It is my first time to create a Windows Service and after read many articles on the internet, I made one by myself. It installs successfully, runs, but does not work as expected.
For example:
Inside of a Timer, I call the following code:
Public Sub WriteLog(log As String)
log = DateTime.Now.ToLongTimeString() & ", " & DateTime.Now.ToLongDateString() & vbNewLine & " -> " & log
Dim path As String = "c:\Temp\z1111.log"
Dim sw As StreamWriter
sw = File.AppendText(path)
sw.WriteLine(log)
sw.Flush()
sw.Close()
End Sub
The code above works in a Windows Form project, but as Windows Service it creates a file named z1111.log, add the content overwriting and does not do anything else, but when I delete the file, it creates again with a new date and time.
The question is: why as Windows Form it appends and as Windows Service it overwrites and stop, only works when I delete the file?
It is possible to download the project: LINK
Does anyone know how to solve it?
I solved this problem by changing the log file to the Windows folder. It has been a security issue.
Related
Hi there I have piece of legacy (VS2010) Windows Service code that I have imported into VS2017 and is causing me severe frustration. This code has worked well for about the last 6 years, however when I carry out the install and attempt to start the service the SCM comes back with a timeout error. The OnStart code is as follows:
Protected Overrides Sub OnStart(ByVal args() As String)
'Instaniate the timer for the service
_serviceTimer = New Threading.Timer(New Threading.TimerCallback(AddressOf Tick), Nothing, 60000, 60000)
End Sub
The call back is:
Private Sub Tick(ByVal state As Object)
'Switch off the timer event whilst the code executes
_serviceTimer.Change(System.Threading.Timeout.Infinite, System.Threading.Timeout.Infinite)
If Not _started Then
Startup()
_started = True
End If
Call ServerProcess()
'Re-enable the timer now that application code has completed
_serviceTimer.Change(_longInterval, _longInterval)
End Sub
I originally had the Startup process in the OnStart method, however removed it as an attempt at resolving this issue, however it has not made any difference. Method Startup is as follows:
Public Sub Startup()
Try
'Source these settings from the local config file
_appDataFolder = Utilities.GetSetting("AppDataRoot")
_configPathMapped = _appDataFolder & Utilities.GetSetting("ConfigPathMapped")
_logPath = _appDataFolder & "\" & utl.GetSetting("LogPath")
'Instaniate the timer for the service - Commented out after moving startup code from OnStart method
' _serviceTimer = New Threading.Timer(New Threading.TimerCallback(AddressOf Tick), Nothing, Timeout.Infinite, Timeout.Infinite)
'Initialise logging architecture
_logger = New aslLog.Logger(_configPathMapped & "nlog.config", _logPath, My.Application.Info.ProductName, My.Application.Info.Version.ToString)
_logger.SendLog("Started PSALERTS Schedule Server Service", NLog.LogLevel.Info, _serviceTimer, _checkInterval, Nothing)
'Determine if the cloned config files exists in the mapped config file folder
'We clone these files to a writable destination to allow us to overcome write restrictions ot the C: drive on the SPEN PTI Desktop model
If Not System.IO.File.Exists(_configPathMapped & "psaservermachine.config") Then
'Clone the app.config file in the config folder as psaservermachine.config
Utilities.CloneFile(_programFileLocation & "PSALERTSScheduleServer.exe.config", _configPathMapped & "psaservermachine.config")
End If
If Not System.IO.File.Exists(_configPathMapped & "nlog.config") Then
'Clone the nlog.config file
Utilities.CloneFile(_programFileLocation & "PSALERTSScheduleServer.exe.config", _configPathMapped & "nlog.config")
End If
'Determine the Oracle TNS Environment
'Check for the existence of the environment variable 'TNS_ADMIN'
If Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("TNS_ADMIN") IsNot Nothing Then
'If TNS_ADMIN exists then we can continue with the application session
Else
Dim oraTnsPath As String = ""
'If it doesn't exist then we need to determine the Oracle information from the PATH environment variable
oraTnsPath = GetOraTnsPath()
If oraTnsPath <> "" Then
'Then create the TNS_ADMIN environment variable
Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("TNS_ADMIN", oraTnsPath)
Else
'If no oracle client information exists then raise an error to this effect and exit the app
'informing the user that they need to install the Oracle client in order to use PSALERTS
Beep()
Throw New PSALERTSOracleConfigException(
