JDK-8319457 : Update jpackage to support WiX v4 and v5 on Windows
  • Type: Enhancement
  • Component: tools
  • Sub-Component: jpackage
  • Affected Version: 17,21
  • Priority: P3
  • Status: Resolved
  • Resolution: Fixed
  • OS: generic
  • CPU: generic
  • Submitted: 2023-11-02
  • Updated: 2025-05-09
  • Resolved: 2024-06-12
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JDK 24
24 b02Fixed
Related Reports
Causes :  
JDK-8355651 - Issues with post-image hook
Relates :  
JDK-8347024 - JDK24 build2 release say jpackage works with WIX5 - it does not
Sub Tasks
JDK-8333572 :  
Update jpackage.md with info related to WiX v4 and v5 support - Resolved
JDK-8333576 :  
Release Note: jpackage Supports WiX Toolset v4 and v5 on Windows - Resolved
Description
A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
According to the jpackage user guide, WiX 3 "or later" is required to build exe and msi packages on Windows: https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/21/jpackage/packaging-overview.html#GUID-786E15C0-2CE7-4BDF-9B2F-AC1C57249134

WiX v3 documentation claims it is no longer actively maintained: https://wixtoolset.org/docs/wix3/

Here are instructions to install WiX v4: https://wixtoolset.org/docs/intro/

However, having WiX v4 installed (and not WiX v3) causes jpackage to fail. It claims it cannot locate certain tools (candle.exe and light.exe). It then says to install WiX v3 "or later" to fix the problem. But as mentioned, WiX v3 appears to be end-of-life. Installing WiX v3 also requires enabling an older version of .NET.

Please update jpackage to at least allow working with WiX v4 on Windows.
Comments
A pull request was submitted for review. Branch: master URL: https://git.openjdk.org/jdk/pull/19318 Date: 2024-05-20 21:14:09 +0000
26-04-2025
Changeset: ba67ad63 Author: Alexey Semenyuk <asemenyuk@openjdk.org> Date: 2024-06-12 13:37:03 +0000 URL: https://git.openjdk.org/jdk/commit/ba67ad63ae7d7d399e41ab258576123fb6d9502c
12-06-2024
Note that Wix5 has been released on April 5, 2024: https://wixtoolset.org/docs/releasenotes/ Not sure if it's worth considering supporting that as well. EDIT: I see on the review that has been discussed. It would make sense to update the synopsis of this bug to clarify that.
05-06-2024
This is targeted to JDK 24
04-06-2024
Set fix version to tbd, since there is an active PR under review and we are close to the fork.
04-06-2024
The risk of regression for this changeset is low but the cost of a regression is high with this change, so better not to risk, and hence re-target to JDK 24 in having full cycle of baking in mainline
28-05-2024
WiX4 also has different xml namespaces for .wxl and .wxs files. WiX3 sources must to be converted before using them with WiX4.
21-05-2024
Seems like in Wix 4 they reshuffled CLI. Instead of candle.exe and light.exe commands, they now have wix.exe command. It looks to be quite a big project to make jpackage work with Wix 4.
07-11-2023
this is pending evaluation
06-11-2023
I found something similar here - https://www.mail-archive.com/core-libs-dev@openjdk.org/msg20325.html
06-11-2023
RFE to support Wix 4 as Wix 3 is no longer actively maintained https://wixtoolset.org/docs/wix3/ Having WiX v4 installed causes jpackage to fail.
06-11-2023