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🔨 Steps To Build ObjectARX Wizards Installer

This guide will walk you through building the MSI installer for the ObjectARX Wizards.

📋 Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:

  1. Visual Studio 2019 or 2022 with C++ development tools
  2. WiX Toolset v3.14.0 - Download Here
  3. WiX Toolset Visual Studio Extension - Get from Marketplace

⚠️ Important: Make sure to install WiX v3.14.0 specifically, as newer versions may have compatibility issues.

🏗️ Build Process

Step 1: Setup Environment

  1. Install WiX Toolset

  2. Install Visual Studio Extension

Step 2: Open the Solution

  1. Navigate to the ObjectARXWizardsInstaller folder
  2. Open ObjectARXWizard.sln in Visual Studio

Step 3: Configure Projects

The solution contains two important projects:

1. ArxWizCustomAction

  • Custom action project for post-installation file manipulation
  • Configuration: Set to x86 (32-bit)

2. ObjectARXWizard

  • Main WiX installer project
  • Configuration: Set to x86 (32-bit)

⚠️ Critical: Both projects MUST be set to x86 architecture. The MSI engine uses a 32-bit custom action server, and using x64 will cause BadImageFormatException errors.

Step 4: Build the Solution

  1. Set Configuration:

    • Configuration: Release (or Debug for debugging)
    • Platform: x86

  2. Build:

    • Right-click the solution → Build Solution
    • Or use Ctrl+Shift+B

  3. Output:

    • The MSI installer will be generated in the bin folder
    • Look for ObjectARXWizards.msi

🐛 Debugging Custom Actions

Need to debug the installation process? Follow these steps:

Setup Debug Environment

  1. Open ArxWizCustomAction Project
  2. Change Configuration to Debug
  3. Notice the Debug Code: 
    #if DEBUG 
System.Diagnostics.Debugger.Launch(); 
#endif

Debug Process

  1. Build with Debug Configuration

  2. Run the MSI Installer

  3. Debugger Launch:

    • MSI will break at the custom action
    • Visual Studio "Just-In-Time" debugger will launch
    • Attach to the process and debug normally

  4. Source Code Access:

    • The debugger will automatically find your custom action source code
    • Set breakpoints and step through the code as needed

📁 Project Structure

ObjectARXWizardsInstaller/
├── ObjectARXWizard.sln          # Main solution file
├── ObjectARXWizard.wixproj       # WiX installer project
├── ArxWizCustomAction.csproj     # Custom action C# project
├── ObjectARXWizards.wxs          # WiX source file (main)
├── directory.wxi                 # Directory structure definitions
├── feature.wxi                   # Feature definitions
├── property.wxi                  # Property definitions
├── UI.wxi                        # User interface definitions
├── Binary/                       # Custom action binaries
└── temp/                         # Temporary build files

⚠️ Common Issues & Solutions

Build Errors

Issue Solution
BadImageFormatException Ensure both projects are set to x86 platform
WiX not found Install WiX Toolset v3.14.0 and restart VS
Custom action fails Check that custom action DLL is properly referenced
Missing dependencies Verify all ObjectARX wizard files are present

Installation Issues

  • Run as Administrator: Always install the MSI with administrator privileges
  • Visual Studio Restart: Restart Visual Studio after installation
  • Clear Cache: If wizards don't appear, see the Troubleshooting Guide

🎯 Next Steps

After successfully building:

  1. Test the MSI: Install on a clean machine to verify functionality
  2. Deploy: Distribute the MSI to users
  3. Documentation: Refer users to the main README.md for usage instructions

Need help? Check the Troubleshooting Guide for common installation issues!