Create Windows Services in C# | Using Threading

In this article we discussed how to create a Windows Service in C# using Visual Studio and install.

In this example we gonna see in every 1 minute interval the custom text is printed.

What is a Windows Service?

Windows service is a computer program that runs in the background to execute some tasks. Some examples of Windows services are auto update of Windows, check emails, print documents, SQL Server agent, file and folder scanning and indexing and so on. If you open your Task Manager and click on Services tab, you will see hundreds of services running on your machine. You can also see the statuses of these services. Some services are running, some have paused, and some have stopped. You can start, stop, and pause a service from here by right click on the service.

To open Windows Service search "services.msc". You can see the below like pre-installed service

So Let's create Windows Service in C# and installed in the system, after installed you can find the our service in above.

Step-1: Open VS 2017 >> File New Project >> Under Windows Desktop choose WINDOWS Service

Step-2: After creating the service the application look like below;

  (i) Open the "App.config" file and add the Schedule Key interval as below;

<add key="ThreadSleepTimeInMin" value="1"/>

 (ii) The "Programm.cs" file is main entry point and you can see it call the Service class.

static class Program  
   {  
     /// <summary>  
     /// The main entry point for the application.  
     /// </summary>  
     static void Main()  
     {  
       ServiceBase[] ServicesToRun;  
       ServicesToRun = new ServiceBase[]  
       {  
         new Service1()  
       };  
       ServiceBase.Run(ServicesToRun);  
     }  
   }  

(iii) Open the "Service1.cs" file and access the "key" and declare a variable.

int ScheduleInterval = Convert.ToInt32(ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings["ThreadSleepTimeInMin"]);
public Thread worker = null;

We call the task in Onstart() method and create the called method that save text data into notepad in every 1 minute interval.

protected override void OnStart(string[] args)  
     {  
       try  
       {  
         ThreadStart start = new ThreadStart(Working);  
         worker = new Thread(start);  
         worker.Start();  
       }  
       catch (Exception)  
       {  
         throw;  
       }  
     }  
     public void Working()  
     {  
       while (true)  
       {  
         string path = "C:\\Sample.txt";  
         using (StreamWriter writer = new StreamWriter(path, true))  
         {  
           writer.WriteLine(string.Format("Windows Service Called on " + DateTime.Now.ToString("dd /MM/yyyy hh:mm:ss tt")));  
           writer.Close();  
         }  
         Thread.Sleep(ScheduleInterval * 60 * 1000);  
       }  
     }  

You can see we use Threading that enable to call the service on a thread. The Onstart() method call the Working() and the working method save the raw text in C/drive. Thread.Sleep(ScheduleInterval * 60 * 1000) is responsible for call the service in 1 minute each interval.
Step-3: Now run the application and you can see the application is showing cannot start the service in command line. So there is a point how to debug our application.

To debug the application change in Program.cs file and add the require method on Service1.cs.

static class Program
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// The main entry point for the application.
        /// </summary>
        static void Main()
        {
            Service1 service = new Service1();
            service.onDebug();

            //ServiceBase[] ServicesToRun;
            //ServicesToRun = new ServiceBase[]
            //{
            //    new Service1()
            //};
            //ServiceBase.Run(ServicesToRun);
        }
    }
// Add the method in Service1.cs, onDebug() that call Onstart()
 public void onDebug()
        {
            OnStart(null);
        }
// OnStop() is called when the service is abort.
   protected override void OnStop()
        {
            try
            {
                if ((worker != null) & worker.IsAlive)
                {
                    worker.Abort();
                }
            }
            catch (Exception)
            {

                throw;
            }
        }

Now run our application you can see it debug the file and print the text as expected.

But our motto is how to install the service and automated it run in background. So  To do this follow below.

How to Add an Installer to a Windows Service

Before you can run a Windows Service, you need to install the Installer, which registers it with the Service Control Manager.

Renamed the "ServiveInstaller1" to "CoreProgramm1"

Installing a Windows Service
(i)   Open command Prompt as Run as administrator
(ii)  Type below command in the command prompt and press ENTER.

cd C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319

(iii) Now Go to your project source folder >> bin >> Debug and copy the full path of your Windows Service exe file.

(iv) Open command prompt and fire the below command and press ENTER.
Syntax

InstallUtil.exe + Your copied path + \your service name + .exe path

InstallUtil.exe D:\JT\CoreProgramm\Blog\C#\WindowsService\WindowsService\bin\Debug\WindowsService.exe

You can see the Windows Service is installed successfully. Let's check the service on "Services.msc". To access this Press Window key + R >>Type services.msc.

Let's Start the service by clicking Start.

You can Stop/Restart the Service at any time.

Windows Service Output 
 The service will create a text file with the following text in it.

Uninstall Windows Service

Open command prompt and fire the below command and press ENTER.
Syntax

InstallUtil.exe -u + Your copied path + \your service name + .exe path

InstallUtil.exe -u D:\JT\CoreProgramm\Blog\C#\WindowsService\WindowsService\bin\Debug\WindowsService.exe

</> The Source Code is available in Github.com/CoreProgramm/

   Summary

     In this tutorial we discussed how to Create Windows Services in C# | Using Threading. If have any question related to this topic then give your feedback.