Python 3 executable as windows service

Question

I'm trying to write a windows Service in python, but the tricky part is i want to deploy it on a machine that doesn't have python. I've successfully created a service like this, and it works if i run from my machine. the problem starts when i try to convert it to an exe and then try to install it. first i tried to use cx_freeze service example, (seen here), the setup.py look like this :

from cx_Freeze import setup, Executable

options = {'build_exe': {'includes': ['ServiceHandler']}}

executables = [Executable('Config.py', base='Win32Service', targetName='gsr.exe')]

setup(name='GSR',
    version='0.1',
    description='GSR SERVICE',
    executables=executables,
    options=options
    )

and config.py is:

NAME = 'GSR_%s'
DISPLAY_NAME = 'GSR TEST - %s'
MODULE_NAME = 'ServiceHandler'
CLASS_NAME = 'Handler'
DESCRIPTION = 'Sample service description'
AUTO_START = True
SESSION_CHANGES = False

but when i try to build it (python setup.py build) i get an error: "cx_Freeze.freezer.ConfigError: no base named Win32Service"

Second, i tried using a regular cx_freeze setup, the exe i get installs the service fine but once i try to start it i get an error: "Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion"

setup.py - python 3.3 regualr exe, installs the service but when trying to start it sends an error:

from cx_Freeze import setup, Executable

packages = ['win32serviceutil','win32service','win32event','servicemanager','socket','win32timezone','cx_Logging','ServiceHandler']
build_exe_options = {"packages": packages}
executable = [Executable("ServiceHandler.py")]


setup(  name = "GSR_test",
        version = "1.0",
        description = "GSR test service",
        options = {"build_exe": build_exe_options},
        executables = executable)

finally, I managed to get it to work in python 2.7 using py2exe, but py2exe isn't available for python 3.3 and I my code is in 3.3

i guess the problem is in the configuration of the setup.py im using with cx_freeze. any ideas ??

my ServiceHandler:

import pythoncom
import win32serviceutil
import win32service
import win32event
import servicemanager
import socket
from test import test
import threading

class AppServerSvc (win32serviceutil.ServiceFramework):
    _svc_name_ = "GSR_test"
    _svc_display_name_ = "GSR test Service"

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

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

    def SvcDoRun(self):
        servicemanager.LogMsg(servicemanager.EVENTLOG_INFORMATION_TYPE,
                              servicemanager.PYS_SERVICE_STARTED,
                              (self._svc_name_,''))
        self.main()

    def main(self):
        t = threading.Thread(target=self.app.run)
        t.start()
        self.flag.wait()
        raise SystemExit

if __name__ == '__main__':
    win32serviceutil.HandleCommandLine(AppServerSvc)

Setup.py , python 2.7 using py2exe that works: (taken from here)

from distutils.core import setup
import py2exe

setup(  service = ["ServiceHandler"],
        description = "SERVICE TEST",
        modules = ["GSR_test"],
        cmdline_style='pywin32', ) 

Thanks, Amit

Answer 1

tldr Python 3.5 Windows Service build with pyinstaller : gist

Here a simple Windows Service with python :

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"

    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)

Create an exe with pyinstaller (pip install pyinstaller) and python 3.5 :

(env)$ python -V
Python 3.5.2

(env)$ pip freeze
PyInstaller==3.2

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

Install and run the service

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

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

Check C:\\TestService.log file.

Stop and clean

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

Answer 2

It appears Win32Service was updated with Python 3.x support within the cx_Freeze project as a result of this thread. This user originally had the same issue you reported, so I'm assuming this will also resolve your issue.

Based on the error reported, it's caused when _GetBaseFileName() within Freezer.py fails to find the compiled Win32Service.exe. This executable should be built when cx_Freeze gets built/installed.

If it's not too much to ask, can search the installed cx_Freeze installation directory for "Win32Service.exe" and confirm that it exists. Hopefully this gets you one step closer.

Answer 3

I've edited the Win32Service.c in the cx_freeze src for python3 support

Edited it with some preprocessor commands, for python2 support too (but not tested for python2 yet)

1. download sources of cx_freeze from pypi and extract it
2. download cx_logging and extract it to the cx_freeze-4.3.4 directory
3. replace the Win32Service.c file in cx_Freeze-4.3.4\source\bases with my edited version
4. edit line 170 in setup.py from if moduleInfo is not None and sys.version_info[:2] < (3, 0): to if moduleInfo is not None:
5. run python setup.py build in cx_freeze-4.3.4 directory (you must have MSC installed to compile the C source files)
6. copy cx_Freeze-4.3.4\build\lib.win32-3.4\cx_Freeze\bases\Win32Service.exe to C:\Python34\Lib\site-packages\cx_Freeze\bases (or the path where your python3 is installed)
7. now you can create frozen exe with the Win32Service base (no more the cx_Freeze.freezer.ConfigError: no base named Win32Service error)