I am attempting to run async methods from a synchronous method. But I can't await the async method since I am in a synchronous method. I must not be understanding TPL as this is the fist time I'm using it.
private void GetAllData()
{
GetData1()
GetData2()
GetData3()
}
Each method needs the previous method to finish as the data from the first is used for the second.
However, inside each method I want to start multiple Task
operations in order to speed up the performance. Then I want to wait for all of them to finish.
GetData1 looks like this
internal static void GetData1 ()
{
const int CONCURRENCY_LEVEL = 15;
List<Task<Data>> dataTasks = new List<Task<Data>>();
for (int item = 0; item < TotalItems; item++)
{
dataTasks.Add(MyAyncMethod(State[item]));
}
int taskIndex = 0;
//Schedule tasks to concurency level (or all)
List<Task<Data>> runningTasks = new List<Task<Data>>();
while (taskIndex < CONCURRENCY_LEVEL && taskIndex < dataTasks.Count)
{
runningTasks.Add(dataTasks[taskIndex]);
taskIndex++;
}
//Start tasks and wait for them to finish
while (runningTasks.Count > 0)
{
Task<Data> dataTask = await Task.WhenAny(runningTasks);
runningTasks.Remove(dataTask);
myData = await dataTask;
//Schedule next concurrent task
if (taskIndex < dataTasks.Count)
{
runningTasks.Add(dataTasks[taskIndex]);
taskIndex++;
}
}
Task.WaitAll(dataTasks.ToArray()); //This probably isn't necessary
}
I am using await here but get an Error
The 'await' operator can only be used within an async method. Consider marking this method with the 'async' modifier and changing its return type to 'Task'
However, if I use the async modifier this will be an asynchronous operation. Therefore, if my call to GetData1
doesn't use the await operator won't control go to GetData2 on the first await, which is what I am trying to avoid? Is it possible to keep GetData1 as a synchronous method that calls an asynchronous method? Am I designing the Asynchronous method incorrectly? As you can see I'm quite confused.
This could be a duplicate of How to call asynchronous method from synchronous method in C#? However, I'm not sure how to apply the solutions provided there as I'm starting multiple tasks, want to WaitAny
, do a little more processing for that task, then wait for all tasks to finish before handing control back to the caller.
UPDATE
Here is the solution I went with based on the answers below:
private static List<T> RetrievePageTaskScheduler<T>(
List<T> items,
List<WebPageState> state,
Func<WebPageState, Task<List<T>>> func)
{
int taskIndex = 0;
// Schedule tasks to concurency level (or all)
List<Task<List<T>>> runningTasks = new List<Task<List<T>>>();
while (taskIndex < CONCURRENCY_LEVEL_PER_PROCESSOR * Environment.ProcessorCount
&& taskIndex < state.Count)
{
runningTasks.Add(func(state[taskIndex]));
taskIndex++;
}
// Start tasks and wait for them to finish
while (runningTasks.Count > 0)
{
Task<List<T>> task = Task.WhenAny(runningTasks).Result;
runningTasks.Remove(task);
try
{
items.AddRange(task.Result);
}
catch (AggregateException ex)
{
/* Throwing this exception means that if one task fails
* don't process any more of them */
// https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8853693/pattern-for-implementing-sync-methods-in-terms-of-non-parallel-task-translating
System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Capture(
ex.Flatten().InnerExceptions.First()).Throw();
}
// Schedule next concurrent task
if (taskIndex < state.Count)
{
runningTasks.Add(func(state[taskIndex]));
taskIndex++;
}
}
return items;
}
Use the Result property on the asynchronous Task, like so: // Synchronous method. void Method()
Solution C In that case, you could start the async method on the thread pool: var task = Task. Run(async () => await MyAsyncMethod()); var result = task. WaitAndUnwrapException();
Convert Synchronous to Asynchronous The typical way to make a synchronous function asynchronous is to execute the function in a separate thread. Notice how SyncToAsync finishes and returns control to the program immediately, while SyncMethod executes asynchronously in the background.
The call to the async method starts an asynchronous task. However, because no Await operator is applied, the program continues without waiting for the task to complete. In most cases, that behavior isn't expected.
Task<TResult>.Result
(or Task.Wait()
when there's no result) is similar to await
, but is a synchronous operation. You should change GetData1()
to use this. Here's the portion to change:
Task<Data> dataTask = Task.WhenAny(runningTasks).Result;
runningTasks.Remove(dataTask);
myData = gameTask.Result;
If you love us? You can donate to us via Paypal or buy me a coffee so we can maintain and grow! Thank you!
Donate Us With