Question

I have created a windows service which allows communications via namedpipes.

This code worked fine when I wrote some unit tests to spin up the pipes and test the communication, but now I have installed the same code in my windows service I get the following error:

Exception Info: System.IO.IOException
Stack:
       at System.IO.__Error.WinIOError(Int32, System.String)
       at System.IO.Pipes.NamedPipeServerStream.Create(System.String, System.IO.Pipes.PipeDirection, Int32, System.IO.Pipes.PipeTransmissionMode, System.IO.Pipes.PipeOptions, Int32, Int32, System.IO.Pipes.PipeAccessRights, SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES)
       at System.IO.Pipes.NamedPipeServerStream..ctor(System.String, System.IO.Pipes.PipeDirection, Int32, System.IO.Pipes.PipeTransmissionMode, System.IO.Pipes.PipeOptions, Int32, Int32, System.IO.Pipes.PipeSecurity, System.IO.HandleInheritability, System.IO.Pipes.PipeAccessRights)
       at System.IO.Pipes.NamedPipeServerStream..ctor(System.String, System.IO.Pipes.PipeDirection, Int32, System.IO.Pipes.PipeTransmissionMode,     
System.IO.Pipes.PipeOptions, Int32, Int32, System.IO.Pipes.PipeSecurity)
   at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart_Context(System.Object)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object, Boolean)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object)
   at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart(System.Object)

Now I did some googling and found this post in stackoverflow > POST But I implemented this (apart from the ps.AddAccessRule(pa); as that made no reference to was pa was)
and I get the same error.

this is the code I have for the thread:

var pipeSecurity = new PipeSecurity();
pipeSecurity.AddAccessRule(new PipeAccessRule("Users", PipeAccessRights.ReadWrite | PipeAccessRights.CreateNewInstance, AccessControlType.Allow));
pipeSecurity.AddAccessRule(new PipeAccessRule("CREATOR OWNER", PipeAccessRights.FullControl, AccessControlType.Allow));
pipeSecurity.AddAccessRule(new PipeAccessRule("SYSTEM", PipeAccessRights.FullControl, AccessControlType.Allow));

var pipeServer = new NamedPipeServerStream(pipeName, PipeDirection.InOut, numThreads, PipeTransmissionMode.Message, PipeOptions.Asynchronous, 1024, 1024, pipeSecurity);    

pipeServer.WaitForConnection();

any help will be great.

Ok here is the code that is running the listener:

the windows service:

public static System.Timers.Timer Timer = new System.Timers.Timer();

public void Start()
{
    Timer.Elapsed += (HeartBeat);
    //Timer.Interval = 100; //Live
    Timer.Interval = 2000; //Debug
    Timer.Start();
}

public void Stop()
{
    Timer.Stop();
}

private static void HeartBeat(object sender, ElapsedEventArgs e)
{
    //listen for a message
    ListenForMessage();

}

the listener code:

private const String pipeName = "StackOVerFlowPipeCode";
private const int numThreads = 10;

public static void ListenForMessage()
{
    int i;
    var servers = new Thread[numThreads];

    for (i = 0; i < numThreads; i++)
    {
        servers[i] = new Thread(ServerThread);
        servers[i].Start();
    }

    Thread.Sleep(250);

    while (i > 0)
    {
        for (var j = 0; j < numThreads; j++)
        {
            if (servers[j] == null) continue;
            if (!servers[j].Join(250)) continue;

            servers[j] = null;

            i--;    // decrement the thread watch count
        }
    }
}

private static void ServerThread(object data)
{
    try
    {
        var pipeServer = new NamedPipeServerStream(pipeName, PipeDirection.InOut, numThreads);

        pipeServer.WaitForConnection();

        var ss = new StreamString(pipeServer);
        ss.WriteString(pipeName);

        var message = ss.ReadString();

        //DO STUFF HERE WITH MESSAGE

        pipeServer.Close();
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        //CRY LIKE A BABY WHO LOST HIS TEDDY
        throw ex;
    }
}

Exception message found: All pipe instances are busy.

Answer 1

Turns out my whole implementation was flawed, I deleted a lot of code and rewrote it and it worked. I removed code from in ListenForMessage() and replaced it with the code from ServerThread() and then also changed how the service was calling this, to a thread from a timer. and it worked.

well sort of, the code after the message is received (shown as //Do Stuff in the above) does work, but at least this task is complete.

note: never just copy and past code and take it for granted always read it and understand it.