How to include a configuration-dependent project output in WiX 3.6

Question

I'm wondering, how to include a configuration-dependent project output in WiX Setup Project? For example, let's look at Visual Studio solution with one .NET application and one Wix Setup Project.

I've added a reference to .NET app in Setup project and created component in setup source:

  <Component Guid="EB0CBC32-5AE5-41B3-A343-FEBE044AC30A">
    <File Source="$(var.MyApp.TargetPath)" KeyPath="yes"/>
  </Component>

So, I expect, that WiX will include a release version of MyApp in its release setup msi, and debug version in debug msi respectively. Otherwise, reference to the project output makes no sense for me.

But there's always debug version. What am I doing wrong?

UPDATE.

Here's candle's command prompt from VS output window:

------ Rebuild All started: Project: MySetup, Configuration: Release x86 ------
C:\Program Files\WiX Toolset v3.6\bin\candle.exe -d"DevEnvDir=C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Common7\IDE\" -dSolutionDir=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\ -dSolutionExt=.sln -dSolutionFileName=Wix_ProjectOutput.sln -dSolutionName=Wix_ProjectOutput -dSolutionPath=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\Wix_ProjectOutput.sln -dConfiguration=Release -dOutDir=..\Release\ -dPlatform=x86 -dProjectDir=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\MySetup\ -dProjectExt=.wixproj -dProjectFileName=MySetup.wixproj -dProjectName=MySetup -dProjectPath=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\MySetup\MySetup.wixproj -dTargetDir=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\Release\ -dTargetExt=.msi -dTargetFileName=MySetup.msi -dTargetName=MySetup -dTargetPath=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\Release\MySetup.msi -dMyApplication.Configuration=Debug -d"MyApplication.FullConfiguration=Debug|x86" -dMyApplication.Platform=x86 -dMyApplication.ProjectDir=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\MyApplication\ -dMyApplication.ProjectExt=.csproj -dMyApplication.ProjectFileName=MyApplication.csproj -dMyApplication.ProjectName=MyApplication -dMyApplication.ProjectPath=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\MyApplication\MyApplication.csproj -dMyApplication.TargetDir=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\Debug\ -dMyApplication.TargetExt=.exe -dMyApplication.TargetFileName=MyApplication.exe -dMyApplication.TargetName=MyApplication -dMyApplication.TargetPath=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\Debug\MyApplication.exe -out obj\Release\ -arch x86 Product.wxs

Why for the release build of MySetup was used debug configuration of MyApplication??

UPDATE 2.

And here's candle's command prompt, when using msbuild from command line:

%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\MsBuild.exe /verbosity:d /t:rebuild /fileLogger /p:Configuration=Release  Wix_ProjectOutput.sln 

In msbuild.log:

C:\Program Files\WiX Toolset v3.6\bin\candle.exe -d"DevEnvDir=Undefined if not building from within Visual Studio" -dSolutionDir=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\ -dSolutionExt=.sln -dSolutionFileName=Wix_ProjectOutput.sln -dSolutionName=Wix_ProjectOutput -dSolutionPath=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\Wix_ProjectOutput.sln -dConfiguration=Release -dOutDir=..\Release\ -dPlatform=x86 -dProjectDir=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\MySetup\ -dProjectExt=.wixproj -dProjectFileName=MySetup.wixproj -dProjectName=MySetup -dProjectPath=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\MySetup\MySetup.wixproj -dTargetDir=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\Release\ -dTargetExt=.msi -dTargetFileName=MySetup.msi -dTargetName=MySetup -dTargetPath=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\Release\MySetup.msi -dMyApplication.Configuration=Release -d"MyApplication.FullConfiguration=Release|x86" -dMyApplication.Platform=x86 -dMyApplication.ProjectDir=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\MyApplication\ -dMyApplication.ProjectExt=.csproj -dMyApplication.ProjectFileName=MyApplication.csproj -dMyApplication.ProjectName=MyApplication -dMyApplication.ProjectPath=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\MyApplication\MyApplication.csproj -dMyApplication.TargetDir=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\Release\ -dMyApplication.TargetExt=.exe -dMyApplication.TargetFileName=MyApplication.exe -dMyApplication.TargetName=MyApplication -dMyApplication.TargetPath=D:\Projects\Research\Wix_ProjectOutput\Release\MyApplication.exe -out obj\Release\ -arch x86 Product.wxs

So, under msbuild all is OK.

UPDATE 3.

Looks like WiX uses active build configuration (see combobox at VS toolbar).
I mean, if Debug is selected there, WiX projects will include debug output of referenced projects. If Release is selected, WiX projects will include release output.

This behavior isn't correct from my point of view. Debug installer must include debug output of referenced projects. Release installer - release output.

Posted bug here, but now it is closed without any explanation.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

You may use $(var.Configuration), which is set to solution configuration (Debug, Release, etc...):

<File Id="MyApp.exe" KeyPath="yes" Source="..\MyApp\$(var.Configuration)\MyApp.exe" />