Cannot use variable for Icon (path to local .ico) in Control Panel or Shortcut window

[Philippe ALLAIN]

Following happens with a very simple installation:

Create a project with a single .exe file.

Create a variable called MyAppIcon that has value: ..\..\Commun\TCG-AIR\AIRC.ico
Variable name and value do not seem to matter anyway.

Create a shortcut and use $(var.MyAppIcon) as custom icon
and/or:
Use $(var.MyAppIcon) as Icon for the Control Panel

In this context, I run the build and get in the log window:
...
setup.wxs
...\setup.wxs(55) : error CNDL0014 : The Shortcut/@Icon attribute's value, 'i_0001.MyAppIcon)', is not a legal identifier. Identifiers may contain ASCII characters A-Z, a-z, digits, underscores (_), or periods (.). Every identifier must begin with either a letter or an underscore.
...\setup.wxs(59) : error CNDL0014 : The Icon/@Id attribute's value, 'i_0001.MyAppIcon)', is not a legal identifier. Identifiers may contain ASCII characters A-Z, a-z, digits, underscores (_), or periods (.). Every identifier must begin with either a letter or an underscore.
Error 4001: candle.exe returned 14

Seems that the variable name is badly manipulated : 'i_0001.MyAppIcon)' instead of 'MyAppIcon'

Everything seems Ok (to me) in project file.
I join project file and log file for analysis (took me some time to understand I need to ZIP the attachment to allow upload).

Just found a partial workaround:
use a variable called MyAppIconDir that has value: ..\..\Commun\TCG-AIR
and specify the file name where needed: $(var.MyAppIconDir)\AIRC.ico

Philippe

[Ulrich]

Indeed, what you are trying here does not work because the way and order the build constants are expanded and the project is compiled. However, you can do this differently. You can specify the path to the icon you wish to use with a relative path - relative meaning "in relation to the place where the project file is found". In my sample, I have placed the icon into a sub folder.

Change this:

to this:


Now, no matter where the source files can be found, the project will compile properly.

Ulrich