Service Name Properties

The VCL provides classes for creating service applications on the Windows platform (not available for cross-platform applications). These include TService and TDependency. When using these classes, the various name properties can be confusing. This topic describes the differences.

Services have user names (called Service start names) that are associated with passwords, display names for display in manager and editor windows, and actual names (the name of the service). Dependencies can be services or they can be load ordering groups. They also have names and display names. And because service objects are derived from TComponent, they inherit the Name property. The following sections summarize the name properties.

TDependency properties

The TDependency DisplayName is both a display name and the actual name of the service. It is nearly always the same as the TDependency Name property.

TService name properties

The TService Name property is inherited from TComponent. It is the name of the component, and is also the name of the service. For dependencies that are services, this property is the same as the TDependency Name and DisplayName properties.

TService's DisplayName is the name displayed in the Service Manager window. This often differs from the actual service name (TService.Name, TDependency.DisplayName, TDependency.Name). Note that the DisplayName for the Dependency and the DisplayName for the Service usually differ.

Service start names are distinct from both the service display names and the actual service names. A ServiceStartName is the user name input on the Start dialog selected from the Service Control Manager.