Wix V4 or V5 - .NET framework 4.x install with msi

[sampathy10]

I built msi installer using Wix V5. Now i am trying to install downloaded .net framework 4.8 runtime in the target machine if it is not available.
I tried to use bundle, but the installer GUI is belongs to bundle but not msi setup. I wanted to use MSI install GUI as primary and install .net runtime as dependent. I could not find enough documentation online to achieve this. Sample working code for my scenario using Wix 5 will be great help.

[bevanweiss]

The Windows Installer system has some locks around MSI installers. Only one is supposed to be active at a time, so using the MSI to install something which is potentially itself an MSI isn't advisable.

The Bundle is the right way.
https://wixtoolset.org/docs/tools/wixext/dotnet/

You should just be able to have another wxs file for your bundle, with appropriate .NET reference for the version you want to install in the chain

... stuff for the bundle description, upgrade code, version etc
<Chain>
  <!-- Our BA needs .NET 4.8, so make sure to include that as a prereq! -->
  <PackageGroupRef Id="NetFx48RedistAsPrereq" />
  <MsiPackage .... />
</Chain>

[sampathy10]

Thank you for the response. When msi package (actual application) has various dialogs that are not displayed using bundle. Is there a solution to keep the actual application dialogs? like custom features, installation folder dialogs etc.
or
Can msi include .net runtime install as pre-requisite so that i can retain msi dialogs? Sample code using wix 5 will be helpful.

[bevanweiss]

You’ll want to look under the Bundle and MsiPackage schema.
But yes it can.