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How to: Implement a Component That Supports the Event-based Asynchronous Pattern

The following code example implements a component with an asynchronous method, according to the Event-based Asynchronous Pattern Overview. The component is a prime number calculator that uses the Sieve of Eratosthenes algorithm to determine if a number is prime or composite.

There is extensive support for this task in Visual Studio. Walkthrough: Implementing a Component That Supports the Event-based Asynchronous Pattern
Walkthrough: Implementing a Component That Supports the Event-based Asynchronous Pattern
Walkthrough: Implementing a Component That Supports the Event-based Asynchronous Pattern
Walkthrough: Implementing a Component That Supports the Event-based Asynchronous Pattern

For an example client that uses the PrimeNumberCalculator component, see How to: Implement a Client of the Event-based Asynchronous Pattern.

Example

Imports System
Imports System.Collections
Imports System.Collections.Specialized
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.Globalization
Imports System.Threading
Imports System.Windows.Forms


...



Public Delegate Sub ProgressChangedEventHandler( _
    ByVal e As ProgressChangedEventArgs)

Public Delegate Sub CalculatePrimeCompletedEventHandler( _
    ByVal sender As Object, _
    ByVal e As CalculatePrimeCompletedEventArgs)

' This class implements the Event-based Asynchronous Pattern.
' It asynchronously computes whether a number is prime or
' composite (not prime).
Public Class PrimeNumberCalculator
    Inherits System.ComponentModel.Component

    Private Delegate Sub WorkerEventHandler( _
    ByVal numberToCheck As Integer, _
    ByVal asyncOp As AsyncOperation)

    Private onProgressReportDelegate As SendOrPostCallback
    Private onCompletedDelegate As SendOrPostCallback

    Private userStateToLifetime As New HybridDictionary()

    Private components As System.ComponentModel.Container = Nothing

    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
#Region "Public events"

    Public Event ProgressChanged _
        As ProgressChangedEventHandler
    Public Event CalculatePrimeCompleted _
        As CalculatePrimeCompletedEventHandler

#End Region

    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
#Region "Construction and destruction"


    Public Sub New(ByVal container As System.ComponentModel.IContainer)

        container.Add(Me)
        InitializeComponent()

        InitializeDelegates()

    End Sub


    Public Sub New()

        InitializeComponent()

        InitializeDelegates()

    End Sub


    Protected Overridable Sub InitializeDelegates()
        onProgressReportDelegate = _
            New SendOrPostCallback(AddressOf ReportProgress)
        onCompletedDelegate = _
            New SendOrPostCallback(AddressOf CalculateCompleted)
    End Sub


    Protected Overrides Sub Dispose(ByVal disposing As Boolean)
        If disposing Then
            If (components IsNot Nothing) Then
                components.Dispose()
            End If
        End If
        MyBase.Dispose(disposing)

    End Sub

#End Region

    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
#Region "Implementation"


    ' This method starts an asynchronous calculation. 
    ' First, it checks the supplied task ID for uniqueness.
    ' If taskId is unique, it creates a new WorkerEventHandler 
    ' and calls its BeginInvoke method to start the calculation.
    Public Overridable Sub CalculatePrimeAsync( _
        ByVal numberToTest As Integer, _
        ByVal taskId As Object)

        ' Create an AsyncOperation for taskId.
        Dim asyncOp As AsyncOperation = _
            AsyncOperationManager.CreateOperation(taskId)

        ' Multiple threads will access the task dictionary,
        ' so it must be locked to serialize access.
        SyncLock userStateToLifetime.SyncRoot
            If userStateToLifetime.Contains(taskId) Then
                Throw New ArgumentException( _
                    "Task ID parameter must be unique", _
                    "taskId")
            End If

            userStateToLifetime(taskId) = asyncOp
        End SyncLock

        ' Start the asynchronous operation.
        Dim workerDelegate As New WorkerEventHandler( _
            AddressOf CalculateWorker)

        workerDelegate.BeginInvoke( _
            numberToTest, _
            asyncOp, _
            Nothing, _
            Nothing)

