ASP.NET Core in a Windows Service for .NET Core 2.2. Make the following changes to an existing ASP.NET Core project to run the app as a service:
Requires: PowerShell 6.2 or later
Framework-dependent Deployment (FDD):
Framework-dependent deployment (FDD) relies on the presence of a shared system-wide version of .NET Core on the target system. When the FDD scenario is used with an ASP.NET Core Windows Service app, the SDK produces an executable (*.exe), called a framework-dependent executable.
Add a Windows Runtime Identifier (RID) to the <PropertyGroup> that contains the target framework. In the following example, the RID is set to win7-x64. Add the <SelfContained> property set to false. These properties instruct the SDK to generate an executable (.exe) file for Windows.
A web.config file, which is normally produced when publishing an ASP.NET Core app, is unnecessary for a Windows Services app. To disable the creation of the web.config file, add the <IsTransformWebConfigDisabled> property set to true.
<PropertyGroup>
<TargetFramework>netcoreapp2.2</TargetFramework>
<RuntimeIdentifier>win7-x64</RuntimeIdentifier>
<SelfContained>false</SelfContained>
<IsTransformWebConfigDisabled>true</IsTransformWebConfigDisabled>
</PropertyGroup>
Self-contained Deployment (SCD):
Self-contained deployment (SCD) doesn't rely on the presence of shared components on the target system. The runtime and the app's dependencies are deployed with the app to the hosting system.
Confirm the presence of a Windows Runtime Identifier (RID) or add a RID to the <PropertyGroup> that contains the target framework. Disable the creation of a web.config file by adding the <IsTransformWebConfigDisabled> property set to true.
<PropertyGroup>
<TargetFramework>netcoreapp2.2</TargetFramework>
<RuntimeIdentifier>win7-x64</RuntimeIdentifier>
<IsTransformWebConfigDisabled>true</IsTransformWebConfigDisabled>
</PropertyGroup>
Program.Main
public class Program
{
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
var isService = !(Debugger.IsAttached || args.Contains("--console"));
if (isService)
{
var pathToExe = Process.GetCurrentProcess().MainModule.FileName;
var pathToContentRoot = Path.GetDirectoryName(pathToExe);
Directory.SetCurrentDirectory(pathToContentRoot);
}
var builder = CreateWebHostBuilder(
args.Where(arg => arg != "--console").ToArray());
var host = builder.Build();
if (isService)
{
// To run the app without the CustomWebHostService change the
// next line to host.RunAsService();
host.RunAsCustomService();
}
else
{
host.Run();
}
}
public static IWebHostBuilder CreateWebHostBuilder(string[] args) =>
WebHost.CreateDefaultBuilder(args)
.ConfigureLogging((hostingContext, logging) =>
{
logging.AddEventLog();
})
.ConfigureAppConfiguration((context, config) =>
{
// Configure the app here.
})
.UseStartup<Startup>();
}
Publish a Framework-dependent Deployment (FDD):
dotnet publish --configuration Release --output c:\svc
Publish a Self-contained Deployment (SCD)
The RID must be specified in the <RuntimeIdenfifier> (or <RuntimeIdentifiers>) property of the project file. Supply the runtime to the -r|--runtime option of the dotnet publish command.
dotnet publish --configuration Release --runtime win7-x64 --output c:\svc
Grant write/read/execute access to the app's folder using the icacls command via an administrative PowerShell 6 command shell.
icacls "{PATH}" /grant "{USER ACCOUNT}:(OI)(CI){PERMISSION FLAGS}" /t
- {PATH} – Path to the app's folder.
- {USER ACCOUNT} – The user account (SID).
- (OI) – The Object Inherit flag propagates permissions to subordinate
files.
- (CI) – The Container Inherit flag propagates permissions to
subordinate folders.
- {PERMISSION FLAGS} – Sets the app's access permissions.
- Write (W)
- Read (R)
- Execute (X)
- Full (F)
- Modify (M)
- /t – Apply recursively to existing subordinate folders and files.
Command:
icacls "c:\svc" /grant "ServiceUser:(OI)(CI)WRX" /t
Use the RegisterService.ps1 PowerShell script to register the service. From an administrative PowerShell 6 command shell, execute the script with the following command:
.\RegisterService.ps1
-Name MyService
-DisplayName "My Cool Service"
-Description "This is the Sample App service."
-Exe "c:\svc\SampleApp.exe"
-User Desktop-PC\ServiceUser
Start the service with the Start-Service -Name {NAME} PowerShell 6 command.
Start-Service -Name MyService
Handle starting and stopping events
internal class CustomWebHostService : WebHostService
{
private ILogger _logger;
public CustomWebHostService(IWebHost host) : base(host)
{
_logger = host.Services
.GetRequiredService<ILogger<CustomWebHostService>>();
}
protected override void OnStarting(string[] args)
{
_logger.LogInformation("OnStarting method called.");
base.OnStarting(args);
}
protected override void OnStarted()
{
_logger.LogInformation("OnStarted method called.");
base.OnStarted();
}
protected override void OnStopping()
{
_logger.LogInformation("OnStopping method called.");
base.OnStopping();
}
}
Extension method:
public static class WebHostServiceExtensions
{
public static void RunAsCustomService(this IWebHost host)
{
var webHostService = new CustomWebHostService(host);
ServiceBase.Run(webHostService);
}
}
Program.Main:
host.RunAsCustomService();
Set the content root path to the app's folder:
Program.Main:
var pathToExe = Process.GetCurrentProcess().MainModule.FileName;
var pathToContentRoot = Path.GetDirectoryName(pathToExe);
Directory.SetCurrentDirectory(pathToContentRoot);
CreateWebHostBuilder(args)
.Build()
.RunAsService();
Source:
https://github.com/aspnet/AspNetCore.Docs/tree/master/aspnetcore/host-and-deploy/windows-service/
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/host-and-deploy/windows-service?view=aspnetcore-2.2
