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Is prevTask.Wait() recommended to be used with ContinueWith (from the Tasks library)?

Asked 2012-08-10T15:29:26.893
88

So I was told recently that how I was using my .ContinueWith for Tasks was not the proper way to use them. I have yet to find evidence of this on the internet so I will ask you guys and see what the answer is. Here is an example of how I use .ContinueWith:

public Task DoSomething()
{
    return Task.Factory.StartNew(() =>
    {
        Console.WriteLine("Step 1");
    })
    .ContinueWith((prevTask) =>
    {
        Console.WriteLine("Step 2");
    })
    .ContinueWith((prevTask) =>
    {
        Console.WriteLine("Step 3");
    });
}

Now I know this is a simple example and it will run very fast, but just assume each task does some longer operation. So, what I was told is that in the .ContinueWith, you need to say prevTask.Wait(); otherwise you could do work before the previous task finishes. Is that even possible? I assumed my second & third task would only run once their previous task finishes.

What I was told how to write the code:

public Task DoSomething()
{
    return Task.Factory.StartNew(() =>
    {
        Console.WriteLine("Step 1");
    })
    .ContinueWith((prevTask) =>
    {
        prevTask.Wait();
        Console.WriteLine("Step 2");
    })
    .ContinueWith((prevTask) =>
    {
        prevTask.Wait();
        Console.WriteLine("Step 3");
    });
}
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1 Answer

5

From the MSDN on Task.Continuewith

The returned Task will not be scheduled for execution until the current task has completed. If the criteria specified through the continuationOptions parameter are not met, the continuation task will be canceled instead of scheduled.

I think that the way you expect it to work in the first example is the correct way.

answered 2012-08-10T15:32:44.990

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