    End Sub

    ' Utility method for determining if a 
    ' task has been canceled.
    Private Function TaskCanceled(ByVal taskId As Object) As Boolean
        Return (userStateToLifetime(taskId) Is Nothing)
    End Function

    ' This method cancels a pending asynchronous operation.
    Public Sub CancelAsync(ByVal taskId As Object)

        Dim obj As Object = userStateToLifetime(taskId)
        If (obj IsNot Nothing) Then

            SyncLock userStateToLifetime.SyncRoot

                userStateToLifetime.Remove(taskId)

            End SyncLock

        End If

    End Sub

    ' This method performs the actual prime number computation.
    ' It is executed on the worker thread.
    Private Sub CalculateWorker( _
        ByVal numberToTest As Integer, _
        ByVal asyncOp As AsyncOperation)

        Dim prime As Boolean = False
        Dim firstDivisor As Integer = 1
        Dim exc As Exception = Nothing

        ' Check that the task is still active.
        ' The operation may have been canceled before
        ' the thread was scheduled.
        If Not Me.TaskCanceled(asyncOp.UserSuppliedState) Then

            Try
                ' Find all the prime numbers up to the
                ' square root of numberToTest.
                Dim primes As ArrayList = BuildPrimeNumberList( _
                    numberToTest, asyncOp)

                ' Now we have a list of primes less than 
                'numberToTest.
                prime = IsPrime( _
                    primes, _
                    numberToTest, _
                    firstDivisor)

            Catch ex As Exception
                exc = ex
            End Try

        End If

        Me.CompletionMethod( _
            numberToTest, _
            firstDivisor, _
            prime, _
            exc, _
            TaskCanceled(asyncOp.UserSuppliedState), _
            asyncOp)

    End Sub

    ' This method computes the list of prime numbers used by the
    ' IsPrime method.
    Private Function BuildPrimeNumberList( _
        ByVal numberToTest As Integer, _
        ByVal asyncOp As AsyncOperation) As ArrayList

        Dim e As ProgressChangedEventArgs = Nothing
        Dim primes As New ArrayList
        Dim firstDivisor As Integer
        Dim n As Integer = 5

        ' Add the first prime numbers.
        primes.Add(2)
        primes.Add(3)

        ' Do the work.
        While n < numberToTest And _
            Not Me.TaskCanceled(asyncOp.UserSuppliedState)

            If IsPrime(primes, n, firstDivisor) Then
                ' Report to the client that you found a prime.
                e = New CalculatePrimeProgressChangedEventArgs( _
                    n, _
                    CSng(n) / CSng(numberToTest) * 100, _
                    asyncOp.UserSuppliedState)

                asyncOp.Post(Me.onProgressReportDelegate, e)

                primes.Add(n)

                ' Yield the rest of this time slice.
                Thread.Sleep(0)
            End If

            ' Skip even numbers.
            n += 2

        End While

        Return primes

    End Function


    ' This method tests n for primality against the list of 
    ' prime numbers contained in the primes parameter.
    Private Function IsPrime( _
        ByVal primes As ArrayList, _
        ByVal n As Integer, _
        ByRef firstDivisor As Integer) As Boolean

        Dim foundDivisor As Boolean = False
        Dim exceedsSquareRoot As Boolean = False

        Dim i As Integer = 0
        Dim divisor As Integer = 0
        firstDivisor = 1

        ' Stop the search if:
        ' there are no more primes in the list,
        ' there is a divisor of n in the list, or
        ' there is a prime that is larger than 
        ' the square root of n.
        While i < primes.Count AndAlso _
            Not foundDivisor AndAlso _
            Not exceedsSquareRoot

            ' The divisor variable will be the smallest prime number 
            ' not yet tried.
            divisor = primes(i)
            i = i + 1

            ' Determine whether the divisor is greater than the 
            ' square root of n.
            If divisor * divisor > n Then
                exceedsSquareRoot = True
                ' Determine whether the divisor is a factor of n.
            ElseIf n Mod divisor = 0 Then
                firstDivisor = divisor
                foundDivisor = True
            End If
        End While

