Set 'Start Parameters' on Service Installation with .Net ServiceInstaller?

Question

I am currently writing a little windows service application and I can successfully in/uninstall it etc via something like this:

        serviceProcessInstall         


        

Answer 1

There is a managed way to add start parameters to a services (not in the "Start parameters"/"Startparameter" section of the management console (services.msc) but in "Path to executable"/"Pfad zur EXE-Datei" like all the windows' native services do).

Add the following code to your subclass of System.Configuration.Install.Installer: (in C#-friendly VB-Code)

'Just as sample
Private _CommandLineArgs As String() = New String() {"/Debug", "/LogSection:Hello World"}

''' 
Command line arguments without double-quotes.
Public Property CommandLineArgs() As String()
  Get
    Return _CommandLineArgs
  End Get
  Set(ByVal value As String())
    _CommandLineArgs = value
  End Set
End Property

Public Overrides Sub Install(ByVal aStateSaver As System.Collections.IDictionary)
  Dim myPath As String = GetPathToExecutable()
  Context.Parameters.Item("assemblypath") = myPath
  MyBase.Install(aStateSaver)
End Sub

Private Function GetPathToExecutable() As String
  'Format as something like 'MyService.exe" "/Test" "/LogSection:Hello World'
  'Hint: The base class (System.ServiceProcess.ServiceInstaller) adds simple-mindedly
  '      a double-quote around this string that's why we have to omit it here.
  Const myDelimiter As String = """ """ 'double-quote space double-quote
  Dim myResult As New StringBuilder(Context.Parameters.Item("assemblypath"))
  myResult.Append(myDelimiter)
  myResult.Append(Microsoft.VisualBasic.Strings.Join(CommandLineArgs, myDelimiter))
  Return myResult.ToString()
End Function

Have fun!

chha