Binaryworld - Check service is installed or not, check status of a service and get l ... [ VB.net -> Windows Service ]

In .Net using "System.ServiceProcess" namespace now its so easy to work with windows services. This article will show you how easy it is to get list of all running service or to check status of a single service by name. To control (i.e start/stop/paush) or retrive information of any service you need to work with "System.ServiceProcess.ServiceController" class.

Step-By-Step Example

- Create a new windows application project
- Add new command button on the form (Button1)
- Now right click on the references folder (mostly right side in the Solution Explorer) of your project and click "add reference...", Select "System.ServiceProcess.dll", click ok
- Add the following code in your form and then press F5 to run the project, click on the button to see the demo

Note : You can not simply use Import Statement to add System.ServiceProcess reference so you must add it using "Add Reference..."

Click here to copy the following block

Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
             ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click

  Dim srvname As String = "MSSQLSERVER"
  If IsServiceInstalled(srvname) = True Then
    Call ShowServiceStatus("localhost", srvname)
    Call ShowServices()
  Else
    MsgBox(srvname & " Service is not installed")
  End If
End Sub

Function IsServiceInstalled(Optional ByVal ServiceName As String = "MSSQLSERVER", _
              Optional ByVal MCName As String = "localhost") As Boolean

  Try
    Dim s As String
    Dim sc As New System.ServiceProcess.ServiceController(ServiceName, MCName)
    '//just try to create service and access some property, it will throw an error if not installed
    s = sc.DisplayName

    Return True
  Catch ex As Exception
    If Err.Number = 5 Then
      IsServiceInstalled = False
    Else
      IsServiceInstalled = True
    End If
  End Try
End Function

Sub ShowServices(Optional ByVal MCName As String = "localhost", _
         Optional ByVal OnlyShowRunning As Boolean = True)

  Dim arrSc() As System.ServiceProcess.ServiceController
  Dim i

  arrSc = ServiceProcess.ServiceController.GetServices(MCName)

  Dim sb As New System.Text.StringBuilder
  For i = 0 To arrSc.GetUpperBound(0)
    If OnlyShowRunning = True Then
      If arrSc(i).Status = ServiceProcess.ServiceControllerStatus.Running Then
        sb.Append("[" & GetServiceStatusString(arrSc(i)) & "] " & _
          arrSc(i).ServiceName & " (" & arrSc(i).DisplayName & ")" & vbCrLf)
      End If
    Else
      sb.Append("[" & GetServiceStatusString(arrSc(i)) & "] " & _
        arrSc(i).ServiceName & " (" & arrSc(i).DisplayName & ")" & vbCrLf)
    End If
  Next

  MsgBox(sb.ToString)
End Sub

Sub ShowServiceStatus(Optional ByVal MCName As String = "localhost", _
           Optional ByVal ServiceName As String = "MSSQLSERVER")

  Dim sc As New System.ServiceProcess.ServiceController

  sc.MachineName = MCName
  sc.ServiceName = ServiceName

  MsgBox("MSSQLSERVER Service = > " & GetServiceStatusString(sc))
End Sub

Function GetServiceStatusString(ByVal sc As System.ServiceProcess.ServiceController) As String
  Select Case sc.Status
    Case ServiceProcess.ServiceControllerStatus.Running
      Return ("Running")
    Case ServiceProcess.ServiceControllerStatus.ContinuePending
      Return ("ContinuePending")
    Case ServiceProcess.ServiceControllerStatus.Paused
      Return ("Paused")
    Case ServiceProcess.ServiceControllerStatus.PausePending
      Return ("PausePending")
    Case ServiceProcess.ServiceControllerStatus.Stopped
      Return ("Stopped")
    Case ServiceProcess.ServiceControllerStatus.StopPending
      Return ("StopPending")
  End Select
End Function