        Return Not foundDivisor

    End Function


    ' This method is invoked via the AsyncOperation object,
    ' so it is guaranteed to be executed on the correct thread.
    Private Sub CalculateCompleted(ByVal operationState As Object)
        Dim e As CalculatePrimeCompletedEventArgs = operationState

        OnCalculatePrimeCompleted(e)

    End Sub


    ' This method is invoked via the AsyncOperation object,
    ' so it is guaranteed to be executed on the correct thread.
    Private Sub ReportProgress(ByVal state As Object)
        Dim e As ProgressChangedEventArgs = state

        OnProgressChanged(e)

    End Sub

    Protected Sub OnCalculatePrimeCompleted( _
        ByVal e As CalculatePrimeCompletedEventArgs)

        RaiseEvent CalculatePrimeCompleted(Me, e)

    End Sub


    Protected Sub OnProgressChanged( _
        ByVal e As ProgressChangedEventArgs)

        RaiseEvent ProgressChanged(e)

    End Sub


    ' This is the method that the underlying, free-threaded 
    ' asynchronous behavior will invoke.  This will happen on
    '  an arbitrary thread.
    Private Sub CompletionMethod( _
        ByVal numberToTest As Integer, _
        ByVal firstDivisor As Integer, _
        ByVal prime As Boolean, _
        ByVal exc As Exception, _
        ByVal canceled As Boolean, _
        ByVal asyncOp As AsyncOperation)

        ' If the task was not previously canceled,
        ' remove the task from the lifetime collection.
        If Not canceled Then
            SyncLock userStateToLifetime.SyncRoot
                userStateToLifetime.Remove(asyncOp.UserSuppliedState)
            End SyncLock
        End If

        ' Package the results of the operation in a 
        ' CalculatePrimeCompletedEventArgs.
        Dim e As New CalculatePrimeCompletedEventArgs( _
            numberToTest, _
            firstDivisor, _
            prime, _
            exc, _
            canceled, _
            asyncOp.UserSuppliedState)

        ' End the task. The asyncOp object is responsible 
        ' for marshaling the call.
        asyncOp.PostOperationCompleted(onCompletedDelegate, e)

        ' Note that after the call to PostOperationCompleted, asyncOp
        ' is no longer usable, and any attempt to use it will cause.
        ' an exception to be thrown.

    End Sub

#End Region


    Private Sub InitializeComponent()

    End Sub


End Class

Public Class CalculatePrimeProgressChangedEventArgs
    Inherits ProgressChangedEventArgs
    Private latestPrimeNumberValue As Integer = 1


    Public Sub New( _
        ByVal latestPrime As Integer, _
        ByVal progressPercentage As Integer, _
        ByVal UserState As Object)

        MyBase.New(progressPercentage, UserState)
        Me.latestPrimeNumberValue = latestPrime

    End Sub

    Public ReadOnly Property LatestPrimeNumber() As Integer
        Get
            Return latestPrimeNumberValue
        End Get
    End Property
End Class

Public Class CalculatePrimeCompletedEventArgs
    Inherits AsyncCompletedEventArgs
    Private numberToTestValue As Integer = 0
    Private firstDivisorValue As Integer = 1
    Private isPrimeValue As Boolean


    Public Sub New( _
    ByVal numberToTest As Integer, _
    ByVal firstDivisor As Integer, _
    ByVal isPrime As Boolean, _
    ByVal e As Exception, _
    ByVal canceled As Boolean, _
    ByVal state As Object)

        MyBase.New(e, canceled, state)
        Me.numberToTestValue = numberToTest
        Me.firstDivisorValue = firstDivisor
        Me.isPrimeValue = isPrime

    End Sub


    Public ReadOnly Property NumberToTest() As Integer
        Get
            ' Raise an exception if the operation failed 
            ' or was canceled.
            RaiseExceptionIfNecessary()

