Installing a Windows Service with dependencies

Question

Hi all,

My installer program doesn't suppport installing services but I can run a program/command line etc so my question is how can I install a Windows Service and add 2 dependencies using the command line? The program is a .Net 2.0 app.

Thanks

Answer 1

You can write a self-installing service and have it set a list of services your service depends on when the installer is executed.

Basic steps:

• Add a reference to System.Configuration.Install to your project.
• Add a class that derives from System.Configuration.Install.Installer and has the RunInstaller attribute applied.
• In its constructor create both a ServiceProcessInstaller and a ServiceInstaller object.
• On the ServiceInstaller object you mark all the dependencies you want/need with the ServicesDependedOn property.
• Add these two installers to the InstallersCollection your installer inherited from System.Configuration.Install.Installer
• done.

edit: forgot to mention that you can use e.g. Installutil.exe to invoke the installer.

[RunInstaller(true)]
public class MyServiceInstaller : Installer
{
    public MyServiceInstaller()
    {
     using ( ServiceProcessInstaller procInstaller=new ServiceProcessInstaller() ) {
      procInstaller.Account = ServiceAccount.LocalSystem;
      using ( ServiceInstaller installer=new ServiceInstaller() ) {
       installer.StartType = ServiceStartMode.Automatic;
       installer.ServiceName = "FooService";
       installer.DisplayName = "serves a lot of foo.";

       installer.ServicesDependedOn = new string [] { "CLIPBOOK" };
       this.Installers.Add(procInstaller);
       this.Installers.Add(installer);
      }
     }
    }
}

Answer 2

One method that's available is sc.exe. It allows you to install and control services from a command prompt. Here is an older article covering it's use. It does allow you to specify dependencies as well.

Take a look at the article for the sc create portion for what you need.

Answer 3

There is a dynamic installer project on codeproject that I have found useful for services installation, in general.

Answer 4

Visual Studio Setup/Deployment projects work for this. They are not the best installer engine, but they work fine for simple scenarios.