This is a base service class (ServiceBase subclass) that can be subclassed to build a windows service that can be easily installed from the command line, without installutil.exe. This solution is derived from How to make a .NET Windows Service start right after the installation?, adding some code to get the service Type using the calling StackFrame
public abstract class InstallableServiceBase:ServiceBase
{
/// <summary>
/// returns Type of the calling service (subclass of InstallableServiceBase)
/// </summary>
/// <returns></returns>
protected static Type getMyType()
{
Type t = typeof(InstallableServiceBase);
MethodBase ret = MethodBase.GetCurrentMethod();
Type retType = null;
try
{
StackFrame[] frames = new StackTrace().GetFrames();
foreach (StackFrame x in frames)
{
ret = x.GetMethod();
Type t1 = ret.DeclaringType;
if (t1 != null && !t1.Equals(t) && !t1.IsSubclassOf(t))
{
break;
}
retType = t1;
}
}
catch
{
}
return retType;
}
/// <summary>
/// returns AssemblyInstaller for the calling service (subclass of InstallableServiceBase)
/// </summary>
/// <returns></returns>
protected static AssemblyInstaller GetInstaller()
{
Type t = getMyType();
AssemblyInstaller installer = new AssemblyInstaller(
t.Assembly, null);
installer.UseNewContext = true;
return installer;
}
private bool IsInstalled()
{
using (ServiceController controller =
new ServiceController(this.ServiceName))
{
try
{
ServiceControllerStatus status = controller.Status;
}
catch
{
return false;
}
return true;
}
}
private bool IsRunning()
{
using (ServiceController controller =
new ServiceController(this.ServiceName))
{
if (!this.IsInstalled()) return false;
return (controller.Status == ServiceControllerStatus.Running);
}
}
/// <summary>
/// protected method to be called by a public method within the real service
/// ie: in the real service
/// new internal void InstallService()
/// {
/// base.InstallService();
/// }
/// </summary>
protected void InstallService()
{
if (this.IsInstalled()) return;
try
{
using (AssemblyInstaller installer = GetInstaller())
{
IDictionary state = new Hashtable();
try
{
installer.Install(state);
installer.Commit(state);
}
catch
{
try
{
installer.Rollback(state);
}
catch { }
throw;
}
}
}
catch
{
throw;
}
}
/// <summary>
/// protected method to be called by a public method within the real service
/// ie: in the real service
/// new internal void UninstallService()
/// {
/// base.UninstallService();
/// }
/// </summary>
protected void UninstallService()
{
if (!this.IsInstalled()) return;
if (this.IsRunning()) {
this.StopService();
}
try
{
using (AssemblyInstaller installer = GetInstaller())
{
IDictionary state = new Hashtable();
try
{
installer.Uninstall(state);
}
catch
{
throw;
}
}
}
catch
{
throw;
}
}
private void StartService()
{
if (!this.IsInstalled()) return;
using (ServiceController controller =
new ServiceController(this.ServiceName))
{
try
{
if (controller.Status != ServiceControllerStatus.Running)
{
controller.Start();
controller.WaitForStatus(ServiceControllerStatus.Running,
TimeSpan.FromSeconds(10));
}
}
catch
{
throw;
}
}
}
private void StopService()
{
if (!this.IsInstalled()) return;
using (ServiceController controller =
new ServiceController(this.ServiceName))
{
try
{
if (controller.Status != ServiceControllerStatus.Stopped)
{
controller.Stop();
controller.WaitForStatus(ServiceControllerStatus.Stopped,
TimeSpan.FromSeconds(10));
}
}
catch
{
throw;
}
}
}
}
All you have to do is to implement two public/internal methods in your real service:
new internal void InstallService()
{
base.InstallService();
}
new internal void UninstallService()
{
base.UninstallService();
}
and then call them when you want to install the service:
static void Main(string[] args)
{
if (Environment.UserInteractive)
{
MyService s1 = new MyService();
if (args.Length == 1)
{
switch (args[0])
{
case "-install":
s1.InstallService();
break;
case "-uninstall":
s1.UninstallService();
break;
default:
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
}
}
else {
ServiceBase[] ServicesToRun;
ServicesToRun = new ServiceBase[]
{
new MyService()
};
ServiceBase.Run(MyService);
}
}