#1126 Multiple Wix projects in same solution cause E_FAIL

[Brian]

With the latest weekly build (3829) when there is more than one Wix project in a solution, the second one fails to load and we receive the following messagebox:

Error HRESULT E_FAIL has been returned from a call to a COM component.

If one of the Wix projects is removed from the solution (either one) it seems to work fine. The previous Build 3815 worked fine with both projects in the solution.

[mesheets]

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I have observed a similar HRESULT E_FAIL issue with the 3829 weekly build. In my case, I have 3 WiX projects in the solution. The order in which the WiX projects are listed in the solution file does not appear to matter--I can manually change the order in a text editor, but it is always the same project that fails to load (this WiX project is "project referenced" by both of the other two projects).

Sometimes, I can manually unload the other WiX projects (after the solution loads) and then I can manually reload all 3 WiX projects successfully. Once Visual Studio is open, things seem to work fine (i.e. I can close that solution and then reload it again without error); however, if I close Visual Studio, I am back to square 1 with the HRESULT E_FAIL message.

Other times, no tricks seem to work, and the HRESULT E_FAIL message appears each time I try to load the last project.

I have not experienced this problem in the 3808 and other earlier builds.

[Markus Loibl]

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Hello,

I had the same problems, but it was not a problem of WixUIExtension! I had some subdirectories within my project:
After removing from the wixproj...

<itemgroup>
<folder include="NewFolder1\">
</folder></itemgroup>

... and after CLOSING COMPLETELY DevStudio (yes, just reload doesn't work!!) and reopening the solution, I could open it normally without E_FAIL!

I then just inserted my previously removed resources to the projects' root, and it works for me.

[Markus Loibl]

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Hi,

I just copied my comment from another problem, without editing it before. Sorry.
Of course, its no problem of WixUIExtension.
But you should check if one of your projects contains any subdirectories!

[AJ Shurts]

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I am seeing this same bug WITHOUT multiple projects in the same solution. My solution consists of only one WiX project and nothing else.

Microsoft (R) Windows Installer Xml Compiler version 3.0.3907.0
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation 2003. All rights reserved.

I am able to create a project and work on it, but as soon as I close it down and attempt to come back to it, this error occurs. If I create a new solution and attempt to add the existing project, I receive this error:
"This project object has been unloaded from the MSBuild engine and is no longer valid"

I am not using the WiXUIExtension:
<snip>
<itemgroup>
<wixextension include="WixUtilExtension">
<hintpath>C:\Program Files\Windows Installer XML v3\bin\WixUtilExtension.dll</hintpath>
</wixextension>
<wixextension include="WixSqlExtension">
<hintpath>C:\Program Files\Windows Installer XML v3\bin\WixSqlExtension.dll</hintpath>
</wixextension>
<wixextension include="WixIIsExtension">
<hintpath>C:\Program Files\Windows Installer XML v3\bin\WixIIsExtension.dll</hintpath>
</wixextension>
</itemgroup>
</snip>

[Anonymous]

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I’ve been able to further pin down the source and repro steps for generating the "Error HRESULT E_FAIL has been returned from a call to a COM component." issue when reopening a wix3 project using the current builds.

Repro path 1

1. file | new | WixProject | <anyname></anyname>
2. references | addReference | <anywixextension></anywixextension>
3. save solution, close and reopen
4. <project> | add | newFolder | <anyname></anyname></project>
5. save solution, close and reopen at which time bug repro’s

Repro path 2

1. file | new | WixProject | <anyname></anyname>
2. <project> | add | newFolder | <anyname></anyname></project>
3. save solution, close and reopen
4. <project> | references | addReference | <anywixextension></anywixextension></project>
5. save solution, close and reopen at which time bug repro’s

Work around 1
Open project file in notepad and remove all <wixextension…> entries then readd them with ide once project has successfully reopened. Removing <folder include…=""> entries would work as well but requires also removing </folder></wixextension…>

*.wixproj settings that will cause repro
<itemgroup>
<wixextension include="WixIIsExtension">
<hintpath>C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Installer XML v3\bin\WixIIsExtension.dll</hintpath>
</wixextension>
<compile include="WixProject1.wxs">
<folder include="NewFolder1\">
</folder></compile></itemgroup>

*.wixproj settings that will not cause repro
<itemgroup>
<wixextension include="WixIIsExtension">
<hintpath>C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Installer XML v3\bin\WixIIsExtension.dll</hintpath>
</wixextension>
<compile include="WixProject1.wxs">
</compile></itemgroup>

*.wixproj settings that will not cause repro
<itemgroup>
<compile include="WixProject1.wxs">
<folder include="NewFolder1\">
</folder></compile></itemgroup>

[mesheets]

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To follow up on my initial comment in light of more recent postings, I can confirm that the WiX project that was experiencing the E_FAIL error includes a subfolder as part of the project definition.

<itemgroup>
<folder include="Subfolder\">
</folder></itemgroup>

[Jason Ginchereau]

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This bug was fixed about a month ago.