How to: Wait on One or More Tasks to Complete

This example shows how to use the Wait method, or its equivalent in the Task<TResult> class, to wait on a single task. It also shows how to use the static WaitAll and WaitAny methods to wait on multiple tasks.

Example

' How to: Wait on One or More Tasks to Complete
Imports System.Threading
Imports System.Threading.Tasks

Module WaitOnTasks

    Dim rand As New Random()
    Sub Main()

        ' Wait on a single task with no timeout specified.
        Dim taskA = Task.Factory.StartNew(Sub() DoSomeWork(10000000))
        taskA.Wait()
        Console.WriteLine("taskA has completed.")


        ' Wait on a single task with a timeout specified.
        Dim taskB = Task.Factory.StartNew(Sub() DoSomeWork(10000000))
        taskB.Wait(100) 'Wait for 100 ms.

        If (taskB.IsCompleted) Then
            Console.WriteLine("taskB has completed.")
        Else
            Console.WriteLine("Timed out before task2 completed.")
        End If

        ' Wait for all tasks to complete.
        Dim myTasks(9) As Task
        For i As Integer = 0 To myTasks.Length - 1
            myTasks(i) = Task.Factory.StartNew(Sub() DoSomeWork(10000000))
        Next
        Task.WaitAll(myTasks)

        ' Wait for first task to complete.
        Dim tasks2(2) As Task(Of Double)

        ' Try three different approaches to the problem. Take the first one.
        tasks2(0) = Task(Of Double).Factory.StartNew(Function() TrySolution1())
        tasks2(1) = Task(Of Double).Factory.StartNew(Function() TrySolution2())
        tasks2(2) = Task(Of Double).Factory.StartNew(Function() TrySolution3())


        Dim index As Integer = Task.WaitAny(tasks2)
        Dim d As Double = tasks2(index).Result
        Console.WriteLine("task(0) completed first with result of {1}.", index, d)
        Console.ReadKey()

    End Sub


    ' Dummy Functions to Simulate Work

    Function DoSomeWork(ByVal val As Integer)
        ' Pretend to do something.
        Thread.SpinWait(val)
    End Function

    Function TrySolution1()

        Dim i As Integer = rand.Next(1000000)
        ' Simulate work by spinning
        Thread.SpinWait(i)
        Return i
    End Function
    Function TrySolution2()

        Dim i As Integer = rand.Next(1000000)
        ' Simulate work by spinning
        Thread.SpinWait(i)
        Return i
    End Function
    Function TrySolution3()

        Dim i As Integer = rand.Next(1000000)
        ' Simulate work by spinning
        Thread.SpinWait(i)
        Thread.SpinWait(1000000)
        Return i
    End Function

End Module

    using System;   
    using System.Threading;
    using System.Threading.Tasks;

    class Program
    {
        static Random rand = new Random();
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // Wait on a single task with no timeout specified.
            Task taskA = Task.Factory.StartNew(() => DoSomeWork(10000000));
            taskA.Wait();
            Console.WriteLine("taskA has completed.");


            // Wait on a single task with a timeout specified.
            Task taskB = Task.Factory.StartNew(() => DoSomeWork(10000000));
            taskB.Wait(100); //Wait for 100 ms.

            if (taskB.IsCompleted)
                Console.WriteLine("taskB has completed.");
            else
                Console.WriteLine("Timed out before taskB completed.");

            // Wait for all tasks to complete.
            Task[] tasks = new Task[10];
            for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
            {
                tasks[i] = Task.Factory.StartNew(() => DoSomeWork(10000000));
            }
            Task.WaitAll(tasks);

            // Wait for first task to complete.
            Task<double>[] tasks2 = new Task<double>[3];

            // Try three different approaches to the problem. Take the first one.
            tasks2[0] = Task<double>.Factory.StartNew(() => TrySolution1());
            tasks2[1] = Task<double>.Factory.StartNew(() => TrySolution2());
            tasks2[2] = Task<double>.Factory.StartNew(() => TrySolution3());


            int index = Task.WaitAny(tasks2);
            double d = tasks2[index].Result;
            Console.WriteLine("task[{0}] completed first with result of {1}.", index, d);

            Console.ReadKey();
        }


        static void DoSomeWork(int val)
        {
            // Pretend to do something.
            Thread.SpinWait(val);
        }

        static double TrySolution1()
        {
            int i = rand.Next(1000000);
            // Simulate work by spinning
            Thread.SpinWait(i); 
            return DateTime.Now.Millisecond;
        }
        static double TrySolution2()
        {
            int i = rand.Next(1000000);
            // Simulate work by spinning
            Thread.SpinWait(i); 
            return DateTime.Now.Millisecond;
        }
        static double TrySolution3()
        {
            int i = rand.Next(1000000);
            // Simulate work by spinning
            Thread.SpinWait(i); 
            Thread.SpinWait(1000000);
            return DateTime.Now.Millisecond;
        }


    }

For the sake of simplicity, these examples do not show exception handling code, or cancellation code. In most cases, you should enclose a Wait method in a try-catch block because waiting is the mechanism by which program code handles exceptions that are raised from any of the tasks. For more information, see How to: Handle Exceptions Thrown by Tasks. If your task is cancelable, then you should check the IsCanceled or IsCancellationRequested() property before you try to consume the task or its Result() property. For more information, see How to: Cancel a Task and Its Children.

See Also

Concepts

Lambda Expressions in PLINQ and TPL

Other Resources

Task Parallelism (Task Parallel Library)