Install same-named files to the same path in WiX, selecting only one version?

[EdwardCCW]

Question

I’m building an MSI with WiX Toolset and need to ship multiple versions of a version file coming from different directories (e.g. different SDK versions). The files have the same name and I want them to land in the same install directory, but only one version will be selected/installed at a time (mutually exclusive).
However, WiX build fails with errors like “Multiple primary references were found for Component …”, and MSI seems to treat them as the same file.
Is there a supported way in WiX/MSI to reference multiple same-named files and install only one of them into the same target path (like using Conditon)? Or is renaming/changing the directory the only valid solution?

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[robmen]

Yep, the Condition attribute is exactly what you want for this scenario.

[EdwardCCW]

<Wix xmlns="http://wixtoolset.org/schemas/v4/wxs"
	 xmlns:ui="http://wixtoolset.org/schemas/v4/wxs/ui">
  <Package UpgradeCode="{1ED362A6-D91F-4507-813E-01F0A08604CD}" Name="Package1" Manufacturer="Manufacturer" Version="1.0.0.0">
    
	<MajorUpgrade DowngradeErrorMessage="!(loc.DowngradeError)" />

	<UI>
		<ui:WixUI Id="WixUI_FeatureTree" InstallDirectory="INSTALLFOLDER"/>
	</UI>

	  <FeatureRef Id="Main"/>
	  <FeatureRef Id="options"/>
  </Package>

	<Fragment>
		<Feature Id="Main" Display="hidden"/>

		<Feature Id="options" Title="Options" Display="expand">
			<Feature Id="option_1" Title="Version 1" AllowAbsent="yes">
				<File Source="../lib/v1.0/version" Directory="INSTALLFOLDER" Condition=""/>
			</Feature>

			<Feature Id="option_2" Title="Version 2" AllowAbsent="yes">
				<File Source="../lib/v2.0/version" Directory="INSTALLFOLDER" Condition=""/>
			</Feature>

			<Feature Id="option_3" Title="Version 3" AllowAbsent="yes">
				<File Source="../lib/v3.0/version" Directory="INSTALLFOLDER" Condition=""/>
			</Feature>
		</Feature>
	</Fragment>
</Wix>

I have three user-selectable options in the feature tree (for example option_1, option_2, option_3) and each option should map to one API version.

If I include the files in the same name under multiple option features without conditions, the build fails with:

WIX0095: Multiple primary references were found for Component '...' in Feature 'option_2' and Feature 'option_1'.

So I understand I need conditions to keep component ownership unambiguous.

My questions are:
How can I bind condition logic to UI selection? Is by Property/Feature level comparison?

I already reviewed parts of the documentation and some YouTube Dojo episodes, but I’m still unclear about the feasible solution.

[robmen]

In this case, because you are installing to the same file location, you need to give each File element a unique Id. Like Id='version1'. Mutually exclusive features aren't well supported in the Windows Installer. I might put the three files in the parent feature, then try to condition them using the FeatureState with the & and ! in the Condition. It'll probably end up really messy.