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Debug Windows Service

Answer 1

+11 A:

i recommend following pattern for debug:

 var ServiceToRun = new SomeService(); 
 if (Environment.UserInteractive)
 {
    // This used to run the service as a console (development phase only)

    ServiceToRun.Start();

    Console.WriteLine("Press Enter to terminate ...");
    Console.ReadLine();

    ServiceToRun.DoStop();
 }
 else
 {
    ServiceBase.Run(ServiceToRun);
 }

Andrey 2010-04-13 13:11:07

Nice one pattern. Thnx. +1

Henri 2010-04-13 13:14:37

That is nice, I used to is a `#define X` and `#if X` to control run as a service versus running as a console app, this is definitely more elegant and cleaner. I wish I could vote it up a few more times.

vfilby 2010-04-13 13:20:26

Answer 2

+3 A:

you can debug it by attaching the debugger to the process. You can do this by either adding a line to the startup of your program:

Debugger.Launch ();

after adding the using statement:

using System.Diagnostics;

you will either need to put that in a conditional block or remove it when you are done debugging

or by running the service and then attaching to the process manually from the IDE: Debug->Attach to process..

Sam Holder 2010-04-13 13:13:42

Answer 3

A:

If your business layer is seperate from the windows service you can test all of your business functions outside of running the windows service.

To test the windows service I like to create a test project that is a console app and I start a new thread that runs my service.

System.Threading.Thread sftpThread = new System.Threading.Thread((ThreadStart)service1);
service1.Start();

Dan H 2010-04-13 13:17:42

Answer 4

A:

I recently added this to a project and it works great for me. You can debug it just like any other EXE. After it is added go to your project properties and add a command line parameter (/EXE) in the Debug tab for the Debug build configuration.

<MTAThread()> _
Shared Sub Main()

    '' 
    '' let's add a command line parameter so we can run this as a regular exe or as a service
    ''
    If Command().ToUpper() = "/EXE" Then
        Dim app As MyService = New MyService()

        app.OnStart(Nothing)
        Application.Run()
    Else
        Dim ServicesToRun() As System.ServiceProcess.ServiceBase

        ' More than one NT Service may run within the same process. To add
        ' another service to this process, change the following line to
        ' create a second service object. For example,
        '
        '   ServicesToRun = New System.ServiceProcess.ServiceBase () {New Service1, New MySecondUserService}
        '
        ServicesToRun = New System.ServiceProcess.ServiceBase() {New MyService}

        System.ServiceProcess.ServiceBase.Run(ServicesToRun)
    End If
End Sub

gbogumil 2010-04-13 13:18:14

Answer 5

A:

Assumptions:

1) You have the source code available in a Solution in the VS2008 IDE

How I Debug C# Services:

Install the Service using InstallUtil. (You seem like you've already done that)
(If Needed) Change the Service path to the MyService.exe that is produced in your Solution's bin folder
Put something like the following at the beginning of your Service's OnStart() method:

while(true)

{System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(500);}
Put a breakpoint on System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(500)
Build the Solution
Start your Service using the Windows Service Utility
While your Service is starting, in VS2008 goto Debug -> Attach To Processes...
Make sure Show Processes From All Users and Show Processes In All Sessions are checked
Find your MyService.exe in the list, and click Attach
You should now be at the breakpoint you inserted in the infinite loop
Drag the Control (Yellow Arrow) just outside the infinite loop
Debug away!

Disclaimer:

Remember to remove the infinite loop when you want to release a build, or when you simply want to run the service normally.

Onion-Knight 2010-04-13 13:58:25

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