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I'm new to creating Windows Services to host WCF, as I've been using IIS to do this. I've created a Windows Service to host about a dozen of WCF services, and have set up an app.config file in Visual Studio to handle all the endpoints and addresses for each of the services.

Where on the file system are windows services installed? Is there a way to reconfigure the config file to change bindings/addresses without having to uninstall/reinstall the service?

I've been doing this with the published web.config file that is present in the inetpub for WCF services that are using IIS, I'm wondering if it's the same with a windows service.

5StringRyan
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2 Answers2

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The answer to your title question is YES. The app.config to Windows Services is the same as the web.config is to IIS hosted web services.

Windows services are usually deployed as regular executable files in a certain place within a product specific path. The app.config placed next to this executable is with the same name as the executable appended with .config. So a ScanService.exe has a ScanService.exe.config next to it that contains its configuration.

kroonwijk
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  • ok, so if I have a solution in the directory C:\SolutionDirectory, and I create and run the installer for the service, where would it be? Inside the bin\Debug folder? – 5StringRyan Nov 09 '11 at 20:43
  • Yes that would be the location. There might be a small exception for starting a debug session. In that case it would just take the app.config from the Windows Service project. – kroonwijk Nov 09 '11 at 20:56
  • @HansGruber There will be on bin\debug folder when you will install your windows service in production environment unless you specify your structure like so. – Surjit Samra Nov 09 '11 at 21:38
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Hans , I have developed/installed my distributed services(.NET remoting) with as windows services, What happens is you need to specify folder while installing the service. eg you select the folder as "C:\Program Files\MyService" then your MyService.exe.config will be installed in same folder as "C:\Program Files\MyService"

so your can find "C:\Program Files\MyService.exe.config" and modify your bindings and then restart your windows service.

Other points you consider is

There will be no AppPool here so what ever account you will use while installing the services will be used to run your services. you may need to provide some additional permissions if you are using simple domain\account in case you need to access event log or registry via your service.

Or in you can modify your service account later on after installing the services.

Is there any particular reason you want to move away from IIS ? As my WCF services also live in IIS so was wondering if you facing any issues with one.

Surjit Samra
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  • From what I understand it's nothing wrong with IIS itself, as that's where my WCF services live now. Unfortunately it's a requirement to move them to a windows service, I think it may have to do with having the ability to install these services on XP machines. – 5StringRyan Nov 09 '11 at 22:07
  • That is actually true, if you see question posted where i might be in same position, @kroonwijk answer it very well to give strong arguments for clients to upgrade to WCF from .NET Remoting. but if they refuse then I might be in same situation where I will be writing Windows Service for Windwos XP :) – Surjit Samra Nov 09 '11 at 22:47