            ' If the operation was successful, return 
            ' the property value.
            Return numberToTestValue
        End Get
    End Property


    Public ReadOnly Property FirstDivisor() As Integer
        Get
            ' Raise an exception if the operation failed 
            ' or was canceled.
            RaiseExceptionIfNecessary()

            ' If the operation was successful, return 
            ' the property value.
            Return firstDivisorValue
        End Get
    End Property


    Public ReadOnly Property IsPrime() As Boolean
        Get
            ' Raise an exception if the operation failed 
            ' or was canceled.
            RaiseExceptionIfNecessary()

            ' If the operation was successful, return 
            ' the property value.
            Return isPrimeValue
        End Get
    End Property
End Class
using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Specialized;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Globalization;
using System.Threading;
using System.Windows.Forms;


...



/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
#region PrimeNumberCalculator Implementation

public delegate void ProgressChangedEventHandler(
    ProgressChangedEventArgs e);

public delegate void CalculatePrimeCompletedEventHandler(
    object sender,
    CalculatePrimeCompletedEventArgs e);

// This class implements the Event-based Asynchronous Pattern.
// It asynchronously computes whether a number is prime or
// composite (not prime).
public class PrimeNumberCalculator : Component
{
    private delegate void WorkerEventHandler(
        int numberToCheck,
        AsyncOperation asyncOp);

    private SendOrPostCallback onProgressReportDelegate;
    private SendOrPostCallback onCompletedDelegate;

    private HybridDictionary userStateToLifetime = 
        new HybridDictionary();

    private System.ComponentModel.Container components = null;

    /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    #region Public events

    public event ProgressChangedEventHandler ProgressChanged;
    public event CalculatePrimeCompletedEventHandler CalculatePrimeCompleted;

    #endregion

    /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    #region Construction and destruction

    public PrimeNumberCalculator(IContainer container)
    {   
        container.Add(this);
        InitializeComponent();

        InitializeDelegates();
    }

    public PrimeNumberCalculator()
    {   
        InitializeComponent();

        InitializeDelegates();
    }

    protected virtual void InitializeDelegates()
    {
        onProgressReportDelegate =
            new SendOrPostCallback(ReportProgress);
        onCompletedDelegate =
            new SendOrPostCallback(CalculateCompleted);
    }

    protected override void Dispose(bool disposing)
    {
        if (disposing)
        {
            if (components != null)
            {
                components.Dispose();
            }
        }
        base.Dispose(disposing);
    }

    #endregion // Construction and destruction

    /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    ///
    #region Implementation

    // This method starts an asynchronous calculation. 
    // First, it checks the supplied task ID for uniqueness.
    // If taskId is unique, it creates a new WorkerEventHandler 
    // and calls its BeginInvoke method to start the calculation.
    public virtual void CalculatePrimeAsync(
        int numberToTest,
        object taskId)
    {
        // Create an AsyncOperation for taskId.
        AsyncOperation asyncOp =
            AsyncOperationManager.CreateOperation(taskId);

        // Multiple threads will access the task dictionary,
        // so it must be locked to serialize access.
        lock (userStateToLifetime.SyncRoot)
        {
            if (userStateToLifetime.Contains(taskId))
            {
                throw new ArgumentException(
                    "Task ID parameter must be unique", 
                    "taskId");
            }

            userStateToLifetime[taskId] = asyncOp;
        }

        // Start the asynchronous operation.
        WorkerEventHandler workerDelegate = new WorkerEventHandler(CalculateWorker);
        workerDelegate.BeginInvoke(
            numberToTest,
            asyncOp,
            null,
            null);
    }

    // Utility method for determining if a 
    // task has been canceled.
    private bool TaskCanceled(object taskId)
    {
        return( userStateToLifetime[taskId] == null );
    }

    // This method cancels a pending asynchronous operation.
    public void CancelAsync(object taskId)
    {
        AsyncOperation asyncOp = userStateToLifetime[taskId] as AsyncOperation;
        if (asyncOp != null)
        {   
            lock (userStateToLifetime.SyncRoot)
            {
                userStateToLifetime.Remove(taskId);
            }
        }
    }

