Can't use extensions assembly built from Netfx.wixext repo with Candle.exe

[MSLukeWest]

I'm building the https://github.com/wixtoolset/Netfx.wixext repo (sync'd to master with no local changes) and trying to use the generated assembly WixToolset.Netfx.wixext.dll from the v4 version of Candle like so:

Candle.exe MyExample.wxs -"MyBuiltBinaryPath\WixToolset.Netfx.wixext.dll"

But this doesn't work. I've tried this with MyExample.wxs using Netfx.wixext in various ways (PropertyRef to "WIX_IS_NETFRAMEWORK_462_OR_LATER_INSTALLED", adding netfx:NativeImage element, etc.), all of which work as expected if I use WixNetFxExtension.dll from the 4.0 toolset.

This repo produces two versions of WixToolset.Netfx.wixext.dll, each of which fail differently:

1. Netfx.wixext\build\Release\netcoreapp3.1\WixToolset.Netfx.wixext.dll - If I use this one I get the same failure I'd get if I don't specify any extension. Something like "error CNDL0200 : The File element contains an unhandled extension element 'NativeImage'. Please ensure that the extension for elements in the 'http://wixtoolset.org/schemas/v4/wxs/netfx' namespace has been provided."
2. Netfx.wixext\build\Release\netstandard2.0\WixToolset.Netfx.wixext.dll - If I use this one I get a reflection exception:

candle.exe : error CNDL0001 : Unable to load one or more of the requested types. Retrieve the LoaderExceptions property for more information.

Exception Type: System.Reflection.ReflectionTypeLoadException

Stack Trace:
at System.Reflection.RuntimeModule.GetTypes(RuntimeModule module)
at System.Reflection.RuntimeModule.GetTypes()
at System.Reflection.Assembly.GetTypes()
at WixToolset.ExtensionManager.<>c__DisplayClass2_01.<Create>b__0(Assembly a) at System.Linq.Enumerable.<SelectManyIterator>d__172.MoveNext()
at System.Linq.Enumerable.WhereSelectEnumerableIterator2.MoveNext() at System.Collections.Generic.List1..ctor(IEnumerable1 collection) at System.Linq.Enumerable.ToList[TSource](IEnumerable1 source)
at WixToolset.ExtensionManager.CreateT
at WixToolset.Tools.Candle.ParseCommandLineAndLoadExtensions(String[] args)
at WixToolset.Tools.Candle.Execute(String[] args)

Is there a special way that I need to build and/or consume the output of this repo?

• Which version of WiX are you building with?

4.0.0.5918

• Which version of Visual Studio are you building with (if any)?

VS 2019 Update 8

[rseanhall]

@MSLukeWest The WiX Toolset does not use GitHub issues for support. I have converted this issue into a discussion item, which is an experiment that we're trying out. Alternatively, you may want to ask your question on the wix-users mailing list or Stack Overflow.

candle.exe is v3.x. The Netfx.wixext repo is 4.x. You cannot use a 4.x extension with 3.x.

[robmen]

That version of v4 candle.exe is too old to use the .wixext from this repo. More specifically candle.exe was removed from v4 before that point in master.

You'll need wix.exe to experiment with the latest .wixexts

[MSLukeWest]

Thanks @rseanhall and @robmen for the replies. I'll make sure to use discussion items for questions from now on.

Can you point me to instructions for getting and using Wix.exe? I don't see it included in the latest version of the 4.0 toolset.

[rseanhall]

Until we release preview.0, the way to get wix.exe is to build it from source by running appveyor.cmd from the Tools repo.