WaitHandle Class (System.Threading)

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.NET Framework Class Library
WaitHandle Class

Encapsulates operating system–specific objects that wait for exclusive access to shared resources.

Namespace: System.Threading
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)

Syntax
Visual Basic (Declaration)
<ComVisibleAttribute(True)> _
Public MustInherit Class WaitHandle
	Inherits MarshalByRefObject
	Implements IDisposable
Visual Basic (Usage)
Dim instance As WaitHandle
C#
[ComVisibleAttribute(true)] 
public abstract class WaitHandle : MarshalByRefObject, IDisposable
C++
[ComVisibleAttribute(true)] 
public ref class WaitHandle abstract : public MarshalByRefObject, IDisposable
J#
/** @attribute ComVisibleAttribute(true) */ 
public abstract class WaitHandle extends MarshalByRefObject implements IDisposable
JScript
ComVisibleAttribute(true) 
public abstract class WaitHandle extends MarshalByRefObject implements IDisposable
Remarks

This class is typically used as a base class for synchronization objects. Classes derived from WaitHandle define a signaling mechanism to indicate taking or releasing access to a shared resource, but use the inherited WaitHandle methods to block while waiting for access to shared resources.

Use the static methods of this class to block a thread until one or more synchronization objects receive a signal.

Example

The following code example shows how two threads can do background tasks while the Main thread waits for the tasks to complete using the static WaitAny and WaitAll methods of the WaitHandle class.

Visual Basic
Imports System
Imports System.Threading

NotInheritable Public Class App
    ' Define an array with two AutoResetEvent WaitHandles.
    Private Shared waitHandles() As WaitHandle = _
        {New AutoResetEvent(False), New AutoResetEvent(False)}
    
    ' Define a random number generator for testing.
    Private Shared r As New Random()
    
    <MTAThreadAttribute> _
    Public Shared Sub Main() 
        ' Queue two tasks on two different threads; 
        ' wait until all tasks are completed.
        Dim dt As DateTime = DateTime.Now
        Console.WriteLine("Main thread is waiting for BOTH tasks to complete.")
        ThreadPool.QueueUserWorkItem(AddressOf DoTask, waitHandles(0))
        ThreadPool.QueueUserWorkItem(AddressOf DoTask, waitHandles(1))
        WaitHandle.WaitAll(waitHandles)
        ' The time shown below should match the longest task.
        Console.WriteLine("Both tasks are completed (time waited={0})", _
            (DateTime.Now - dt).TotalMilliseconds)
        
        ' Queue up two tasks on two different threads; 
        ' wait until any tasks are completed.
        dt = DateTime.Now
        Console.WriteLine()
        Console.WriteLine("The main thread is waiting for either task to complete.")
        ThreadPool.QueueUserWorkItem(AddressOf DoTask, waitHandles(0))
        ThreadPool.QueueUserWorkItem(AddressOf DoTask, waitHandles(1))
        Dim index As Integer = WaitHandle.WaitAny(waitHandles)
        ' The time shown below should match the shortest task.
        Console.WriteLine("Task {0} finished first (time waited={1}).", _
            index + 1,(DateTime.Now - dt).TotalMilliseconds)
    
    End Sub 'Main
    
    Shared Sub DoTask(ByVal state As [Object]) 
        Dim are As AutoResetEvent = CType(state, AutoResetEvent)
        Dim time As Integer = 1000 * r.Next(2, 10)
        Console.WriteLine("Performing a task for {0} milliseconds.", time)
        Thread.Sleep(time)
        are.Set()
    
    End Sub 'DoTask
End Class 'App

' This code produces output similar to the following:
'
'  Main thread is waiting for BOTH tasks to complete.
'  Performing a task for 7000 milliseconds.
'  Performing a task for 4000 milliseconds.
'  Both tasks are completed (time waited=7064.8052)
' 
'  The main thread is waiting for either task to complete.
'  Performing a task for 2000 milliseconds.
'  Performing a task for 2000 milliseconds.
'  Task 1 finished first (time waited=2000.6528).
C#
using System;
using System.Threading;

public sealed class App 
{
    // Define an array with two AutoResetEvent WaitHandles.
    static WaitHandle[] waitHandles = new WaitHandle[] 
    {
        new AutoResetEvent(false),
        new AutoResetEvent(false)
    };

    // Define a random number generator for testing.
    static Random r = new Random();

    static void Main() 
    {
        // Queue up two tasks on two different threads; 
        // wait until all tasks are completed.
        DateTime dt = DateTime.Now;
        Console.WriteLine("Main thread is waiting for BOTH tasks to complete.");
        ThreadPool.QueueUserWorkItem(new WaitCallback(DoTask), waitHandles[0]);
        ThreadPool.QueueUserWorkItem(new WaitCallback(DoTask), waitHandles[1]);
        WaitHandle.WaitAll(waitHandles);
        // The time shown below should match the longest task.
        Console.WriteLine("Both tasks are completed (time waited={0})", 
            (DateTime.Now - dt).TotalMilliseconds);

