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Multithreading in C# 5.0 Cookbook
Multithreading in C# 5.0 Cookbook

Multithreading in C# 5.0 Cookbook: Multithreaded programming can seem overwhelming but this book clarifies everything through its cookbook approach. Packed with practical tasks, it's the quick and easy way to start delving deep into the power of multithreading in C#.

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Multithreading in C# 5.0 Cookbook

Chapter 2. Thread Synchronization

In this chapter, we will describe some of the common techniques of working with shared resources from multiple threads. You will learn about:

  • Performing basic atomic operations
  • Using the Mutex construct
  • Using the SemaphoreSlim construct
  • Using the AutoResetEvent construct
  • Using the ManualResetEventSlim construct
  • Using the CountDownEvent construct
  • Using the Barrier construct
  • Using the ReaderWriterLockSlim construct
  • Using the SpinWait construct

Introduction

As we saw in Chapter 1, Threading Basics, it is problematic to use a shared object simultaneously from several threads. It is very important to synchronize those threads so that they perform operations on that shared object in a proper sequence. In a multithreaded counter recipe, we met a problem called the race condition. It happened because the execution of those multiple threads were not synchronized properly. When one thread performs the increment and decrement operations, the other threads must wait for their turn. This general problem is often referred to as thread synchronization.

There are several ways to achieve thread synchronization. First, if there is no shared object, there is no need for synchronization at all. Surprisingly, it is very often that we can get rid of complex synchronization constructs by just redesigning your program and removing a shared state. If it's possible, just avoid using a single object from several threads.

If we must have a shared...

Performing basic atomic operations

This recipe will show you how to perform basic atomic operations on an object to prevent the race condition without blocking threads.

Getting ready

To step through this recipe, you will need Visual Studio 2012. There are no other prerequisites. The source code for this recipe could be found at 7644_Code\Chapter2\Recipe1.

How to do it...

To understand the basic atomic operations, perform the following steps:

  1. Start Visual Studio 2012. Create a new C# Console Application project.
  2. In the Program.cs file, add the following using directives:
    using System;
    using System.Threading;
  3. Below the Main method, add the following code snippet:
    static void TestCounter(CounterBase c)
    {
      for (int i = 0; i < 100000; i++)
      {
        c.Increment();
        c.Decrement();
      }
    }
    
    class Counter : CounterBase
    {
      private int _count;
      public int Count { get { return _count; } }
    
      public override void Increment()
      {
        _count++;
      }
    
      public override void Decrement()
      {
        _count--;
     ...

Using the Mutex construct

This recipe will describe how to synchronize two separate programs using a Mutex construct. Mutex is a primitive synchronization that grants exclusive access of the shared resource to only one thread.

Getting ready

To step through this recipe, you will need Visual Studio 2012. There are no other prerequisites. The source code for this recipe could be found at 7644_Code\Chapter2\Recipe2.

How to do it...

To understand the synchronization of two separate programs using the Mutex construct, perform the following steps:

  1. Start Visual Studio 2012. Create a new C# Console Application project.
  2. In the Program.cs file, add the following using directives:
    using System;
    using System.Threading;
  3. Inside the Main method, add the following code snippet:
    const string MutexName = "CSharpThreadingCookbook";
    
    using (var m = new Mutex(false, MutexName))
    {
      if (!m.WaitOne(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5), false))
      {
        Console.WriteLine("Second instance is running!");
      }
      else...

Using the SemaphoreSlim construct

This recipe will show how to SemaphoreSlim is a lightweight version of Semaphore; it limits the number of threads that can access a resource concurrently.

Getting ready

To step through this recipe, you will need Visual Studio 2012. There are no other prerequisites. The source code for this recipe could be found at BookSamples\Chapter2\Recipe3.

How to do it...

To understand limiting a multithreaded access to a resource with the help of the SemaphoreSlim construct, perform the following steps:

  1. Start Visual Studio 2012. Create a new C# Console Application project.
  2. In the Program.cs file add the following using directives:
    using System;
    using System.Threading;
  3. Below the Main method, add the following code snippet:
    static SemaphoreSlim _semaphore = new SemaphoreSlim(4);
    static void AccessDatabase(string name, int seconds)
    {
      Console.WriteLine("{0} waits to access a database", name);
      _semaphore.Wait();
      Console.WriteLine("{0} was granted an access to...

Using the AutoResetEvent construct

In this recipe, there is an example of how to send notifications from one thread to another with the help of an AutoResetEvent construct. AutoResetEvent notifies a waiting thread that an event has occurred.

Getting ready

To step through this recipe, you will need Visual Studio 2012. There are no other prerequisites. The source code for this recipe could be found at 7644_Code\Chapter2\Recipe4.

How to do it...

