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when setup isn't just xcopy

WiX v2 status update.

About 3 months ago, I noted that I was focused on the drive to a WiX v2 toolset final release.  Back then we were staring down six to eight bugs.  Well, I'm happy to report those bugs are all gone but we still have three bugs open (yes, that means these are three new bugs).  One bug is a documentation issue that Bob insists I must fix (because the differences described in the bug are very, very subtle).  I believe I have my other bug fixed on my machine at work.  I just have to do a little more code clean up to get it checked in.  The last issue is a bit of a feature request but Bob is looking into to see if we should just try to slip it into WiX v2 or punt it to WiX v3.

Getting those three bugs taken care of would only leave this bug about multiple IIS Web Addresses for a single site as something I might consider fixing in WiX v2.  As you can see, the real bugs are still all in the CustomActions.  Fredrik says he's going to try to walk through the code and see if there are any other issues he can see via inspection.  Hopefully, we'll get these last couple issues all buttoned up in the next couple weeks.  I'm still very, very busy at work so I'm not making a lot of progress on my extracurricular projects.

I would love to have a final or near final build around the WiX v2 toolset's 3rd Open Source Anniversary on April 5th.  Seems like that'd be a really nice anniversary present.  Then Bob and I would be able to focus on WiX v3 with the others.

 

WiX online in Japan.

Last week was the MVP Summit.  At least I think it was last week.  Things have passed in quite a blur lately.  Anyway, I was visited by three MVPs from Japan who wanted to swing by to say "Hi" and have their picture taken with me (yes, the walls in my office are blue).  During their visit Tocchann (I hope I got the name right, I can't type in Japanese <smile/>) mentioned that he was a regular contributor to an online magazine in Japan where he discusses the WiX toolset.

So, if you're looking for more information about the WiX toolset but want the info in Japanese head on over there.  I'm, unfortunately, English bound here.

 

WiX Tricks: I love that logo.

A little while ago I blogged about the WiX toolset making an appearance in MSDN Magazine.  Yesterday, a friend of mine pointed me to the home page of MSDN.  It looked like this (still does at the time I'm writing this blog entry)

Wow, right there on the top of the front page of MSDN, "above the fold".  I especially love what someone (I don't know who) did with the WiX logo.  Melody Fosmore (Jenny's aunt) created the original WiX toolset logo for us and I think it looks great on that top hat.

I also get a kick out of the header "WiX Tricks".  I wonder if there is enough interest in the "WiX Tricks" if MSDN Magazine would consider publishing more articles under the "WiX Tricks" banner.  Hmm, now that would be totally cool.

 

A WiX Night at the Movies

I just got home from the movie theater.  Tonight several of the guys that regularly work on the WiX toolset (Joe, Peter, Mike, myself and Reid even showed up) skipped out early (21:50) on coding to see 300.  It is something of a tradition for teams at Microsoft to occasionally go out and do something as a "morale event".  300 seemed like a perfect movie to go see since it was pretty clear none of our significant others were interested in going.

300 is a stunning movie.  The battles are brutal but the presented panoramas are quite pretty.  The casting was awesome even if the script was a bit stilted.  Reviewers keep likening the movie to a video game which seems amazingly apropos since I first saw the trailer on my 360.

In honor of skipping out on doing much work tonight, I'm going to solely blog about the WiX toolset before I head to bed.  That's about two to three hours of blogging coming your way starting now.