Windows Service with Python 3.5 and pyinstaller

README.md

TestService

Windows Service with Python 3.5 and pyinstaller

Requirements

• Python 3.5.x
• Visual C++ Build Tools 2015
• PyInstaller 3.2

Check

(env)$ python -V
Python 3.5.2

(env)$ pip freeze
PyInstaller==3.2

Build

(env)$ pyinstaller -F --hidden-import=win32timezone WindowsService.py

Run

(env) dist\WindowsService.exe install
Installing service TestService
Service installed

(env) dist\WindowsService.exe start
Starting service TestService

Clean

(env) dist\WindowsService.exe stop
(env) dist\WindowsService.exe remove

WindowsService.py

import servicemanager
import socket
import sys
import win32event
import win32service
import win32serviceutil


class TestService(win32serviceutil.ServiceFramework):
    _svc_name_ = "TestService"
    _svc_display_name_ = "Test Service"
    _svc_description_ = "My service description"

    def __init__(self, args):
        win32serviceutil.ServiceFramework.__init__(self, args)
        self.hWaitStop = win32event.CreateEvent(None, 0, 0, None)
        socket.setdefaulttimeout(60)

    def SvcStop(self):
        self.ReportServiceStatus(win32service.SERVICE_STOP_PENDING)
        win32event.SetEvent(self.hWaitStop)

    def SvcDoRun(self):
        rc = None
        while rc != win32event.WAIT_OBJECT_0:
            with open('C:\\TestService.log', 'a') as f:
                f.write('test service running...\n')
            rc = win32event.WaitForSingleObject(self.hWaitStop, 5000)


if __name__ == '__main__':
    if len(sys.argv) == 1:
        servicemanager.Initialize()
        servicemanager.PrepareToHostSingle(TestService)
        servicemanager.StartServiceCtrlDispatcher()
    else:
        win32serviceutil.HandleCommandLine(TestService)

Hi @wasimafser, @Minobi!
I've solved the problem using Inno setup

I created a new exe file using pyinstaller that will take care of parameters -start, stop, remove
and used this new exe file with Inno setup.

Thanks for taking out time 😃

Hey @97k, I am searching for this but not found anything useful till now. You came up with the solution,can share the details or the link which you referred

Hi @wasimafser, @Minobi!
I've solved the problem using Inno setup
I created a new exe file using pyinstaller that will take care of parameters -start, stop, remove
and used this new exe file with Inno setup.
Thanks for taking out time 😃

Hey @97k, I am searching for this but not found anything useful till now. You came up with the solution,can share the details or the link which you referred

Hi @KaryakarteVK , if it’s any help, I’ve found NSSM easiest to use after trying various alternatives, and specifically this CLI-based answer on Stack Overflow: https://stackoverflow.com/a/46450007/14775744

I use it in my project here (there are some idiosyncrasies about NSSM I address): https://github.com/Salk-Harnessing-Plants-Initiative/greenhouse-giraffe-uploader#part-3-run-automatically-as-a-service

@guillaumevincent, hello man. thx for sharing this, it's very helpful. I have a little problem with relative path ... i mean, if i use your example:
"with open('C:\TestService.log', 'a') as f:" all works fine, but if i set something like: "with open('.\TestService.log', 'a') as f:" no TestService.log is created. I'm running w10. Thx

Hi @pauk163rus, I think this is because current working directory for windows services is C:\Windows\system32 and your log file with relative path created there

Hi @pauk163rus, I think this is because current working directory for windows services is C:\Windows\system32 and your log file with relative path created there

thx dude, you were right - my logs were really here: C:\Windows\SysWOW64...........

@guillaumevincent
i'm getting "Error installing service: access is denied. (5)"
When trying to install the service...
Any idea why that is? :o

Nevermind, I just had to run it from an Admin Terminal!
Thanks :)

Starting service TestService
Error starting service: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.

Here is my code, which writes to file C:\\TestService.log every 1 second with counter value written to file. Counter value is increased
by 1 every second/

python file name: example.py

import servicemanager
import socket
import sys
import win32event
import win32service
import win32serviceutil
import subprocess
import threading
# sc.exe create ABCTestService binpath= C:\Users\Mahi\Desktop\Experiments\sctask\dist\service.exe start= auto
class TestService(win32serviceutil.ServiceFramework):
    _svc_name_ = "ABCTestService"
    _svc_display_name_ = "ABC Test Service"
    _svc_description_ = "My ABC service description"

    def __init__(self, args):
        win32serviceutil.ServiceFramework.__init__(self, args)
        self.hWaitStop = win32event.CreateEvent(None, 0, 0, None)
        socket.setdefaulttimeout(60)

    def SvcStop(self):
        self.ReportServiceStatus(win32service.SERVICE_STOP_PENDING)
        win32event.SetEvent(self.hWaitStop)

   def SvcDoRun(self):
        c = 0
        rc = None
        while rc != win32event.WAIT_OBJECT_0:
            with open('C:\\TestService.log', 'a') as f:
                f.write('test service running...{}\n'.format(c))
            c += 1
            rc = win32event.WaitForSingleObject(self.hWaitStop, 1000)


if __name__ == '__main__':
    if len(sys.argv) == 1:
        servicemanager.Initialize()
        servicemanager.PrepareToHostSingle(TestService)
        servicemanager.StartServiceCtrlDispatcher()
    else:
        win32serviceutil.HandleCommandLine(TestService)

After converting to exe using pyinstaller.
I have executed,

example.py install

with admin rights to register the service. Then I have modifed the service type to auto (auto - Specifies a service that automatically starts each time the computer is restarted and runs even if no one logs on to the computer.)
Now I have restarted my system, and even if I set the type=auto, the python script inside the SvcDoRun did not work.. The service itself did not start and it is in stopped state.

However If I manually, start the service, then it is writing to the file.
Since it is infinite loop, the service is in running state. Now if I restart the system with the service in running state, the PID of the service is still the same as previous, and the counter value did not reset to 0.(Eg: Before I shutdown, the counter value was lets say 100, and it was written to file, now after restarting, I have checked the file and the counter value has resumed from 100 and started writing 101,102,...to file. Why did the counter value did not reset to 0 and start from 0, 1, 2.... Looks like pid of service is same though.

Also, If the shutdown signal is received, how to stop the service. My bad, start after system restarts or reboots did not work. Any ideas how to fix the issue.
@guillaumevincent

As I said previously, I'm sorry I haven't used a windows environment for years
I cannot test this code anymore

Hello
Thanks for the script, works perfectly
is there a way to separate it into 2 files: one which is the main script in which the work is done and calls the TestService file and the other is the TestService

I tried doing it but it doesn't seem to work for me, any help would be much appreciated

I don't understand the question.
You can try to import your python module (something like: from . import foo, and call the methods you want in SvcDoRun with foo.do_something() no?

If it's not working you need to make the import working with pyinstaller

Thank you for this script.
You cannot believe how much time I spent on this simple task!
I was getting 1053 error every time, I tried EVERY solution I found on google, until I found yours.
Thanks!!

Thx, awesome work !

Thanks for the efforts! If anyone is wondering if it still works then yes it does. Tested with Python 3.12.4, pywin32 306 and pyinstaller 6.9.0