Is it okay to not await async method call?

Question

I have an application which will upload files. I don't want my application to halt during the file upload, so I want to do the task asynchronously. I have something like this:

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        //less than 5 seconds
        PrepareUpload();
    }

    private static async Task PrepareUpload()
    {
        //processing

        await Upload();

        //processing
    }

    private static Task Upload()
    {
        var task = Task.Factory.StartNew(() => System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(5000));

        return task;
    }
}

The exceptions are being treated internally, so that is not a problem.

Is it okay to use async/away like a shoot and forget like this?

This is too basic to be considered a practice. It is an operation that you may or may not use, depending on your need in the specific context. — SimpleVar, May 03 '13 at 15:44

score 12 · Accepted Answer · answered May 03 '13 at 00:48

12

In a console app, you need to wait. Otherwise, your application will exit, terminating all background threads and asynchronous operations that are in progress.

answered May 03 '13 at 00:48

Stephen Cleary

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This is just an example of logic, the actual code is a Forms Application and doesn't finish after the upload. – Bruno Klein May 03 '13 at 00:52
In that case it's OK to do a fire-and-forget, if you're *sure* you want to. IMO, it's just as easy to `await` it. – Stephen Cleary May 03 '13 at 00:56
But awaiting it would hang the application until the upload is done, no? – Bruno Klein May 03 '13 at 00:56
6

No. An `await` is an "*asynchronous* wait". The method will wait for it, but the UI thread will not. – Stephen Cleary May 03 '13 at 00:57

Is it okay to not await async method call?

1 Answers1