B4J Question B4J Windows service: background app, but with UI

[peacemaker]

Hi, All

If we need stable working always in memory background app under Windows, it means
1) minimal setting interface window after tray icon menu click
2) and background work as a Windows service

What is actual variant in 2024? Code example ?

 

[DonManfred]

Interactive Services - Win32 apps

Typically, services are console applications that are designed to run unattended without a graphical user interface (GUI).

learn.microsoft.com

Services in Windows can not have any UI.
To have a trayicon you have to run an ui-app with tray-icon which should interact with the service.

I don´t know to do all these steps in B4X. And i fear it will be a hard task.

It is possible but you have to do some Steps to solve.

To create an interactive service, do the following when calling the CreateService function:

1. Specify NULL for the lpServiceStartName parameter to run the service in the context of the LocalSystem account.
2. Specify the SERVICE_INTERACTIVE_PROCESS flag.

To determine whether a service is running as an interactive service, call the GetProcessWindowStation function to retrieve a handle to the window station, and the GetUserObjectInformation function to test whether the window station has the WSF_VISIBLE attribute.


However, note that the following registry key contains a value, NoInteractiveServices, that controls the effect of SERVICE_INTERACTIVE_PROCESS:

PD: I for myself would not use Java (or B4X) to build a Windowsservice.

 

[jahswant]

Create an installable package and add the function to enable your app on the starting apps.

 

[peacemaker]

an installable package

the starting app

It's ready. But i'm trying to think about the WindowsService...

 

[tchart]

The pattern I use is to have a jetty web server as part of the service. You can use web sockets or REST to send commands to the app. For example if I need to restart the app I have an html page that allows me to do this.

I deploy my service using this;

Better Windows Services (for B4J)

There are many threads on the fourm regarding Windows Services e.g. https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/java-as-windows-service.65741/#content For many years Ive used "JavaService" but this is old, hasnt been updated for years and while robust isn't that friendly to set up. To be fair to...

www.b4x.com

I use WinRar to create an installer for the app.

 

[peacemaker]

Thanks for reply. But it looks "not easy" to follow up. I mean, there is no any detailed, the full test project example with all files in a bundle to download, see, compile, setup, edit settings...