How to start Play! Framework 2.0 application as a Windows service

Run a Play framework application as a Windows Service with YAJSW kindly explains how to run a Play! 1.x applications as a Windows Service, but unfortunately it does not work for Play! 2.0 application. I could not find the good solution for Play! 2.0 applications on the internet, so I note my solution. Hope it would be someone’s help.

1. Build your application for deploy.

2. Deploy your application by using the stage task.

   $ play clean compile stage
   

3. Download Yet Another Java Service Wrapper (YAJSW).
4. Unzip YAJSW to %app% (where %app% is the path to your application) and rename the directory to wrapper.
5. Create 2 directories: %app%\log (for log files) and %app%\temp (for temporary files).

6. Edit %app%\wrapper\conf\wrapper.conf.

   Example (please change PATH_TO_YOUR_APP to %app%):

   # Example YAJSW configuration to run Play! application as service
   wrapper.working.dir=PATH_TO_YOUR_APP
   wrapper.java.app.mainclass = play.core.server.NettyServer
   wrapper.java.classpath.1 = ${wrapper.working.dir}/conf/*
   wrapper.java.classpath.2 = ${wrapper.working.dir}/target/staged/*
   wrapper.java.additional.1 = -Djava.io.tmpdir=temp
   wrapper.logfile=${wrapper.working.dir}/logs/wrapper.log
   wrapper.console.title = Play! service test
   wrapper.ntservice.name = Play! service test
   wrapper.ntservice.displayname = Play! service test
   wrapper.ntservice.description = Running a Play! app as windows service
   

7. Execute %app%\wrapper\bat\runConsole.bat and confirm your application starts.
8. Install the service. Execute %app%\wrapper\bat\installService.bat. The new Play! service test service should be created.
9. Start the service via Service in Computer Management.