Working with WiX Standard Bootstrapper Application

As described in the introduction to building installation package bundles, every bundle requires a bootstrapper application DLL to drive the Burn engine. Custom bootstrapper applications can be created but require the developer to write native or managed code. Therefore the WiX toolset provides a standard bootstrapper application that developers can use and customize in particular ways.

There are three variants of the WiX Standard Bootstrapper Application.

  1. WixStandardBootstrapperApplication.RtfLicense - the first variant displays the license in the welcome dialog similar to the WixUI Advanced.
  2. WixStandardBootstrapperApplication.HyperlinkLicense - the second variant provides an optional hyperlink to the license agreement on the welcome dialog providing a more modern and streamlined look.
  3. WixStandardBootstrapperApplication.Foundation - the final variant is blank and requires the developer to provide a theme file that can completely customize the look and feel

To include use the WiX Standard Bootstrapper Application, a <BootstrapperApplicationRef> element should reference one of the above identifiers. The following example uses the bootstrapper application that displays the license:

    <?xml version="1.0">
    <Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi">
      <Bundle>
        <BootstrapperApplicationRef Id="WixStandardBootstrapperApplication.RtfLicense" />
        <Chain>
        </Chain>
      </Bundle>
    </Wix>

When building the bundle, the WixBalExtension must be provided. If the above code was in a file called "example.wxs" the following steps would create an "example.exe" bundle:

    candle.exe example.wxs -ext WixBalExtension
    light.exe example.wixobj -ext WixBalExtension

The following topics provide information how to customize the WiX Standard Bootstrapper Application: