Adding XML nodes with similar names using WiX

Question

We have a configuration file of the form:

<Container>
    <Item>
        <name>Text</name>
    </Item>
    <Item>
        <name>MoreText</name>
    <Item>
</Container>

and want to add more Item/Name nodes using XMLFile or XMLConfig. While I can add a new empty Item node, I can't select that node itself to add the required name subnode. I've tried using:

ElementPath="/Container/Item[\[]last()[\]]"

After creating the new Item node, but WiX fails to find it.

Have I gone completely off the wall?

Answer 1

Just guessing but the problem may be that the default selection language. IIRC, the old "XSLPattern" selection language is the default and does not support last() . XmlFile lets you set the language. Looks like an oversight on XmlConfig .

Answer 2

In the end I had to hard-code the various numbered s and use Sequence numbers to make sure the order is correct:

<util:XmlConfig Id="NewItem1" Action="create" File="[DIR]\Item.config" ElementPath="/Container" Name="Item" Node="element" On="install" Sequence="50" />
<util:XmlConfig Id="NewName1" Action="create" File="[DIR]\Item.config" ElementPath="/Container/Item[\[]2[\]]" Name="name" Value="MoreText1" Node="element" On="install" Sequence="51" />
<util:XmlConfig Id="CreatePRAlertEmailNode"  Action="create" File="[DIR]\Item.config" ElementPath="/Container" Name="Item" Node="element" On="install" Sequence="52" />
<util:XmlConfig Id="CreatePRAlertEmailName"  Action="create" File="[DIR]\Item.config" ElementPath="/Container/Item[\[]3[\]]" Name="name" Value="MoreText2"  Node="element" On="install" Sequence="53" />
<util:XmlConfig Id="CreatePRAlertRSSNode"    Action="create" File="[DIR]\Item.config" ElementPath="/Container" Name="Item" Node="element" On="install" Sequence="54" />
<util:XmlConfig Id="CreatePRAlertRSSName"    Action="create" File="[DIR]\Item.config" ElementPath="/Container/Item[\[]4[\]]" Name="name" Value="MoreText3"    Node="element" On="install" Sequence="55" />

It's not ideal and needs to changed if the endpoint changes, but it works for now.