To understand how to send notifications from one thread to another with the help of the AutoResetEvent construct, perform the following steps:

  1. Start Visual Studio 2012. Create a new C# Console Application project.
  2. In the Program.cs file add the following using directives:
    using System;
    using System.Threading;
  3. Below the Main method, add the following code snippet:
    private static AutoResetEvent _workerEvent = newAutoResetEvent(false);
    private static AutoResetEvent _mainEvent = newAutoResetEvent(false);
    
    static void Process(int seconds)
    {
      Console.WriteLine(...

Introduction


As we saw in Chapter 1, Threading Basics, it is problematic to use a shared object simultaneously from several threads. It is very important to synchronize those threads so that they perform operations on that shared object in a proper sequence. In a multithreaded counter recipe, we met a problem called the race condition. It happened because the execution of those multiple threads were not synchronized properly. When one thread performs the increment and decrement operations, the other threads must wait for their turn. This general problem is often referred to as thread synchronization.

There are several ways to achieve thread synchronization. First, if there is no shared object, there is no need for synchronization at all. Surprisingly, it is very often that we can get rid of complex synchronization constructs by just redesigning your program and removing a shared state. If it's possible, just avoid using a single object from several threads.

If we must have a shared state,...

Performing basic atomic operations


This recipe will show you how to perform basic atomic operations on an object to prevent the race condition without blocking threads.

Getting ready

To step through this recipe, you will need Visual Studio 2012. There are no other prerequisites. The source code for this recipe could be found at 7644_Code\Chapter2\Recipe1.

How to do it...

To understand the basic atomic operations, perform the following steps:

  1. Start Visual Studio 2012. Create a new C# Console Application project.

  2. In the Program.cs file, add the following using directives:

    using System;
    using System.Threading;
  3. Below the Main method, add the following code snippet:

    static void TestCounter(CounterBase c)
    {
      for (int i = 0; i < 100000; i++)
      {
        c.Increment();
        c.Decrement();
      }
    }
    
    class Counter : CounterBase
    {
      private int _count;
      public int Count { get { return _count; } }
    
      public override void Increment()
      {
        _count++;
      }
    
      public override void Decrement()
      {
        _count--;
      ...

Using the Mutex construct


This recipe will describe how to synchronize two separate programs using a Mutex construct. Mutex is a primitive synchronization that grants exclusive access of the shared resource to only one thread.

Getting ready

To step through this recipe, you will need Visual Studio 2012. There are no other prerequisites. The source code for this recipe could be found at 7644_Code\Chapter2\Recipe2.

How to do it...

To understand the synchronization of two separate programs using the Mutex construct, perform the following steps:

  1. Start Visual Studio 2012. Create a new C# Console Application project.

  2. In the Program.cs file, add the following using directives:

    using System;
    using System.Threading;
  3. Inside the Main method, add the following code snippet:

    const string MutexName = "CSharpThreadingCookbook";
    
    using (var m = new Mutex(false, MutexName))
    {
      if (!m.WaitOne(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5), false))
      {
        Console.WriteLine("Second instance is running!");
      }
      else
      {
        Console.WriteLine...

Using the SemaphoreSlim construct


This recipe will show how to SemaphoreSlim is a lightweight version of Semaphore; it limits the number of threads that can access a resource concurrently.

Getting ready

To step through this recipe, you will need Visual Studio 2012. There are no other prerequisites. The source code for this recipe could be found at BookSamples\Chapter2\Recipe3.

How to do it...

To understand limiting a multithreaded access to a resource with the help of the SemaphoreSlim construct, perform the following steps:

  1. Start Visual Studio 2012. Create a new C# Console Application project.

  2. In the Program.cs file add the following using directives:

    using System;
    using System.Threading;
  3. Below the Main method, add the following code snippet:

    static SemaphoreSlim _semaphore = new SemaphoreSlim(4);
    static void AccessDatabase(string name, int seconds)
    {
      Console.WriteLine("{0} waits to access a database", name);
      _semaphore.Wait();
      Console.WriteLine("{0} was granted an access to a database",name...

Using the AutoResetEvent construct


In this recipe, there is an example of how to send notifications from one thread to another with the help of an AutoResetEvent construct. AutoResetEvent notifies a waiting thread that an event has occurred.

Getting ready

To step through this recipe, you will need Visual Studio 2012. There are no other prerequisites. The source code for this recipe could be found at 7644_Code\Chapter2\Recipe4.

How to do it...

To understand how to send notifications from one thread to another with the help of the AutoResetEvent construct, perform the following steps:

  1. Start Visual Studio 2012. Create a new C# Console Application project.

  2. In the Program.cs file add the following using directives:

    using System;
    using System.Threading;
  3. Below the Main method, add the following code snippet:

    private static AutoResetEvent _workerEvent = newAutoResetEvent(false);
    private static AutoResetEvent _mainEvent = newAutoResetEvent(false);
    
    static void Process(int seconds)
    {
      Console.WriteLine("Starting...
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Key benefits

  • Delve deep into the .NET threading infrastructure and use Task Parallel Library for asynchronous programming
  • Scale out your server applications effectively
  • Master C# 5.0 asynchronous operations language support

