How can I run code inside a Converter on a separate thread so that the UI does not freeze?

Question

I have a WPF Converter which is slow (computations, online fetching, etc.). How can I convert asynchronously so that my UI doesn't freeze up? I found this, but the solution is to place the converter code in the property - http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/pl-PL/wpf/thread/50d288a2-eadc-4ed6-a9d3-6e249036cb71 - which I would rather not do.

Below is an example which demonstrates the issue. Here the dropdown will freeze until Sleep elapses.

namespace testAsync
{
    using System;
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using System.Threading;
    using System.Windows;
    using System.Windows.Data;
    using System.Windows.Threading;

    /// <summary>
    /// Interaction logic for MainWindow.xaml
    /// </summary>
    public partial class MainWindow : Window
    {
        public MainWindow()
        {
            InitializeComponent();

            MyNumbers = new Dictionary<string, int> { { "Uno", 1 }, { "Dos", 2 }, { "Tres", 3 } };

            this.DataContext = this;           
        }

        public Dictionary<string, int> MyNumbers
        {
            get { return (Dictionary<string, int>)GetValue(MyNumbersProperty); }
            set { SetValue(MyNumbersProperty, value); }
        }
        public static readonly DependencyProperty MyNumbersProperty =
            DependencyProperty.Register("MyNumbers", typeof(Dictionary<string, int>), typeof(MainWindow), new UIPropertyMetadata(null));


        public string MyNumber
        {
            get { return (string)GetValue(MyNumberProperty); }
            set { SetValue(MyNumberProperty, value); }
        }
        public static readonly DependencyProperty MyNumberProperty = DependencyProperty.Register(
            "MyNumber", typeof(string), typeof(MainWindow), new UIPropertyMetadata("Uno"));
    }

    public class AsyncConverter : IMultiValueConverter
    {
        public object Convert(object[] values, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
        {
            object result = null;


            if (values[0] is string && values[1] is IDictionary<string, int>)
            {
                DoAsync(
                    () =>
                        {
                                            Thread.Sleep(2000); // Simulate long task
                            var number = (string)(values[0]);
                            var numbers = (IDictionary<string, int>)(values[1]);

                            result = numbers[number];
                            result = result.ToString();
                        });
            }

            return result;
        }

        private void DoAsync(Action action)
        {
            var frame = new DispatcherFrame();
            new Thread((ThreadStart)(() =>
            {
                action();
                frame.Continue = false;
            })).Start();
            Dispatcher.PushFrame(frame);
        }

        public object[] ConvertBack(object value, Type[] targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
        {
            throw new NotSupportedException();
        }
    }

and the XAML:

<Window x:Class="testAsync.MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        xmlns:local="clr-namespace:testAsync"
        Title="MainWindow" Height="200" Width="200">
    <Window.Resources>
        <local:AsyncConverter x:Key="asyncConverter"/>
    </Window.Resources>
    <DockPanel>
        <ComboBox DockPanel.Dock="Top" SelectedItem="{Binding MyNumber, IsAsync=True}"                   
                  ItemsSource="{Binding MyNumbers.Keys, IsAsync=True}"/>
        <TextBlock DataContext="{Binding IsAsync=True}"
            FontSize="50" FontWeight="Bold" HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center">
            <TextBlock.Text>
                <MultiBinding Converter="{StaticResource asyncConverter}">
                    <Binding Path="MyNumber" IsAsync="True"/>
                    <Binding Path="MyNumbers" IsAsync="True"/>
                </MultiBinding>
            </TextBlock.Text>
        </TextBlock>
    </DockPanel>
</Window>

Note that all Bindings are now IsAsync="True", but this doesn't help.

The combobox will be stuck for 2000 ms.

Answer 1

I know you said you don't want to invoke the translation from the property setter, but I submit that it is a cleaner approach than the IValueConverter/IMultiValueConverter.

Ultimately, you want to set the value of the selected number from the combobox, and return from that immediately. You want to defer updating the displayed/translated value until the translation process is complete.

I think it is clearer to model the data such that the translated value is itself a property that just gets updated by an asynchronous process.

    <ComboBox SelectedItem="{Binding SelectedNumber, Mode=OneWayToSource}"                   
              ItemsSource="{Binding MyNumbers.Keys}"/>
    <TextBlock Text="{Binding MyNumberValue}" />

---

public partial class MainWindow : Window, INotifyPropertyChanged
{
    public MainWindow()
    {
        InitializeComponent();

        MyNumbers = new Dictionary<string, int> { { "Uno", 1 }, { "Dos", 2 }, { "Tres", 3 } };

        DataContext = this;   
    }

    public IDictionary<string, int> MyNumbers { get; set; }

    string _selectedNumber;
    public string SelectedNumber
    {
        get { return _selectedNumber; }
        set
        {
            _selectedNumber = value;
            Notify("SelectedNumber");
            UpdateMyNumberValue();
        }
    }

    int _myNumberValue;
    public int MyNumberValue
    {
        get { return _myNumberValue; }
        set 
        { 
            _myNumberValue = value;
            Notify("MyNumberValue");
        }
    }

    void UpdateMyNumberValue()
    {
        var key = SelectedNumber;
        if (key == null || !MyNumbers.ContainsKey(key)) return;

        new Thread(() =>
        {
            Thread.Sleep(3000);
            MyNumberValue = MyNumbers[key];
        }).Start();
    }

    public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
    void Notify(string property)
    {
        var handler = PropertyChanged;
        if(handler != null) handler(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(property));
    }
}

Answer 2

You could use a DispatcherFrame for this, here's an example converter:

public class AsyncConverter : IValueConverter
{
    public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
    {
        object result = null;
        DoAsync(() =>
        {
            Thread.Sleep(2000); // Simulate long task
            result = (int)value * 2; // Some sample conversion
        });
        return result;
    }

    private void DoAsync(Action action)
    {
        var frame = new DispatcherFrame();
        new Thread((ThreadStart)(() =>
        {
            action();
            frame.Continue = false;
        })).Start();
        Dispatcher.PushFrame(frame);
    }

    public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
    {
        throw new NotSupportedException();
    }
}

Answer 3

It is not a good design to have heavy computations in a converter - especially if you are making functionality others should use as a good example.

I would rewrite and use MVVM with your ViewModel as converter on steroids where you can do all those things in a transparent way - easier to program, more understandable programflow, easier to understand code.

And then you could utilize Prioritybindings:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.windows.data.prioritybinding.aspx

For your original problem I would look at when the converter is called - if it is when the binding has returned its value, you probably can't get Async to do what it does. I suspect that wpf waits for the property to return and then calls the converter - in that case it might not be possible to get your converter to not freeze gui.

An approach you could take:

• In your converter you should start fetching your data and return for example with backgroundworker - otherwise ui will freeze.
• In the multibinding pass a reference to something so when your data arrives you can fire propertychanged

Answer 4

I suggest looking at the BackgroundWorker. It can perform the translation on a background thread and then raises a completed event on the UI thread.

See http://www.dotnetperls.com/backgroundworker