Need Help <Files>

[lucamontin]

Hello,
Im new here and i really need your help.

I have a WPF project and my plan is to create an .msi installer for this application.
Im using VS code (i know VS is better but im stuck with vs code)

So today for like 8 hours i tried to code my .wxs file but slowly im getting worried i might be dumb.

After 5 hours i finally copied the .exe file into the right directory. But i then realised i also need all other files from the publish folder and subfolders not only the .exe, so i tried to code it in the .wxs but i have no clue how to achieve it.

I tried with Chatgpt (he is very bad with wix v.5), i looked up for youtube tutorials but found none that explain wix v.5 in detail.
So please help me.

This is my code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Wix xmlns="http://wixtoolset.org/schemas/v4/wxs">

    <Package InstallerVersion="500"  Name="NatzlaufwerkeAnbinden"  Version="1.0.0.0" Manufacturer="Test"> 
        
            <Directory Id="ProgramDataFolder" Name="ProgramData">
                <Directory Id="AxelSpringerFolder" Name="AxelSpringer">
                    <Directory Id="NetzLaufwerkeAppFolder" Name="NetzlaufwerkeApp">
                        <Component Id="ProductComponent" Guid="e99b5c72-1a98-4a16-8f68-fd57658e4d7e">
                            <File Id="MainExe" Source="..\bin\Release\net9.0-windows\win-x64\publish\NetzlaufwerkeAnbinden.exe" />
                            
                        </Component>
                        <ComponentGroup Id="assets"> 
                            <Files Subdirectory="assets" Include="..\bin\Release\net9.0-windows\win-x64\publish\**" />
                        </ComponentGroup>
                        
                        
                    </Directory>
                </Directory>
            </Directory>

        <Feature Id="ProductFeature" Title="NetzlaufwerkeAnbinden" Level="1">
            <ComponentRef Id="ProductComponent" />
            <ComponentGroupRef Id="assets"/>
            
        </Feature>

    </Package>

</Wix>

I know this wont compile becuase of the Component Group.
What im trying to do is to copy/install all files from the publish folder into the directory path i build above.

Is there a possibility to include the .cab and the wix.pdb files so i just have the one .msi file?

Thank you in advance.

[bevanweiss]

I would advise to not use ChatGPT. It won't help you learn, and will just end up with a wall of incorrect XML.

You should watch through Rob's Deployment Dojo series.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDlzbQXIs18slmqmdlS10_de_Cps-QRg6

[lucamontin]

Thank You the playlist is great!