There is one big gotcha when comparing the ServiceInstaller class in .NET with ServiceInstall in WiX. The ServiceInstaller actually does two things: - Creates the Windows service in the Service Control Manager (SCM) - Creates an event source associated with the application event log for the service to write messages to
As such, ServiceInstall only takes care of 1/2 of the required tasks. To create the event source, you could either use the new support for that in WiX 3 that Bob added last year or just write the appropriate registry entries manually using <Registry>. However, it is totally possible to install a Windows service implemented in .NET using ServiceInstall. There is nothing particularly fancy that the ServiceInstaller class does that ServiceInstall doesn't do from the actual SCM perspective. If there are any installer classes defined in the assemblies that get installed with the service, those basically just would not get used in the WiX-based deployment. As many of us have been suggesting, that is a good thing, as those are best avoided when there are better alternatives. :) I hope that's helpful. Joe K. ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Vottero" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net> Sent: Friday, April 06, 2007 3:02 PM Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Installing .NET Services I would use the WiX <ServiceInstall>. It's easier and more reliable than trying to call the Installer class. You can leave the Installer based class in the code if you want. From: Don Tasanasanta [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, April 06, 2007 3:00 PM To: John Vottero; Kevin Burton; Rob Mensching; BULL, Dave, GBM; wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: RE: [WiX-users] Installing .NET Services So what is the correct way to handle situations like this? Let's say there's a .net service that needs installing but has Installer based classes. How should the install handle this? ________________________________ From: John Vottero [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 9:57 AM To: Kevin Burton; Don Tasanasanta; Rob Mensching; BULL, Dave, GBM; wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: RE: [WiX-users] Installing .NET Services Correct. Neither WiX's <ServiceInstall> nor SC CREATE need or use the Installer class. But, they can both install .NET based services whether the service has an Installer based class or not. From: Kevin Burton [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 12:54 PM To: John Vottero; 'Don Tasanasanta'; 'Rob Mensching'; 'BULL, Dave, GBM'; wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: RE: [WiX-users] Installing .NET Services The problem is that none if the "Installer" methods or events are getting called. With InstallUtil the methods and events associated with the Installer base class are call. With <ServiceInstall> they are not. I would assume that SC_CREATE would also not call the Installer base class methods. From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of John Vottero Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 11:41 AM To: Don Tasanasanta; Rob Mensching; BULL, Dave, GBM; wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Installing .NET Services I don't think there's a difference between installing a .NET service vs . a "regular" service so, ServiceInstall doesn't need to detect anything. Can you install your service with SC CREATE? The InstallUtil.exe doesn't know a service from a hole in the ground. All it does is look for classes that have the RunInstaller attribute and it calls the right methods (depending on the command line switches). Was your service already installed the first time that you tried to install it via WiX? I'm not sure what Windows Installer does if a service is already installed when it thinks it's installing for the first time. From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Don Tasanasanta Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 12:28 PM To: Rob Mensching; BULL, Dave, GBM; wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Installing .NET Services How does ServiceInstall detect that you're installing a .net service as opposed to a "regular" service? I'm experiencing difficulties installing a .net service using ServiceInstall. The service is there but doesn't seem to be registering properly. How does ServiceInstall work compared to the .net utility InstallUtil.exe? ________________________________ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Rob Mensching Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 8:12 AM To: BULL, Dave, GBM; wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Installing .NET Services ServiceInstall should just work. From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of BULL, Dave, GBM Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 5:52 AM To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: [WiX-users] Installing .NET Services Hi Wix people I am having problems installing a windows service written in .NET. I am using wix 3.0.2128.0. I have successfully managed to install services written in unmanaged C++ using the ServiceInstall tag, but this doesn't seem to work for my .NET component. Do I have to use the method which is mentioned here: http://installneo.blogspot.com/2004/09/installing-windows-services-creat ed.html ? ... or should the ServiceInstall tag work? Dave ************************************************************************ *********** The Royal Bank of Scotland plc. Registered in Scotland No 90312. Registered Office: 36 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2YB. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority This e-mail message is confidential and for use by the addressee only. 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