Why can I not recursively call a Worker_DoWork function?

Question

I have a tcp server and client in c# using Sytem.Net.Sockets. My worker function is as following

   private void Worker_DoWork(object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)
    {
        byte[] buffer = new byte[1];
        socket.Receive(buffer);
        chatTextBox.Text = buffer[0].ToString();        
    }

I'm calling this after the server is created, as soon as it receives a message from the client it writes it on the screen and stops. My issue is I want it at the end to call itself again so it waits for another message to display. If I just add worker.RunWorkerAsync(); at the bottom it doesn't work, however if I just call it from another button it works and receives and writes the message.

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered May 10 '20 at 23:10

The BackgroundWorker "wraps" around a Thread and helps you with all the plumbing. It is a horribly dated approach to Multitasking taht you should not use in producive code anymore. However it is also the best "Training Wheels" for Multitasking I know off.

Your fundamental approach is flawed. The BGW not allowing that is really just it helping you learn the things you need to learn. A list of mistakes in your code:

you are accessing a GUI element directly in DoWork. Do not do that. Only write the UI in ReportProgress and RunWorker completed Events. This is a general Multithreading rule, that is helped by teh BGW's design.
you are trying to restart the thread, before it has finished. If you wanted to restart it, RunWorkerCompleted would be the right place
however more sensible would be for the core of the BackgroundWorker to be a semi-infinite loop. Something that runs until canceled. Normally handing out inforamtion with reporting is not a good idea, but in this case it is the best idea I have.

The only other thing I can give you, is my old BGW example code:

#region Primenumbers
private void btnPrimStart_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    if (!bgwPrim.IsBusy)
    {
        //Prepare ProgressBar and Textbox
        int temp = (int)nudPrim.Value;
        pgbPrim.Maximum = temp;
        tbPrim.Text = "";

        //Start processing
        bgwPrim.RunWorkerAsync(temp);
    }
}

private void btnPrimCancel_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    if (bgwPrim.IsBusy)
    {
        bgwPrim.CancelAsync();
    }
}

private void bgwPrim_DoWork(object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)
{
    int highestToCheck = (int)e.Argument;
    //Get a reference to the BackgroundWorker running this code
    //for Progress Updates and Cancelation checking
    BackgroundWorker thisWorker = (BackgroundWorker)sender;

    //Create the list that stores the results and is returned by DoWork
    List<int> Primes = new List<int>();


    //Check all uneven numbers between 1 and whatever the user choose as upper limit
    for(int PrimeCandidate=1; PrimeCandidate < highestToCheck; PrimeCandidate+=2)
    {
        //Report progress
        thisWorker.ReportProgress(PrimeCandidate);
        bool isNoPrime = false;

        //Check if the Cancelation was requested during the last loop
        if (thisWorker.CancellationPending)
        {
            //Tell the Backgroundworker you are canceling and exit the for-loop
            e.Cancel = true;
            break;
        }

        //Determin if this is a Prime Number
        for (int j = 3; j < PrimeCandidate && !isNoPrime; j += 2)
        {
            if (PrimeCandidate % j == 0)
                isNoPrime = true;
        }

        if (!isNoPrime)
            Primes.Add(PrimeCandidate);
    }

    //Tell the progress bar you are finished
    thisWorker.ReportProgress(highestToCheck);

    //Save Return Value
    e.Result = Primes.ToArray();
}

private void bgwPrim_ProgressChanged(object sender, ProgressChangedEventArgs e)
{
    pgbPrim.Value = e.ProgressPercentage;
}

private void bgwPrim_RunWorkerCompleted(object sender, RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs e)
{
    pgbPrim.Value = pgbPrim.Maximum;
    this.Refresh();

    if (!e.Cancelled && e.Error == null)
    {
        //Show the Result
        int[] Primes = (int[])e.Result;

        StringBuilder sbOutput = new StringBuilder();

        foreach (int Prim in Primes)
        {
            sbOutput.Append(Prim.ToString() + Environment.NewLine);
        }

        tbPrim.Text = sbOutput.ToString();
    }
    else 
    {
        tbPrim.Text = "Operation canceled by user or Exception";
    }
}
#endregion

The second suggestion of adding a RunWorkerComplete was exactly what I wanted! I know it is really bad coding but I just wanted to understand how exactly the process worked and this helped. You said that Background worker is an outdated thing, what should I use instead of it to run my multitasking? Any links always appreciated! Just making a simple client/server tcp chat application! — Rainflow901, May 11 '20 at 00:26
@Rainflow901 For beginners, BGW is about ideal. It basically forces you into the proper patterns, via it's limitations and rules. The current "thing" is async mechanic. A way to do multitasking without resorting all the way to threads. Generally Thread should only be used in two cases: a) the work is CPU bound. But those cases are rare. b) Large scale servers. Those go all the way to ThreadPools. The isolation that Threads bring can help a lot. — Christopher, May 11 '20 at 01:39

Why can I not recursively call a Worker_DoWork function?

1 Answers1