MSI Factory

This dialog allows you to:

- Add new components to your installation.

- Edit the properties of existing components.

- Remove components.

- Set a component's key path.

- Add files and actions to components (and to the project).

- Organize files and actions into components.

- Remove files and actions from the components.

The tree view has all of the components at the root level. The files and actions that belong to each component appear as children of the component.

IMPORTANT NOTE: MSI Factory automatically creates and manages components for you. For example, when you add a file to your project, a new component is automatically created for it and it is automatically assigned to the component. The same goes for all actions that can belong to components. You should not generally need to use this dialog - and should do so only if you know what you are doing and why you are doing it. Haphazardly changing and re-organizing components can result in installation and build errors.

Common Tasks

Adding a New Component

Click the Add button and select Component from the menu. This will open the Component Properties dialog. Fill in your new component's settings and click OK.

Editing an Existing Component

You can edit a component's properties by doing any of the following:

- Select a component and click the Edit button.

- Double-click on a component.

- Right-click on a component and select Edit from the context menu.

- Select a component and press the space bar.

Doing any of the above will open the Component Properties dialog.

Adding New Files and Actions to a Component

You can add new files and actions to a component by doing any of the following:

- Select a component and click the Add button and then choose the item that you want to add.

- Right-click on a component and select Add from the context menu and then choose the item that you want to add.

It is important to note that you can also add, remove and edit files from MSI Factory's main screen and that you can add, remove and edit actions from their respective editors (under the Actions menu). The ability to add, edit and remove these items from this dialog is a convenience - it is not the only way to accomplish those tasks.

Editing an Existing File or Action Item

You can edit an item's properties by doing any of the following:

- Select a item and click the Edit button.

- Double-click on an item.

- Right-click on an item and select Edit from the context menu.

- Select an item and press the space bar.

Doing any of the above will open the Component Properties dialog.

Moving Existing Files and Actions to Different Components

You can move items between components by selecting them and then dragging and dropping them on the target component.

Removing an Item

To remove a component or one of its children from the tree:

- Select the item and click the Remove button.

- Select the item and press the Delete key.

- Right-click on the item and choose Remove from the context menu.

Remember that removing items from this dialog will completely remove them from your project.

Setting a Component's Key Path

To set a file or registry value as the component's key path, right click on the file or Add Registry Value item and choose "Set As Key Path". To set the component's directory as its key path, right click on the component itself and choose "Set As Key Path".

More Information

MSDN Online: Defining Installer Components

MSDN Online: Organizing Applications into Components

MSDN Online: What happens if the component rules are broken?

MSDN Online: Windows Installer Components

BLOG: Windows Installer Components Introduction

WiX Help File: Component Element

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