Tasks and anonymous delegates in for loops

Today at work I found a problem with using annonamous delagates tasks and foreach. Below is the code

            List waitingSkills = new List();
            foreach (var si in AgentSkills)
            {
                var t = Task.Factory.StartNew(delegate
                                               {
                                                   try
                                                   {
                                                       si.Value.Dispositions = GetDispositions(si.Value.SkillNo);
                                                   }
                                                   catch (Exception ex)
                                                   {  ...
                                                   }
                                                  
                                               });
               
                waitingSkills.Add(t);
            }

            var done = false;

            while (!done)
            {
                done = true;
                for (int i = 0; i < waitingSkills.Count; i++)
                {
                    if (!waitingSkills[i].IsCompleted)
                    {
                        done = false;
                        Thread.Sleep(100);
                        break;
                    }

                }

            }

---------------------------------
The problem is that the value of si is the local value or last value assigned before the task kicks off. In my case the value was always the last value in the AgentSkills collection.

Here is the refactor. I got there by using this example found in Introducing Visual C# 2010

public void ProcessUpdateSkillsEvent(UpdateAgentSkillsEvent e)
        {
            ReskillSkills = new Dictionary();
            AgentSkills = new Dictionary();

            e.ReskillSkills.Where(r => r.SkillType == "Inbound").ToList().ForEach(rs => ReskillSkills.Add(rs.ID, ConvertAgentSkillToISkillItem(rs)));
            e.Skills.ToList().ForEach(rs => AgentSkills.Add(rs.ID, ConvertAgentSkillToISkillItem(rs)));

            var listOfSkills = AgentSkills.Values.ToList();
            var waitingSkills = new Task[AgentSkills.Count];

            //Create a func so we can pass the skillItem to the method so we can load the dispositions in a seperate thread.
            Func funcGetDispositions = FuncGetDispositions;
            for (int i = 0; i < listOfSkills.Count; ++i)
            {
                waitingSkills[i] = Task.Factory.StartNew(funcGetDispositions, listOfSkills[i]);
            }

            Task.WaitAll(waitingSkills.ToArray());

            if (OnAgentSkillsUpdated != null)
                OnAgentSkillsUpdated(AgentSkills.Values.ToList());

            if (OnReskillSkillsUpdated != null)
                OnReskillSkillsUpdated(ReskillSkills.Values.ToList());
        }

        public SkillItem FuncGetDispositions(object obj)
        {
            var skill = (SkillItem) obj;
            try
            {
                skill.Dispositions = GetDispositions(skill.SkillNo);
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {...
            }
            return skill;

        }

TFS Task Control/App

Found by a coworker..

In trying to figure out an easier way to keep track of my tasks in TFS, I stumbled across this FREE tool from Telerik (registration required, or you can rename the attached file to an MSI, and install). It is a stand-alone app that connects to the TFS server, and provides a way to keep an eye on your tasks outside of Visual Studio. It also provides a task board, supports Sprint Planning with your team, and much more. It is used internally by Telerik as part of their AGILE shop, and is geared towards that.

For me, I can keep this open to monitor my tasks and untether myself from Visual Studio. This makes it easier as I have multiple instances of VS open at a time, and when I close one, sometimes lose all my tasks/query tabs, etc.

Basic query view: