[wix-users] What is "bind" time? (Was: Re: Empty WixVariable)

[Rob Mensching]

Link does not produce a package. Link produces a single section (merged from the referenced fragments). Bind takes that single section and collects all the “physical content information” (files on disk) to produce a package.

For example: file size, version and hashes are not available until bind.

Another way to think about it. Preprocess, candle, light are fast (working with memory for most part). Bind is slow (working with disk for most part).

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From: Edwin Castro [mailto:egcastr at gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, January 8, 2018 11:47 AM
To: WiX Toolset Users Mailing List <wix-users at lists.wixtoolset.org>
Cc: Rob Mensching <rob at firegiant.com>
Subject: What is "bind" time? (Was: Re: [wix-users] Empty WixVariable)

On Mon, Jan 8, 2018 at 10:42 AM, Rob Mensching via wix-users <wix-users at lists.wixtoolset.org<mailto:wix-users at lists.wixtoolset.org>> wrote:
WixVariables are a "bind" time thing not "compile" time thing. <smile/>

build = preprocess + compile + link + bind


This isn't the first time I've heard or read about "bind" time. I think I understand preprocess, compile, and link. I think preprocess and compile are done by candle.exe and I think that link and bind are done by light.exe. I thought link combined a number of referenced fragments to produce a package but if that is the case, then what is left to do in "bind"?

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Edwin G. Castro