A simple Service Controller

It is a very simple implementation of universal command-line controller. This controller can install and control any service written using QtService component. It demonstrates how to use QtServiceController class. On Windows, this is an alternative to using the "Services" Administrative Tool or the built-in sc.exe command-line tool to control services.

A note about services on Windows Vista: Installing/uninstalling and starting/stopping services requires security privileges. The simplest way to achieve this is to set the "Run as Administrator" property on the executable (right-click the executable file, select Properties, and choose the Compatibilty tab in the Properties dialog). This applies even if you are logged in as Administrator. Also, the command-line shell should be started with "Run as Administrator". Note that the service itself does not need special privileges to run. Only if you want the service to be able to install itself (the -i option) or similar, then the service will need to be run as Administrator. Otherwise, the recommended procedure is to use a controller such as this example and/or the "Services" Administrative Tool to manage the service.

A usability hint: in some circumstances, e.g. when running this example on Windows Vista with the "Run as Administrator" property set, output will be sent to a shell window which will close immediately upon termination, not leaving the user enough time to read the output. In such cases, append the -w(ait) argument, which will make the controller wait for a keypress before terminating.

Here is the complete source code:

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 #include <QtCore/QStringList>
 #include <QtCore/QDir>
 #include <QtCore/QSettings>
 #include "qtservice.h"

 int processArgs(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     if (argc > 2) {
         QString arg1(argv[1]);
         if (arg1 == QLatin1String("-i") ||
             arg1 == QLatin1String("-install")) {
             if (argc > 2) {
                 QString account;
                 QString password;
                 QString path(argv[2]);
                 if (argc > 3)
                     account = argv[3];
                 if (argc > 4)
                     password = argv[4];
                 printf("The service %s installed.\n",
                        (QtServiceController::install(path, account, password) ? "was" : "was not"));
                 return 0;
             }
         } else {
             QString serviceName(argv[1]);
             QtServiceController controller(serviceName);
             QString option(argv[2]);
             if (option == QLatin1String("-u") ||
                 option == QLatin1String("-uninstall")) {
                 printf("The service \"%s\" %s uninstalled.\n",
                             controller.serviceName().toLatin1().constData(),
                             (controller.uninstall() ? "was" : "was not"));
                 return 0;
             } else if (option == QLatin1String("-s") ||
                        option == QLatin1String("-start")) {
                 QStringList args;
                 for (int i = 3; i < argc; ++i)
                     args.append(QString::fromLocal8Bit(argv[i]));
                 printf("The service \"%s\" %s started.\n",
                        controller.serviceName().toLatin1().constData(),
                             (controller.start(args) ? "was" : "was not"));
                 return 0;
             } else if (option == QLatin1String("-t") ||
                        option == QLatin1String("-terminate")) {
                 printf("The service \"%s\" %s stopped.\n",
                        controller.serviceName().toLatin1().constData(),
                        (controller.stop() ? "was" : "was not"));
                 return 0;
             } else if (option == QLatin1String("-p") ||
                     option == QLatin1String("-pause")) {
                 printf("The service \"%s\" %s paused.\n",
                        controller.serviceName().toLatin1().constData(),
                        (controller.pause() ? "was" : "was not"));
                 return 0;
             } else if (option == QLatin1String("-r") ||
                        option == QLatin1String("-resume")) {
                 printf("The service \"%s\" %s resumed.\n",
                        controller.serviceName().toLatin1().constData(),
                        (controller.resume() ? "was" : "was not"));
                 return 0;
             } else if (option == QLatin1String("-c") ||
                        option == QLatin1String("-command")) {
                 if (argc > 3) {
                     QString codestr(argv[3]);
                     int code = codestr.toInt();
                     printf("The command %s sent to the service \"%s\".\n",
                            (controller.sendCommand(code) ? "was" : "was not"),
                            controller.serviceName().toLatin1().constData());
                     return 0;
                 }
             } else if (option == QLatin1String("-v") ||
                     option == QLatin1String("-version")) {
                 bool installed = controller.isInstalled();
                 printf("The service\n"
                         "\t\"%s\"\n\n", controller.serviceName().toLatin1().constData());
                 printf("is %s", (installed ? "installed" : "not installed"));
                 printf(" and %s\n\n", (controller.isRunning() ? "running" : "not running"));
                 if (installed) {
                     printf("path: %s\n", controller.serviceFilePath().toLatin1().data());
                     printf("description: %s\n", controller.serviceDescription().toLatin1().data());
                     printf("startup: %s\n", controller.startupType() == QtServiceController::AutoStartup ? "Auto" : "Manual");
                 }
                 return 0;
             }
         }
     }
     printf("controller [-i PATH | SERVICE_NAME [-v | -u | -s | -t | -p | -r | -c CODE] | -h] [-w]\n\n"
             "\t-i(nstall) PATH\t: Install the service\n"
             "\t-v(ersion)\t: Print status of the service\n"
             "\t-u(ninstall)\t: Uninstall the service\n"
             "\t-s(tart)\t: Start the service\n"
             "\t-t(erminate)\t: Stop the service\n"
             "\t-p(ause)\t: Pause the service\n"
             "\t-r(esume)\t: Resume the service\n"
             "\t-c(ommand) CODE\t: Send a command to the service\n"
             "\t-h(elp)\t\t: Print this help info\n"
             "\t-w(ait)\t\t: Wait for keypress when done\n");
     return 0;
 }

 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 #if !defined(Q_OS_WIN)
     // QtService stores service settings in SystemScope, which normally require root privileges.
     // To allow testing this example as non-root, we change the directory of the SystemScope settings file.
     QSettings::setPath(QSettings::NativeFormat, QSettings::SystemScope, QDir::tempPath());
     qWarning("(Example uses dummy settings file: %s/QtSoftware.conf)", QDir::tempPath().toLatin1().constData());
 #endif

     int result = processArgs(argc, argv);

     if (QString::fromLocal8Bit(argv[argc-1]) == QLatin1String("-w") ||
         QString::fromLocal8Bit(argv[argc-1]) == QLatin1String("-wait")) {
         printf("\nPress Enter to continue...");
         QFile input;
         input.open(stdin, QIODevice::ReadOnly);
         input.readLine();
         printf("\n");
     }

     return result;
 }

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Qt Solutions