Overriding name of reference directory with that of virtual directory in WiX IIS installer

Question

I created an installer for a website using wix. During installation name for virtual directory is accepted from the user. If user gives a different name other than the name of reference directory both virtual directory and reference directory is getting listed in the IIS, which I don't want. How to avoid this by overriding the name of reference directory with that of user given name for virtual directory during installation. All helps appreciated. Below is the code for the main wxs file I have used.

Thank you.

 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi"
  xmlns:iis="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/IIsExtension">
 <!-- The upgrade GUID ** DO NOT CHANGE!! **-->
 <?define ProductUpgradeCode="da7c5352-634c-408c-ad5c-5ff806106378"?>
  <!-- The product version. -->
 <?define InstallVersion="1.0.0.0"?>
 <?define DirName="C:\inetpub\wwwroot"?>
  <!-- It's aways a major upgrade here. -->
  <Product Id="*"
       Name="Basic Web App Install Example"
       Language="1033"
       Version="$(var.InstallVersion)"
       Manufacturer="John Robbins/Wintellect"
       UpgradeCode="$(var.ProductUpgradeCode)">
   <Package Id="*"
           Description="A simple web site installation"
         Comments="Just showing how it works."
         Manufacturer="John Robbins/Wintellect"
         InstallerVersion="300"
         Languages="1033"
         Compressed="yes"
         SummaryCodepage="1252"
         InstallPrivileges="elevated"/>


  <!-- Major upgrade checks. -->
  <MajorUpgrade Schedule="afterInstallInitialize"
              DowngradeErrorMessage="A later version of [ProductName] is already installed. Setup will now exit."/>

  <UIRef Id="WixUI_InstallWeb" />
  <Property Id="WIXUI_INSTALLDIR" Value="INSTALLDIR" />    
  <Property Id="_BrowseProperty" Value="INSTALLDIR" />
  <Property Id="WIXUI_VIRTUALDIR" Value="VIRTUALDIR" />
  <Property Id="VIRTUALDIR"><![CDATA[Staffbank]]></Property>    
  <!-- Check to see if IIS is installed. It it's not, error out. -->    
  <Property Id="IIS_MAJOR_VERSION">
  <RegistrySearch Id="CheckIISVersion" Root="HKLM" Key="SOFTWARE\Microsoft\InetStp" Name="MajorVersion" Type="raw" />
  </Property>

  <Condition Message="IIS must be installed">
  Installed OR IIS_MAJOR_VERSION
  </Condition>

  <!-- Go find the IIS root directory from the registry. On most machines
     that defaults to C:\inetpub\wwwroot. This will be the directory we 
     install into. -->
<Property Id="IISROOT">
  <RegistrySearch Id="IISROOT"
                  Type="directory"
                  Root="HKLM"
                  Key="Software\Microsoft\InetStp"
                  Name="PathWWWRoot" />
   </Property>

    <Condition Message="IIS does not appear to be installed correctly, the root directory is not set.">
  Installed OR IISROOT
    </Condition>

   <!-- Describe the media source (you always have to have this) -->
   < Media Id="1" Cabinet="media1.cab" EmbedCab="yes" />

   <!-- The root of life for any installer. -->
   <Directory Id='TARGETDIR' Name='SourceDir'>
    <!-- Install into the ISS root directory we found earlier. -->
    <Directory Id="IISROOT" Name='WebDir'>
    <!-- Here's this installers install location. -->
    <Directory Id='INSTALLDIR' Name='Staffbank'></Directory>
    </Directory>
  </Directory>
   <DirectoryRef Id='INSTALLDIR' >          
      <!--Creating the webpool for our site-->

      <Component Id="MyWebAppPoolCmp" Guid="{98da0c81-999d-4de8-bb8e-4e9a61ae31e5}" KeyPath="yes" Permanent="yes">            
        <iis:WebAppPool Id="MyWebAppPool" Name="ASP.NET v4.0"></iis:WebAppPool>
      </Component>
      <!-- The component to define the Virtual Directory.-->
      <Component Id="WebVirtualDirComponent"
                 Guid="D814F88F-6E0C-4365-A411-2F9807522C3D">
        <!-- The virtual directory we are installing. -->
        <!-- The Alias attribute is the name thata will be put into IIS.-->
        <!-- The Directory attribute is the "Physical Path" property in
              IIS and needs to tie to an ID specified in the setup. -->
        <!-- The WebSite attribute ties to a <WebSite> element in the 
             setup file. As this is an example of installing into the 
             "Default Web Site" that element is not under a component.-->
        <iis:WebVirtualDir Id="VDir"
                           Alias="[VIRTUALDIR]"
                           Directory="INSTALLDIR"
                           WebSite="DefaultWebSite">
          <!-- Turn the Virtual Directory into a web application. -->
          <iis:WebApplication Id="TestWebApplication"
                              Name="[VIRTUALDIR]" WebAppPool ="MyWebAppPool" />
        </iis:WebVirtualDir>
        <!-- This is pretty important. If the CreateFolder isn't there the
             WebVirtualDir won't get created as there's no files in this
             component.
             http://www.mail-archive.com/wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net/msg03483.html -->
        <CreateFolder/>
      </Component>
    </DirectoryRef>

  <!-- Because I want to show an example of installing a web site under an 
     existing web site, "Default Web Site", you have to keep this element
     outside of a component. See the WiX documentation: 
     http://wix.sourceforge.net/manual-wix3/iis_xsd_website.htm. 
     Basically, outside a component means it's a locator/searching. Inside
     a component means it's a creator. -->
  <iis:WebSite Id='DefaultWebSite'
             Description='Default Web Site'                 
             Directory='INSTALLDIR'>
    <!-- This element has to be here or WiX does not compile. It's ignored
       in this case. -->
    <iis:WebAddress Id="AllUnassigned" Port="80" />
  </iis:WebSite>



<Feature Id='TestProductFeature' Title='Wix File Product Feature' Level='1'>
  <ComponentRef Id="MyWebAppPoolCmp"/>
  <ComponentRef Id='WebVirtualDirComponent' />
  <ComponentGroupRef Id='BASICWEBAPPFILES'/>
   </Feature>
  </Product>
 </Wix>

Answer 1

I could solve this issue by passing the name of installdir with '.' and then using setdirectory to dynamically set the name of the installdir. While compiling, if the name is passed as '.' then the compiler just ignores it for the mean time and then if we pass the installdir name later then that name will be set.

The installdir name should be passed as follows

      <Directory Id='INSTALLDIR'
               Name='.'>

The setdirectory is passed as follows. [VIRTUALDIR] is the name of virtual directory accepted from user while installation.

 <SetDirectory Id="INSTALLDIR" Sequence="execute" Value="[IISROOT][VIRTUALDIR]\">NOT   Installed</SetDirectory>`

Hope it helps somebody