    // This method performs the actual prime number computation.
    // It is executed on the worker thread.
    private void CalculateWorker(
        int numberToTest,
        AsyncOperation asyncOp)
    {
        bool isPrime = false;
        int firstDivisor = 1;
        Exception e = null;

        // Check that the task is still active.
        // The operation may have been canceled before
        // the thread was scheduled.
        if (!TaskCanceled(asyncOp.UserSuppliedState))
        {
            try
            {
                // Find all the prime numbers up to 
                // the square root of numberToTest.
                ArrayList primes = BuildPrimeNumberList(
                    numberToTest,
                    asyncOp);

                // Now we have a list of primes less than
                // numberToTest.
                isPrime = IsPrime(
                    primes,
                    numberToTest,
                    out firstDivisor);
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                e = ex;
            }
        }

        //CalculatePrimeState calcState = new CalculatePrimeState(
        //        numberToTest,
        //        firstDivisor,
        //        isPrime,
        //        e,
        //        TaskCanceled(asyncOp.UserSuppliedState),
        //        asyncOp);

        //this.CompletionMethod(calcState);

        this.CompletionMethod(
            numberToTest,
            firstDivisor,
            isPrime,
            e,
            TaskCanceled(asyncOp.UserSuppliedState),
            asyncOp);

        //completionMethodDelegate(calcState);
    }

    // This method computes the list of prime numbers used by the
    // IsPrime method.
    private ArrayList BuildPrimeNumberList(
        int numberToTest,
        AsyncOperation asyncOp)
    {
        ProgressChangedEventArgs e = null;
        ArrayList primes = new ArrayList();
        int firstDivisor;
        int n = 5;

        // Add the first prime numbers.
        primes.Add(2);
        primes.Add(3);

        // Do the work.
        while (n < numberToTest && 
               !TaskCanceled( asyncOp.UserSuppliedState ) )
        {
            if (IsPrime(primes, n, out firstDivisor))
            {
                // Report to the client that a prime was found.
                e = new CalculatePrimeProgressChangedEventArgs(
                    n,
                    (int)((float)n / (float)numberToTest * 100),
                    asyncOp.UserSuppliedState);

                asyncOp.Post(this.onProgressReportDelegate, e);

                primes.Add(n);

                // Yield the rest of this time slice.
                Thread.Sleep(0);
            }

            // Skip even numbers.
            n += 2;
        }

        return primes;
    }

    // This method tests n for primality against the list of 
    // prime numbers contained in the primes parameter.
    private bool IsPrime(
        ArrayList primes,
        int n,
        out int firstDivisor)
    {
        bool foundDivisor = false;
        bool exceedsSquareRoot = false;

        int i = 0;
        int divisor = 0;
        firstDivisor = 1;

        // Stop the search if:
        // there are no more primes in the list,
        // there is a divisor of n in the list, or
        // there is a prime that is larger than 
        // the square root of n.
        while (
            (i < primes.Count) &&
            !foundDivisor &&
            !exceedsSquareRoot)
        {
            // The divisor variable will be the smallest 
            // prime number not yet tried.
            divisor = (int)primes[i++];

            // Determine whether the divisor is greater
            // than the square root of n.
            if (divisor * divisor > n)
            {
                exceedsSquareRoot = true;
            }
            // Determine whether the divisor is a factor of n.
            else if (n % divisor == 0)
            {
                firstDivisor = divisor;
                foundDivisor = true;
            }
        }

        return !foundDivisor;
    }

    // This method is invoked via the AsyncOperation object,
    // so it is guaranteed to be executed on the correct thread.
    private void CalculateCompleted(object operationState)
    {
        CalculatePrimeCompletedEventArgs e =
            operationState as CalculatePrimeCompletedEventArgs;

