What is the best way to keep a console application running in the background?

Question

I am working on a console application that I want to run in the background of machines from the moment they boot to shutdown. Now I know that it would be optimum to create a Windows Service, but in this case I need to be able to intetact with certificate stores and I do not believe that a local service account certificate store will do.

I am looking at System.Timers for keeping the application running rather than bludgening in to death with an infinite while statement, is this a logical way to handle this or is there a better way in which to keep the application open? The application will be checking into a SQL database frequently to see if there is any work to do.

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 25 '10 at 19:42

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You can run Windows Services under any user with appropriate privileges. You are not required to run it under Local Service account.

answered Feb 25 '10 at 19:42

Mehrdad Afshari

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score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 25 '10 at 19:47

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Alternatively, you could use a tray icon to keep you application running, see here for a sample.

Although, you can run the application as a windows service it requires additional installation overhead. Also = as far as I understand the OP - the application should close when the user logs out, this does not hold true for windows services. So you will have close it explicitly when this behaviour is required.

answered Feb 25 '10 at 19:47

AxelEckenberger

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You beat me to it -- I'd consider a tray icon app. – JMarsch Feb 25 '10 at 20:01

score 0 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 11:47

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You could create a windows service and impersonate the user to access the necessary certificate stores. See this question: SO Question

edited May 23 '17 at 11:47

Community

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answered Feb 25 '10 at 19:43

Bryan Rowe

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score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 25 '10 at 19:46

Now I know that it would be optimum to create a Windows Service, but in this case I need to be able to intetact with certificate stores and I do not believe that a local service account certificate store will do.

In Windows XP:

Start->Settings->Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Services

Right click on your service->Properties->Log On tab->This Account->Specify account to run as

It's something similar for Windows Vista and Windows 7 but I'm on an XP machine right now.

I am looking at System.Timers for keeping the application running rather than bludgening in to death with an infinite while statement, is this a logical way to handle this or is there a better way in which to keep the application open?

A System.Timers is fine for periodically doing something. Again, you can implement this in a Windows service though.

What is the best way to keep a console application running in the background?

4 Answers4