane

Answer 4

Warning: WiX can insert multiple instances of this in different <PropertyGroup>s:

    <DefineConstants>Foo=Bar</DefineConstants>
    <DefineConstants>Foo=</DefineConstants>

thus overriding the settings that you want. You need to carefully edit the .WIXPROJ file manually and look out for duplicates.

Postfix

Answer 5

As a note: we had the same issue ... for us the Wix project file was perfectly ok. For whatever reason Git still had outgoing changes in the queue, which had not been processed (on the local machine where we tried to build). Once those were pushed, the build went through without issue.

Conidiophore