WiX4: Copy an entire directory without listing all files or using a tool like heat?

[danielchalmers]

In WiX4, is it possible to specify an entire directory to copy like you would a single file, without using any additional tools like heat?

[robmen]

No, not in v4.

[ChristianSauer]

Easiest way to do that is probaly a HarvestDirectory in your wixproj. That works stable for me.

 <HarvestDirectory Include="..\Release\Bla">
            <DirectoryRefId>INSTALLFOLDER</DirectoryRefId>
            <PreprocessorVariable>var.HarvestPath</PreprocessorVariable>
            <ComponentGroupName>BlaFiles</ComponentGroupName>
            <AutogenerateGuids>true</AutogenerateGuids>
            <SuppressRegistry>true</SuppressRegistry>
            <SuppressFragments>true</SuppressFragments>
            <SuppressCom>true</SuppressCom>
            <SuppressRootDirectory>true</SuppressRootDirectory>
        </HarvestDirectory>

[danielchalmers]

Love it, thank you!

[BryanCrotaz]

What does this bit do?
<PreprocessorVariable>var.HarvestPath</PreprocessorVariable>

That's not in the documentation example. (Trying to get HarvestDirectory to work and starting to clutch at straws).

[BryanCrotaz]

Adding

<SuppressFragments>true</SuppressFragments>
<SuppressCom>true</SuppressCom>

to my project makes it work on my dev machine, but it fails on the build server (github actions) saying it can't find the component group. Any thoughts @ChristianSauer ?

<Project Sdk="WixToolset.Sdk/4.0.2" TreatWarningsAsErrors="true">
  <PropertyGroup>
    <PreBuildEvent>
    </PreBuildEvent>
	  <HarvestDirectoryVerboseOutput>true</HarvestDirectoryVerboseOutput>
  </PropertyGroup>
	<ItemGroup>
		<HarvestDirectory Include="$(SolutionDir)AgentService\bin\Release\net7.0">
			<ComponentGroupName>AgentServiceFiles</ComponentGroupName>
			<DirectoryRefId>INSTALLFOLDER</DirectoryRefId>
			<SuppressRootDirectory>true</SuppressRootDirectory>
			<!-- dont know why but disabling harvesting registry keys makes HEAT5151 error go away here -->
			<SuppressRegistry>true</SuppressRegistry>
			<SuppressFragments>true</SuppressFragments>
			<SuppressCom>true</SuppressCom>
		</HarvestDirectory>

		<BindPath Include="$(SolutionDir)AgentService\bin\Release\net7.0" />
	</ItemGroup>
	<ItemGroup>
		<PackageReference Include="WixToolset.Heat" />
	</ItemGroup>
	<ItemGroup>
		<ProjectReference Include="$(SolutionDir)AgentService\AgentService.csproj" Publish="true" />
	</ItemGroup>
</Project>