Shortcuts are not created using Wix4

[HubbaBob]

Hi all,

we have a project converted from Wix3 and a problem with the shortcuts and start menu folder. This worked flawlessly using v3. It builds and installs w/o error using v4, but the shortcuts and folder are simply not created:

<StandardDirectory Id="ProgramMenuFolder">
    <Directory Id="ApplicationStartMenuFolder" Name="$(Manufacturer)" />
</StandardDirectory>

<DirectoryRef Id="ApplicationStartMenuFolder">
    <Component Id="ApplicationShortcut" Guid="*">
        <Shortcut Id="ApplicationStartMenuShortcut" Name="$(ProductName)" Description="$(Description)" Target="[ExeFileKey]" WorkingDirectory="INSTALLDIR" />
        <RemoveFolder Id="ApplicationStartMenuFolder" On="uninstall" />
        <RegistryValue Root="HKCU" Key="$(RegistryPath)" Name="$(ProductName)_installed" Type="integer" Value="1" KeyPath="yes" />
    </Component>
</DirectoryRef>

<StandardDirectory Id="DesktopFolder">
    <Component Id="ApplicationDeskShortcut" Guid="*">
        <Shortcut Id="ApplicationDesktopShortcut" Name="$(ProductName)" Description="$(Description)" Target="[ExeFileKey]" WorkingDirectory="INSTALLDIR" />
        <RegistryValue Root="HKCU" Key="$(RegistryPath)" Name="installed" Type="integer" Value="1" KeyPath="yes" />
    </Component>
</StandardDirectory>

<Feature Id="Complete" Level="1">
    <ComponentGroupRef Id="ProgramGroup" />
    <ComponentGroupRef Id="HelpGroup" />
    <ComponentRef Id="ApplicationShortcut" />
    <ComponentRef Id="ApplicationDeskShortcut" />
</Feature>

There are nor errors in the log, the ShortcutCreate op is simply not executed/skipped in v4. In addition the Manufacturer subfolder in the ProgramMenuFolder is also not created in v4.
Here are the logs:

Working v3:

Action 12:35:11: CreateShortcuts. Creating shortcuts
MSI (s) (14:04) [12:35:11:683]: Executing op: SetTargetFolder(Folder=23\ACME\)
MSI (s) (14:04) [12:35:11:683]: SHELL32::SHGetFolderPath returned: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
MSI (s) (14:04) [12:35:11:683]: Executing op: ShortcutCreate(Name=0cxtmgyk|LicensingTool,,,FileName=C:\Program Files (x86)\ACME\LicensingTool\LicensingTool.exe,,WorkingDir=C:\Program Files (x86)\ACME\LicensingTool\,,,,,Description=LicensingTool,,,,)
CreateShortcuts: Shortcut: 0cxtmgyk|LicensingTool
MSI (s) (14:04) [12:35:11:698]: Note: 1: 2318 2: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ACME\LicensingTool.lnk 
MSI (s) (14:04) [12:35:11:714]: Executing op: SetTargetFolder(Folder=25)
MSI (s) (14:04) [12:35:11:714]: SHELL32::SHGetFolderPath returned: C:\Users\Public\Desktop
MSI (s) (14:04) [12:35:11:714]: Executing op: ShortcutCreate(Name=o3r7rjp7|LicensingTool,,,FileName=C:\Program Files (x86)\ACME\LicensingTool\LicensingTool.exe,,WorkingDir=C:\Program Files (x86)\ACME\LicensingTool\,,,,,Description=LicensingTool,,,,)
CreateShortcuts: Shortcut: o3r7rjp7|LicensingTool

Not working v4:

Action 10:44:05: CreateShortcuts. Creating shortcuts
MSI (s) (BC:EC) [10:44:05:160]: Executing op: SetTargetFolder(Folder=23\ACME\)
MSI (s) (BC:EC) [10:44:05:160]: SHELL32::SHGetFolderPath returned: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
MSI (s) (BC:EC) [10:44:05:160]: Executing op: SetTargetFolder(Folder=25)
MSI (s) (BC:EC) [10:44:05:160]: SHELL32::SHGetFolderPath returned: C:\Users\Public\Desktop

Maybe someone has an idea. There is discussion #7808 with a similar problem, could this be an issue in v4?

Thx!

[robmen]

It appears the Components with shortcuts are not being installed. You'll want to check the install states to see why they are now being skipped.

[HubbaBob]

Thx Rob,

it seems the components are being installed, the registry keys inside are written. However the log shows some weird uninstall(?) at the end:

MSI (s) (A8:9C) [18:10:48:463]: Component: ApplicationShortcut; Installed: Absent;   Request: Local;   Action: Local
MSI (s) (A8:9C) [18:10:48:463]: Component: ApplicationDeskShortcut; Installed: Absent;   Request: Local;   Action: Local
...
MSI (s) (A8:9C) [18:10:48:463]: Component: __ApplicationShortcut65; Installed: Null;   Request: Local;   Action: Local
MSI (s) (A8:9C) [18:10:48:463]: Component: __ApplicationDeskShortcut65; Installed: Null;   Request: Local;   Action: Local

I have no idea what's causing this...

[HubbaBob]

Solved, Did some more testing and it turns out the target ExeFileKey which points to a harvested file did not resolve correctly.