        // Queue up two tasks on two different threads; 
        // wait until any tasks are completed.
        dt = DateTime.Now;
        Console.WriteLine();
        Console.WriteLine("The main thread is waiting for either task to complete.");
        ThreadPool.QueueUserWorkItem(new WaitCallback(DoTask), waitHandles[0]);
        ThreadPool.QueueUserWorkItem(new WaitCallback(DoTask), waitHandles[1]);
        int index = WaitHandle.WaitAny(waitHandles);
        // The time shown below should match the shortest task.
        Console.WriteLine("Task {0} finished first (time waited={1}).",
            index + 1, (DateTime.Now - dt).TotalMilliseconds);
    }

    static void DoTask(Object state) 
    {
        AutoResetEvent are = (AutoResetEvent) state;
        int time = 1000 * r.Next(2, 10);
        Console.WriteLine("Performing a task for {0} milliseconds.", time);
        Thread.Sleep(time);
        are.Set();
    }
}

// This code produces output similar to the following:
//
//  Main thread is waiting for BOTH tasks to complete.
//  Performing a task for 7000 milliseconds.
//  Performing a task for 4000 milliseconds.
//  Both tasks are completed (time waited=7064.8052)
// 
//  The main thread is waiting for either task to complete.
//  Performing a task for 2000 milliseconds.
//  Performing a task for 2000 milliseconds.
//  Task 1 finished first (time waited=2000.6528).
C++
using namespace System;
using namespace System::Threading;

public ref class WaitHandleExample
{
    // Define a random number generator for testing.
private:
    static Random^ random = gcnew Random();
public:
    static void DoTask(Object^ state)
    {
        AutoResetEvent^ autoReset = (AutoResetEvent^) state;
        int time = 1000 * random->Next(2, 10);
        Console::WriteLine("Performing a task for {0} milliseconds.", time);
        Thread::Sleep(time);
        autoReset->Set();
    }
};

int main()
{
    // Define an array with two AutoResetEvent WaitHandles.
    array<WaitHandle^>^ handles = gcnew array<WaitHandle^> {
        gcnew AutoResetEvent(false), gcnew AutoResetEvent(false)};

    // Queue up two tasks on two different threads;
    // wait until all tasks are completed.
    DateTime timeInstance = DateTime::Now;
    Console::WriteLine("Main thread is waiting for BOTH tasks to " +
        "complete.");
    ThreadPool::QueueUserWorkItem(
        gcnew WaitCallback(WaitHandleExample::DoTask), handles[0]);
    ThreadPool::QueueUserWorkItem(
        gcnew WaitCallback(WaitHandleExample::DoTask), handles[1]);
    WaitHandle::WaitAll(handles);
    // The time shown below should match the longest task.
    Console::WriteLine("Both tasks are completed (time waited={0})",
        (DateTime::Now - timeInstance).TotalMilliseconds);

    // Queue up two tasks on two different threads;
    // wait until any tasks are completed.
    timeInstance = DateTime::Now;
    Console::WriteLine();
    Console::WriteLine("The main thread is waiting for either task to " +
        "complete.");
    ThreadPool::QueueUserWorkItem(
        gcnew WaitCallback(WaitHandleExample::DoTask), handles[0]);
    ThreadPool::QueueUserWorkItem(
        gcnew WaitCallback(WaitHandleExample::DoTask), handles[1]);
    int index = WaitHandle::WaitAny(handles);
    // The time shown below should match the shortest task.
    Console::WriteLine("Task {0} finished first (time waited={1}).",
        index + 1, (DateTime::Now - timeInstance).TotalMilliseconds);
}

// This code produces the following sample output.
//
// Main thread is waiting for BOTH tasks to complete.
// Performing a task for 7000 milliseconds.
// Performing a task for 4000 milliseconds.
// Both tasks are completed (time waited=7064.8052)

// The main thread is waiting for either task to complete.
// Performing a task for 2000 milliseconds.
// Performing a task for 2000 milliseconds.
// Task 1 finished first (time waited=2000.6528).
Inheritance Hierarchy
System.Object
   System.MarshalByRefObject
    System.Threading.WaitHandle
       System.Threading.EventWaitHandle
       System.Threading.Mutex
       System.Threading.Semaphore
Thread Safety

This type is thread safe.

Platforms

Windows 98, Windows 2000 SP4, Windows CE, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Starter Edition

The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see System Requirements.

Version Information

.NET Framework

Supported in: 2.0, 1.1, 1.0

.NET Compact Framework

Supported in: 2.0, 1.0
See Also