How to Work with Companion Files Using the <Files> Element in WiX v5+.

[SujalBirari]

Hi, I'm currently migrating to WiX Toolset v6 and have pretty much explored the new <Files> element introduced since Wix v5 to simplify file installations. However, I’m unclear on how to properly handle companion files in this setup.

In normal file installation using the <File> element we have an option to set the Companion Files using the CompanionFile attribute. In v5, with the declarative element, what’s the recommended approach to ensure these companion files are correctly picked up and installed with their associated primary files?

Any guidance or example snippet would be really appreciated.

[robmen]

Why are you using companion files? How many are you creating? What does your (resulting) .wxs code look like?

[SujalBirari]

We want to use because For example, if you have a configuration file that should always match the version of a specific DLL, you can set the DLL as the companion parent, and the configuration file will follow the DLL's versioning rules.
In v3 it was possible, but how to get this functionality in Wix v5 using the element.

[robmen]

Oh, so you only need to companion file a file or two? I thought you had hundreds of companion files (that sounded strange).

[SujalBirari]

Sorry I think I was not able frame my question properly.
Yes I want to harvest some hundred and few files from a folder where all those files are plain and unversioned files.
And I have a file which is versioned and I want all those unversioned files to have their version be dependent upon that single versioned file I have. (It may be picked from another location)
So I am stuck around at the point that I still can't find a way to achieve this functionality using Wix v5+, to be more specific using the Files element File Harvesting.
So I need to know if FireGiant has provided some workaround for this functionality also which was already present in Wix v3.
Though I am still a newbie in the Setup area but I am a little curious to know why did it sound strange to you having so much files being companion files?

[robmen]

Yeah, Files doesn't do that because it puts each file in its own Component, and companion files can't be keypaths of a Component. So, it doesn't make sense for Files to do anything with companion files.

Companion files are often used for configuration files, to make sure they get upgraded when a newer version is installed, even if the user modified them. It's strange to have hundreds of configuration files like that.

[SujalBirari]

Ok Really thanks for clearing the doubt. So it seems Files is not a way to move forward with Companion Files.
But can you please then tell me if there is any way that I can simplify my harvesting of such large no of files and also add the Companion behaviour to those files.
Just any guidance or direction to move froward would be very helpful.

[robmen]

Well, now I'm back to "Why?"

The example code you provided sets the companion files as key paths, and (as I mentioned above) the Windows Installer documentation says you must not do that. If you're currently using that example code, then I expect there is an ICE error complaining in your build.

Said another way: You're trying to do something invalid. Why do you expect the tools to make it that easy?