Stuck on implementing Windows Service

Question

hey guys, I've followed some tutorials online regarding creating and installing a windows service and seem to keep getting into a bind. I followed the tutorial here and it while it seems to be working, its not 100%. This is the code im using:

namespace SuperService
{
partial class Logger : ServiceBase
{
    public Logger()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
    }

    void timer1_Tick( object sender, EventArgs e )
    {
        LogEvent( "This Timer has been ticked!", EventLogEntryType.Information );
    }

    protected override void OnStart( string[] args )
    {
        timer1.Tick += new EventHandler( timer1_Tick );
        timer1.Start();
        LogEvent( "This SuperService has started!", EventLogEntryType.Information );
    }

    protected override void OnStop()
    {
        LogEvent( "This SuperService has stopped.", EventLogEntryType.Information );
    }

    protected override void OnPause()
    {
        base.OnPause();
        timer1.Stop();
    }

    protected override void OnContinue()
    {
        base.OnContinue();
        timer1.Start();
    }

    static void LogEvent( String Message, EventLogEntryType type )
    {
        String source = "Logger";
        String log = "Application";
        if (!EventLog.SourceExists( source ))
        {
            EventLog.CreateEventSource( source, log );
        }

        EventLog eLog = new EventLog();
        eLog.Source = source;

        eLog.WriteEntry( Message, type );
    }
}
}

Now when I check the Event Viewer after starting the service it shows the following two events:

This SuperService has started!

Service started successfully.

So it seems to be working somewhat, what I dont see is the event triggered by timer1_Tick. Does anyone know why or can point me in the right direction pls? Thanks in advance.

Where is the timer's interval set? Maybe in the designer? And what value does it have? — Marc Gravell, Aug 19 '10 at 20:45
60000 = 60 seconds. are you waiting that long? set it to something lower, like 1000 (1 second). — Derick Bailey, Aug 19 '10 at 20:49
Which type of timer is this?? There are at least 3 different `Timer` classes in .NET - I had the best experiences with `System.Timers.Timer` - both others had issues... — marc_s, Aug 19 '10 at 20:49
not sure really. i followed the tutorial posted. I dragged and dropped a timer in the design view from the toolbox, under the components tab. — Joey, Aug 19 '10 at 20:52

Rob · Answer 1 · 2010-08-19T21:37:13.723

As an aside, windows services are much easier with topshelf. Open source project that allows you to write your service as a console app/POCOs, but pick up install/uninstall/debug support from a "service container" that abstracts away all the glue.

myservice                                  (to run as console app for debugging)
myservice /install
myservice /uninstall
myservice /instance:{instance_name}

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited Mar 20 '14 at 17:05

1

Do you use System.Threading.Timer instead of the System.Windows.Forms.Timer ? The link of the tutorial you use have comments of user having the same issue and switching to System.Threading.Timer with success

for more information (taken from your link) : Problem with System.Timers.Timer not firing in a Windows service.

edited Mar 20 '14 at 17:05

aledpardo

761
9
19

answered Aug 19 '10 at 20:55

la mouette

71
1

you were right as I suspected. I changed up the code and it works now. thanks! – Joey Aug 20 '10 at 16:28

score 0 · Answer 3 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:48

Edit: Here is a SO answer covering the very thing I write about below.

Windows Service Stops Automatically

I believe Windows will stop a service if it "thinks" the service has nothing to do. I can't remember the exact underlying "API" that does this. I fought with it a few years back.

Is there something in your event log with the wording of: "Nothing for myservice to do. Terminating." Or some such message that conveys that verbiage?

Stuck on implementing Windows Service

3 Answers3