Install a .NET windows service without InstallUtil.exe

Question

I have a standard .NET windows service written in C#.

Can it install itself without using InstallUtil? Should I use the service installer class? How should I use it?

I want to be able to call the following:

MyService.exe -install

And it will have the same effect as calling:

InstallUtil MyService.exe

Answer 1

Yes, that is fully possible (i.e. I do exactly this); you just need to reference the right dll (System.ServiceProcess.dll) and add an installer class...

Here's an example:

[RunInstaller(true)]
public sealed class MyServiceInstallerProcess : ServiceProcessInstaller
{
    public MyServiceInstallerProcess()
    {
        this.Account = ServiceAccount.NetworkService;
    }
}

[RunInstaller(true)]
public sealed class MyServiceInstaller : ServiceInstaller
{
    public MyServiceInstaller()
    {
        this.Description = "Service Description";
        this.DisplayName = "Service Name";
        this.ServiceName = "ServiceName";
        this.StartType = System.ServiceProcess.ServiceStartMode.Automatic;
    }
}

static void Install(bool undo, string[] args)
{
    try
    {
        Console.WriteLine(undo ? "uninstalling" : "installing");
        using (AssemblyInstaller inst = new AssemblyInstaller(typeof(Program).Assembly, args))
        {
            IDictionary state = new Hashtable();
            inst.UseNewContext = true;
            try
            {
                if (undo)
                {
                    inst.Uninstall(state);
                }
                else
                {
                    inst.Install(state);
                    inst.Commit(state);
                }
            }
            catch
            {
                try
                {
                    inst.Rollback(state);
                }
                catch { }
                throw;
            }
        }
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        Console.Error.WriteLine(ex.Message);
    }
}