Module 8

Enhancing User Interface

Responsiveness

Module Overview

• Implementing Asynchronous Processes

• Implementing Responsive User Interfaces

Lesson 1: Implementing Asynchronous Processes

• Understanding Threading and Asynchronous Processing

• Implementing Asynchronous Processing by Using the Dispatcher Class

• Implementing Asynchronous Processing by Using the ThreadPool Class

• Implementing Asynchronous Processing by Using the BackgroundWorker Class

• Implementing Asynchronous Processing by Using the TPL

Threading:Threading:

Understanding Threading and Asynchronous Processing

• All WPF applications use two threads:

• Managing the user interface

• Rendering visual elements

• The Dispatcher class handles thread affinity

Thread affinity: You can only use a WPF object on the thread on which it was created

Thread affinity: You can only use a WPF object on the thread on which it was created

Implement asynchronous processing by using:Implement asynchronous processing by using:

• The Dispatcher class

• The ThreadPool class

• The BackgroundWorker class

• The Task Parallel Library

• The Dispatcher class

• The ThreadPool class

• The BackgroundWorker class

• The Task Parallel Library

Two approaches:Two approaches:

Implementing Asynchronous Processing by Using the Dispatcher Class

Schedule prioritized work items by using the Dispatcher's message loop

myControl.Dispatcher.BeginInvoke( DispatcherPriority.Background, new Action(UserInterfaceUpdate));

myControl.Dispatcher.BeginInvoke( DispatcherPriority.Background, new Action(UserInterfaceUpdate));

Schedule periodic execution of work items by using a DispatcherTimer

myTimer = new DispatcherTimer( DispatcherPriority.Background, myControl.Dispatcher);myTimer.Interval = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(2);myTimer.Tick += new EventHandler( delegate(object s, EventArgs a) { // Update the user interface. });myTimer.Start();

myTimer = new DispatcherTimer( DispatcherPriority.Background, myControl.Dispatcher);myTimer.Interval = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(2);myTimer.Tick += new EventHandler( delegate(object s, EventArgs a) { // Update the user interface. });myTimer.Start();

Implementing Asynchronous Processing by Using the ThreadPool Class

The ThreadPool class:The ThreadPool class:

• Provides a pool of worker threads

• Manages thread creation and reuse

• Has 250 worker threads per processor by default

• Queues work items until a thread becomes available

• Cannot access the UI thread

public static void Main(){ ThreadPool.QueueUserWorkItem( new WaitCallback(DoWork));} private static void DoWork( object parameter){ // Perform background task.}

public static void Main(){ ThreadPool.QueueUserWorkItem( new WaitCallback(DoWork));} private static void DoWork( object parameter){ // Perform background task.}

Implementing Asynchronous Processing by Using the BackgroundWorker Class

You must not try to manipulate UI objects in your DoWork delegateYou must not try to manipulate UI objects in your DoWork delegate

The RunWorkerCompleted and ProgressChanged event handlers are executed on the creation thread

The DoWork delegate is executed on a background thread

Parallel foreach loop

Parallel tasks

Parallel LINQ

Parallel foreach loop

Parallel tasks

Parallel LINQ

Sequential foreach loop

Sequential tasks

Sequential LINQ

Sequential foreach loop

Sequential tasks

Sequential LINQ

Implementing Asynchronous Processing by Using the TPL

foreach (var item in source){ DoSomething(item);}

foreach (var item in source){ DoSomething(item);}

Parallel.ForEach( source, item => DoSomething(item));

Parallel.ForEach( source, item => DoSomething(item));

DoSomething();DoSomethingElse();DoSomething();DoSomethingElse();

Parallel.Invoke( () => DoSomething(), () => DoSomethingElse());

Parallel.Invoke( () => DoSomething(), () => DoSomethingElse());

var evenNums = from num in source where Compute(num) > 0 select num;

var evenNums = from num in source where Compute(num) > 0 select num;

var evenNums = from num in source.AsParallel() where Compute(num) > 0 select num;

var evenNums = from num in source.AsParallel() where Compute(num) > 0 select num;

Lesson 2: Implementing Responsive User Interfaces

• Understanding Responsive User Interfaces

• Selecting an Asynchronous Processing Approach

Understanding Responsive User Interfaces

An unresponsive application:An unresponsive application:

• Does not respond to user input

• Will not process UI updates

• Will present the busy cursor

• May appear to have crashed

• May display (Not Responding) in title bar

• May present entirely black or white window contents

Selecting an Asynchronous Processing Approach

Performing too much work on the

UI thread:

Performing too much work on the

UI thread:

• Use the ThreadPool class

• Use the Task Parallel Library

• Use the BackgroundWorker class

Thread starvation:Thread starvation:

• Use the ThreadPool class

Waiting for a process to return:Waiting for a process to return:

• Use the ThreadPool class

• Use the Task Parallel Library

• Use the BackgroundWorker class

The BackgroundWorker class is the only approach that directly enables you to report progress and marshals onto the UI thread for progress and completion events

The BackgroundWorker class is the only approach that directly enables you to report progress and marshals onto the UI thread for progress and completion events

Lab: Enhancing Application Performance

• Exercise 1: Choosing an Asynchronous Programming Strategy

• Exercise 2: Implementing Asynchronous Operations

• Exercise 3: Parallelizing Tasks

Logon information

Estimated time: 60 minutes

Lab Scenario

You have been asked to create a master view for all work orders in the system. This large data set must be responsive in the UI at all times and must also provide filtering and sorting support.

You will evaluate different asynchronous programming techniques to determine the optimal approach. In addition, you must calculate some statistics for each data operation, which will be calculated in parallel.

Lab Review

Review Questions

• How do you update the UI when you implement a long-running task as an asynchronous operation?

• How do you perform multiple tasks concurrently?

Module Review and Takeaways

• Review Questions

• Common Issues and Troubleshooting Tips