        OnCalculatePrimeCompleted(e);
    }

    // This method is invoked via the AsyncOperation object,
    // so it is guaranteed to be executed on the correct thread.
    private void ReportProgress(object state)
    {
        ProgressChangedEventArgs e =
            state as ProgressChangedEventArgs;

        OnProgressChanged(e);
    }

    protected void OnCalculatePrimeCompleted(
        CalculatePrimeCompletedEventArgs e)
    {
        if (CalculatePrimeCompleted != null)
        {
            CalculatePrimeCompleted(this, e);
        }
    }

    protected void OnProgressChanged(ProgressChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        if (ProgressChanged != null)
        {
            ProgressChanged(e);
        }
    }

    // This is the method that the underlying, free-threaded 
    // asynchronous behavior will invoke.  This will happen on
    // an arbitrary thread.
    private void CompletionMethod( 
        int numberToTest,
        int firstDivisor, 
        bool isPrime,
        Exception exception, 
        bool canceled,
        AsyncOperation asyncOp )

    {
        // If the task was not previously canceled,
        // remove the task from the lifetime collection.
        if (!canceled)
        {
            lock (userStateToLifetime.SyncRoot)
            {
                userStateToLifetime.Remove(asyncOp.UserSuppliedState);
            }
        }

        // Package the results of the operation in a 
        // CalculatePrimeCompletedEventArgs.
        CalculatePrimeCompletedEventArgs e =
            new CalculatePrimeCompletedEventArgs(
            numberToTest,
            firstDivisor,
            isPrime,
            exception,
            canceled,
            asyncOp.UserSuppliedState);

        // End the task. The asyncOp object is responsible 
        // for marshaling the call.
        asyncOp.PostOperationCompleted(onCompletedDelegate, e);

        // Note that after the call to OperationCompleted, 
        // asyncOp is no longer usable, and any attempt to use it
        // will cause an exception to be thrown.
    }


    #endregion

    /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    #region Component Designer generated code

    private void InitializeComponent()
    {
        components = new System.ComponentModel.Container();
    }

    #endregion

}

public class CalculatePrimeProgressChangedEventArgs :
        ProgressChangedEventArgs
{
    private int latestPrimeNumberValue = 1;

    public CalculatePrimeProgressChangedEventArgs(
        int latestPrime,
        int progressPercentage,
        object userToken) : base( progressPercentage, userToken )
    {
        this.latestPrimeNumberValue = latestPrime;
    }

    public int LatestPrimeNumber
    {
        get
        {
            return latestPrimeNumberValue;
        }
    }
}

public class CalculatePrimeCompletedEventArgs :
    AsyncCompletedEventArgs
{
    private int numberToTestValue = 0;
    private int firstDivisorValue = 1;
    private bool isPrimeValue;

    public CalculatePrimeCompletedEventArgs(
        int numberToTest,
        int firstDivisor,
        bool isPrime,
        Exception e,
        bool canceled,
        object state) : base(e, canceled, state)
    {
        this.numberToTestValue = numberToTest;
        this.firstDivisorValue = firstDivisor;
        this.isPrimeValue = isPrime;
    }

    public int NumberToTest
    {
        get
        {
            // Raise an exception if the operation failed or 
            // was canceled.
            RaiseExceptionIfNecessary();

            // If the operation was successful, return the 
            // property value.
            return numberToTestValue;
        }
    }

    public int FirstDivisor
    {
        get
        {
            // Raise an exception if the operation failed or 
            // was canceled.
            RaiseExceptionIfNecessary();

            // If the operation was successful, return the 
            // property value.
            return firstDivisorValue;
        }
    }

    public bool IsPrime
    {
        get
        {
            // Raise an exception if the operation failed or 
            // was canceled.
            RaiseExceptionIfNecessary();

            // If the operation was successful, return the 
            // property value.
            return isPrimeValue;
        }
    }
}


#endregion

See Also

Tasks

Walkthrough: Implementing a Component That Supports the Event-based Asynchronous Pattern

Reference

AsyncOperation

AsyncOperationManager

WindowsFormsSynchronizationContext