Description

In an age when computer processors are being developed to contain more and more cores, multithreading is a key factor for creating scalable, effective, and responsive applications. If you fail to do it correctly, it can lead to puzzling problems that take a huge amount of time to resolve. Therefore, having a solid understanding of multithreading is a must for the modern application developer. Multithreading in C# 5.0 Cookbook is an easy-to-understand guide to the most puzzling programming problems. This book will guide you through practical examples dedicated to various aspects of multithreading in C# on Windows and will give you a good basis of practical knowledge which you can then use to program your own scalable and reliable multithreaded applications. This book guides you through asynchronous and parallel programming from basic examples to practical, real-world solutions to complex problems. You will start from the very beginning, learning what a thread is, and then proceed to learn new concepts based on the information you get from the previous examples. After describing the basics of threading, you will be able to grasp more advanced concepts like Task Parallel Library and C# asynchronous functions. Then, we move towards parallel programming, starting with basic data structures and gradually progressing to the more advanced patterns. The book concludes with a discussion of the specifics of Windows 8 application programming, giving you a complete understanding of how Windows 8 applications are different and how to program asynchronous applications for Windows 8.

Who is this book for?

If you are a developer or new to multithreaded programming and you are looking for a quick and easy way to get started, then this book is for you. It is assumed that you have some experience in C# and .NET already, and you should also be familiar with computer science and basic algorithms and data structure

What you will learn

  • Work with raw threads, synchronize threads, and coordinate their work
  • Work effectively with a thread pool
  • Develop your own asynchronous API with Task Parallel Library
  • Use C# 5.0 asynchronous language features
  • Scale up your server application with I/O threads
  • Parallelize your LINQ queries with PLINQ
  • Use common concurrent collections
  • Apply different parallel programming patterns
  • Work with Windows 8 asynchronous APIs
  • Use Reactive Extensions to run asynchronous operations and manage their options

Product Details

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Publication date, Length, Edition, Language, ISBN-13
Publication date : Nov 26, 2013
Length: 268 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781849697651
Vendor :
Microsoft
Category :
Languages :
Concepts :

What do you get with eBook?

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Product feature icon Download this book in EPUB and PDF formats
Product feature icon Access this title in our online reader with advanced features
Product feature icon DRM FREE - Read whenever, wherever and however you want
OR
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Product Details

Publication date : Nov 26, 2013
Length: 268 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781849697651
Vendor :
Microsoft
Category :
Languages :
Concepts :

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Table of Contents

12 Chapters
1. Threading Basics Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
2. Thread Synchronization Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
3. Using a Thread Pool Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
4. Using Task Parallel Library Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
5. Using C# 5.0 Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
6. Using Concurrent Collections Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
7. Using PLINQ Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
8. Reactive Extensions Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
9. Using Asynchronous I/O Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
10. Parallel Programming Patterns Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
11. There's More Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customer reviews

Rating distribution
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Half star icon 4.6
(5 Ratings)
5 star 60%
4 star 40%
3 star 0%
2 star 0%
1 star 0%
Enmanuel Toribio Feb 23, 2014
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
First of all, this is a Cookbook and as such its main purpose is to serve as reference for specific usages and future needs. I wouldn't recommend reading it straight through, just use it for consulting specific things you need to do. If you do read it from start to finish though i will tell that the first few chapters introduce you to the basics of threading (which hasn't changed much since C# 2.0 as far as i know) and the complexity of the code scales in a very nice pace.All recipes follow the format of first “Getting ready” then “How to do it…” and finally “How it works…” The thing i liked the most is the “How it works…” sections since most Cookbooks don't contain a very deep explanation on how the code works but this one is less shallow than most. I won't say it explains in excruciating details every single part of the code but at least it does transmit the idea behind every code snippet well enough so you can come up with your own variations.If you are taking a degree in computer sciences or if you work with C# in a regular basis i would totally recommend to get this book into your library so you can have it for future references.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Ryan Barrett Nov 15, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
One the better "Cookbook" style books I've read. Clear and concise examples with explanations help cut through the complexity of multithreading. I also like the overall layout of the book; going from threads, then workers, then tasks because it gives the reader an idea of the difficulties programmers faced when dealing with these various patterns and how the language evolved to alleviate these problems. I would suggest the reader to start with a more conceptual book to start with like "Parallel Programming with Microsoft.NET", but this book helped me sure up my understanding of the concepts with a lot of real world examples.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Cyrill Kopylov Dec 19, 2013
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
All main topics are covered. There are some very cool tricks like awaiting a dynamic object and windows 8 background tasks.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Mr. A Jul 07, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon 4
This is a great book to learn multithreading while practicing with the code. Each section has an example that you can use to help you learn, but I think it would have been an awesome book if the author describes the topics as well as explaining the code.For example, in section for CountDownEvent, we have code example on how to use the CountDownEvent, but there's no information about what it is and when to use it.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
J Barker Jan 18, 2017
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon 4
It is always nice to go straight to the subject with code. A definite recommendation.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
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