Monitoring a service

 

Monitoring a service works for:

 

•Native services

•.Net services

•Mixed mode services.

 

Native Services

 

If you're working with native services you must use the NT Service API in your service as well as using the Monitor a service method below.

 

.Net Services

 

Thread Validator won't attach until some .Net code is executed.

 

If there is native code being called prior to the .Net code, Thread Validator won't monitor that code, only the native code called after the first .Net code that is called.

 

To monitor any native code called prior to your .Net code, use the NT Service API.

 

Mixed Mode .Net Services

 

You don't need to use the NT Services API.

 

If you are working with a .Net service that loads native DLLs, or a mixed mode service, Thread Validator will recognize the service when the .Net runtime starts executing the .Net service main.

 

 

When working with Thread Validator and services, you still start the service the way you normally do - e.g. with the service control manager.

 

The code that you have embedded into your service then contacts Thread Validator, which you should have running before starting the service.

 

To start monitoring a service:

 

File menu Monitor a service... shows the Monitor a service dialog below

 

or use the shortcut

 

   Monitor a service

 

 

The monitor a service dialog

 

First ensure the service is installed, but not running.

 

Set the service to monitor, choose whether to start collecting data right away, and click OK.

 

 

•Service to monitor type or Browse to set the service name to monitor

 

•OK performs some brief setup work and then prompts you to start the service

 

 

 Click OK to close the dialog and then start your native service or .Net service.

 

Start the service in the normal manner, e.g. from the control panel, the command line or programmatically.

 

 

Data collection

 

Depending on your application, and what you want to validate, you may want to start collecting data as soon as injection has happened, or do it later.

 

If your program has a complex start-up procedure, initialising lots of data, it may be much faster not to collect data until the program has launched.

 

If it's the startup procedure you want to validate, obviously start collecting data immediately.

 

See the section on controlling data collection for how to turn collection on and off after launch.

 

 

Examples

 

Example demonstrating how to monitor a service.

 

Example demonstrating how to monitor an application launched from a service (how to monitor any application running on a service account).