"PSALERTS Oracle Configuration Error. PSALERTS Did not find a valid Oracle Client." & vbCrLf & vbCrLf &
"Please install a valid Oracle Client and try again." & vbCrLf & vbCrLf &
"If a valid Oracle Client is installed then ensure that the PATH environment variable contains an entry for the Oracle Client." & vbCrLf & vbCrLf &
"For example - TNS_ADMIN=C:\oracle\12.1.0\Client_lite\NETWORK\ADMIN"
)
End If
End If
'Register the application
If Not Registered() Then
'Register the application
Register()
End If
If Registered() Then
'Clean/close any stray Excel processes from previous debug session
If _debugModeOn Then
CleanUpRedundantProcesses("EXCEL", "PSALERTS")
End If
'instantiate fresh excel session
_myXLApp = New Excel.Application
'Get the timer interval settings
_longInterval = CType(utl.GetSettingServerMachine(_configPath, "appSettings", "LongIntervalMillis"), Integer)
_initInterval = CType(utl.GetSettingServerMachine(_configPath, "appSettings", "InitialIntervalMillis"), Integer)
_refreshInterval = CType(utl.GetSettingServerMachine(_configPath, "appSettings", "InitialIntervalMillis"), Integer)
'Re-start the timer with periodic signalling as per the specified check interval
_serviceTimer.Change(_initInterval, _initInterval)
Else
_started = False
End If
Catch ex As Exception
_logger.SendLog("PSALERTS Schedule Server startup failure.", NLog.LogLevel.Error, ex)
Finally
End Try
End Sub
I use a similar technique for a number of similar services and they are running fine. Would appreciate some insight from any Windows Service gurus out there. Oh, I use WiX to carry out the install, again this is a well worn template for a number of similar such applications.
Kind Regards
Paul J.
Core: The very most typical errors:
Config problems: connection strings, faulty paths, etc...
Boot startup problem (good list - from FAQ)
Wrong password / login account when running as a real user with password.
Files missing or runtimes missing.
Permission problems (ACL / NT Privilege missing).
Maybe check this answer before the below.
UPDATE: Maybe have a look at this previous answer. Service startup timing issue. Also check my ad-hoc answer there in the same page.
Debugger: Other than that - nothing like stepping through the code with a debugger. I haven't done that in a long time. Deploy debug binaries and try? Windows 10 now hides messages from services - not sure how that affects debuggers: No more switching to Session 0.
I am not a service guru, but a deployment specialist. I'll just provide some links and see if that helps. Maybe I have not fully understood the whole problem. I tend to focus on the deployment side and not so much development side.
Ideas List / Debugging Check List: These are "ideas lists" for what could be wrong for applications in general - not just services (two first lists are similar - created some time apart):
Crash on launch
Desktop application won't launch
General purpose WiX / MSI links
Yes, these lists are very generic - too large to digest. Just skim the first two I think.
Debugging Tools: Also a reminder of the most useful service debugging tools: Event Viewer, Task Manager, Services.msc, Process Explorer (system internals), The NET command and SC.exe.
Good Service FAQ: https://www.coretechnologies.com/WindowsServices/FAQ.html
Your startup method should fire up a background worker and quickly return to the SCM that it has started. There is a system wide default setting of 30 seconds but honestly a proper service should respond in a few seconds.
Looking though your code, your connection to the database is probably the long pole causing the problem.
I am trying to show a help file (help.chm) when pressing F1 button.
The problem is whenever I use this code, everything seems to be working
HelpProvider.HelpNamespace = "C:\Help.chm"
However, when I am trying to use the file that is in my application directory, it will not work
HelpProvider.HelpNamespace = My.Application.Info.DirectoryPath & "\Help.chm"
I am not getting any errors while building the application nor when I press F1. BTW this is the rest of my code for HelpProvider
HelpProvider.SetHelpKeyword(Me, Nothing)
HelpProvider.SetHelpNavigator(Me, HelpNavigator.TableOfContents)
HelpProvider.SetShowHelp(Me, True)
Use
HelpProvider.HelpNamespace = Application.StartupPath & "\Help.chm"
I have recently started getting System.UnauthorizedAccessException errors when using File.AppendAllText to write to a shared drive on the network. I think there were some changes to the network when this happened. The code in my application hasn't changed.
