WiX 5 Files not expanding project references correctly?

[ccruden-aspire]

I'm trying to convert over a WiX 4 project to WiX 5 using Files instead of harvesting with Heat and what I'm getting is not what I would have expected from using the documentation on project references (https://wixtoolset.org/docs/v3/votive/votive_project_references).

For instance, suppose I have a source tree that looks like
C:\

• source
  • MySolutionDirectory
    • Install
    • MyProject

with a VS MySolution.sln file in the MySolutionDirectory directory, a .csproj building MyProject.exe in the MyProject directory, and a WiX 5 Install.wixproj in the Install directory. If I have

<Files Include="$(var.MyProject.TargetDir)**"/>

in my .wxs file. This is generating the error

warning WIX8601: Missing directory for harvesting files: Could not find a part of the path 'C:\source\MySolutionDirectory\Install\MySolution\MyProject

I would have expected that this would instead search the directory C:\source\MySolutionDirectory\MyProject\bin\Release\ and all its subdirectories for files to include.... I don't think the project references are incorrect because there are File directives elsewhere in the .wxs file which seem to work correctly, something like:

<File Id="MyProjectExe" Source="$(var.MyProject.TargetPath)" Name="$(var.MyProject.TargetFileName)" KeyPath="yes"/>

Am I doing something wrong with the Files directive?

As an additional problem, the name of one of the projects the Install.wixproj references has a . in it (something like MyOtherProject.Something). When I try to reference that project's target directory using

<Files Include="$(var.MyOtherProject.Something.TargetDir)**"/>

the error I get changes to read

warning WIX8601:... Could not find a part of the path 'C:\source\MySolutionDirectory\Install\MySolution\MyOtherProject

The .Something is left off entirely...

[ccruden-aspire]

If it helps any, the project reference entries in the .wixproj file look something like:
<ProjectReference Include="..\MyProject\MyProject.csproj"/>
<ProjectReference Include="..\MyOtherProject.Something\MyOtherProject.Something.csproj"/>

[ccruden-aspire]

Probably also worth mentioning that if I replace $(var.MyProject.TargetDir) with the actual path to the files, everything works fine.

[barnson]

This works for me, from a simple .sln with one .csproj and one .wixproj:

<Wix xmlns="http://wixtoolset.org/schemas/v4/wxs">
  <Package Name="Package1" Manufacturer="TODO Manufacturer" Version="1.0.0.0" UpgradeCode="310a7b02-d393-4f22-b5da-7818c6f253b1">
    <Files Include="$(var.ConsoleApp1.TargetDir)**" />
  </Package>
</Wix>

You can also use bind paths:

<ProjectReference Include="..\ConsoleApp1\ConsoleApp1.csproj" BindName="app" />
...
<Files Include="!(bindpath.app)**" />\

[ccruden-aspire]

Looks like part of what I thought I'd excluded from being relevant was in fact relevant....
I had

<Files Include="$(var.MyProject.TargetDir)**">
  <Exclude Files="**\*.pdb"/>
</Files>

Thought I'd excluded the Exclude from being responsible, but it turns out it was. Replaced it with
<Exclude Files="$(var.MyProject.TargetDir)**.pdb"/>
and things started working.

To be slightly nitpicky, the warning message's line number indicated the Files entry was at fault, not the Exclude, but perhaps that's unavoidable...