Is it possible to use --pidfile option with telegraf running as a windows service?

Telegraf
1

Hi experts,
Is it possible to the use --pidfile startup option when telegraf is running as a windows service?

i tried adding this to “Start Parameters” field from Services > “Telegraf Data Collector Service” > Properties panel. But when i click OK or Apply, the parameters i specified get cleared out. Looks like the start parameters is not taking effect for the telegraf service.

Thanks for your help!
-Mahesh

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2

You can create the service manually to add the extra argument. It is possible to do this with the sc.exe command packaged with Windows but I recommend using NSSM instead.

3

Thanks Daniel. May i trouble you further to share either the sc.exe or NSSM arguments to create the service so i can create it just like “telegraf.exe --service install”? I’ll add pidfile argument to it. i’m worried that the service i install manually may differ from the one installed by telegraf.exe in some other ways that i don’t want…which is why i’m requesting for this info.
Thanks again!

4

I’m not in front of a Windows computer, so just a warning this is from memory:

With sc.exe, I’m actually not sure how to quote the command line, but it is similar to:

sc.exe create "Telegraf Data Collector Service" binPath= "C:\Program Files\Telegraf\telegraf.exe --config C:\Program Files\Telegraf\telegraf.conf"

With NSSM I have always opened the GUI with:

nssm install "Telegraf Data Collector Service"

Then just add the arguments, --config "C:\Program Files\Telegraf\telegraf.conf", with the correct path to the config file and then you will just need to add the --pidfile argument.

5

Thanks Daniel. Tied a few options but the service did not start or started without creating the pidfile.
For eg.,
sc.exe create telegraf binPath= “C:\Program Files\Telegraf\telegraf.exe --config C:\Program Files\Telegraf\telegraf.conf --pidfile C:\Program Files\Telegraf\telegraf.pid” DisplayName= “Telegraf Data Collector Service”
created a service but on starting resulted in an error
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No sweat. This is not urgent for me. i’m not blocked on this one currently. Thanks for your help.