I have asked our IT dept to grant me full permission to the folder. I can see I have permissions for Modify, Read & Execute, Read, Write under my username if I navigate to the file and look at the Security tab under properties. I am also part of a group with read, write and modify permissions to the folder.
This works without error in the same folder:
File.WriteAllText(myFile, myText)
This generates a System.UnauthorizedAccessException error when it reaches the AppendallText:
If File.Exists(myFile) = False Then
' Create a file to write to.
Dim createText As String = logTime & " " & report_data
File.WriteAllText(myFile, createText)
Else
Dim appendText As String = logTime & " " & report_data
File.AppendAllText(myFile, appendText)
End If
I have tried deleting the file and creating it again, that made no difference.
I tried File.SetAttributes(myFile, FileAttributes.Normal)
The IT dept can't see what the problem is.
I can manually open, change and modify the file. The problem only arises if I am trying to do this programmatically.
Is there a different 'user' which tries to modify files? Could the file be open somehow, or would that generate a different error?
I'm using VB.NET 2012, .net framework 4.5, Windows 8.1
The network changes were the problem. It doesn't seem possible to resolve this as it is. Instead I made a copy of the text data, append my new text to that, delete the file, and save the updated text to a new file.
I am writing an application that needs admin rights to run in VB.NET (VS2012,framework 4)
It is an app to protect the Hosts file from modification.
I want the app to start automatically with windows with the command line argument "autorun".
So I have made a check box with the following code:
Private Sub CheckBox_autoupdate_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles CheckBox_autoupdate.Click
Dim oreg As RegistryKey = Registry.CurrentUser
Dim okey As RegistryKey = oreg.OpenSubKey("Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run", True)
If CheckBox_autoupdate.Checked = True Then
okey.SetValue("HostProtect", Application.ExecutablePath & " /autoupdate")
Else
okey.DeleteValue("HostProtect")
End If
My.Settings.Save()
End Sub
When I open regedit, the value is present but when I restart my system the program is not executed at all!
Is it because the app needs admin priviledges? How can I make it start AND correctly pass the command line argument?
Anticipating your answers!
HKey_CurrentUser entries don't run when Windows starts. They run when the user logs in and the user's registry hive is loaded. If you want it to run when Windows starts, you'll need to use HKey_LocalMachine. Or even better, write this as a Windows Service.
Application.ExecutablePath will get the .exe link, not the path, so it should be:
Application.StartupPath & " \autoupdate.exe"
help me.. i'm new in visual basic....
when i'm running the update it shows the error
The process cannot access the file 'C:\Documents and Settings\Macky\My Documents\Visual Studio 2008\Projects\Marcelo 2.2.3\Marcelo\bin\Debug\Students\MIC953867.jpg' because it is being used by another process.
my code is this
Public Sub copingfile()
If inFileName = Nothing Then
studpic.Image = Nothing
Else
outFileName = inFileName
pos = inFileName.LastIndexOf(".")
If (pos > 0) Then
outFileName = outFileName.Substring(0, pos)
End If
outFileName += ".jpg"
str = Application.StartupPath & "\Students\"
saveJPEGFile.FileName = str & StudID.Text & ".jpg" '& outFileName
fil1.Copy(inFileName, saveJPEGFile.FileName, True) 'the error shows here...
outFileName = saveJPEGFile.FileName()
End If
End Sub
I can save new student information with picture.. but when it comes in updating the picture these codes didn't work......
fil1.Copy(inFileName, saveJPEGFile.FileName, True)
You're attempting overwrite a file that's open or being used. If the file is open in a viewer/editor, then it can't be copied over. Either you opened it manually, or did so through code and it's still "attached" to something running.
If it's not open in a window, try stopping your code and deleting that file manually. If you can, it's pretty obvious something in code is still using it when you get to the line that errored. You'll need to figure out where that file is still being used (Open stream somewhere? Open in VS, itself?), as it doesn't appear to be in the code you provided.
You are going to need to show more code, you are using variables not in your code listing. Plus you do not show the code that originally saves your image.
But here is my guess...are you sure you closed the file when you saved it for the first time? You cannot generally copy to, or from, a file that is open.
(Files can be opened as shared, but I don't think you are doing that).
Post more code if you get a chance.