How to: Specify the Degree of Parallelism in a Dataflow Block

// <snippet1>
using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Threading;
using System.Threading.Tasks.Dataflow;

// Demonstrates how to specify the maximum degree of parallelism
// when using dataflow.
class Program
{
//<Snippet2>
   // Performs several computations by using dataflow and returns the elapsed
   // time required to perform the computations.
   static TimeSpan TimeDataflowComputations(int maxDegreeOfParallelism,
      int messageCount)
   {
      // Create an ActionBlock<int> that performs some work.
      var workerBlock = new ActionBlock<int>(
         // Simulate work by suspending the current thread.
         millisecondsTimeout => Thread.Sleep(millisecondsTimeout),
         // Specify a maximum degree of parallelism.
         new ExecutionDataflowBlockOptions
         {
            MaxDegreeOfParallelism = maxDegreeOfParallelism
         });

      // Compute the time that it takes for several messages to
      // flow through the dataflow block.

      Stopwatch stopwatch = new Stopwatch();
      stopwatch.Start();

      for (int i = 0; i < messageCount; i++)
      {
         workerBlock.Post(1000);
      }
      workerBlock.Complete();

      // Wait for all messages to propagate through the network.
      workerBlock.Completion.Wait();

      // Stop the timer and return the elapsed number of milliseconds.
      stopwatch.Stop();
      return stopwatch.Elapsed;
   }
//</Snippet2>
   static void Main(string[] args)
   {
      int processorCount = Environment.ProcessorCount;
      int messageCount = processorCount;

      // Print the number of processors on this computer.
      Console.WriteLine($"Processor count = {processorCount}.");

      TimeSpan elapsed;

      // Perform two dataflow computations and print the elapsed
      // time required for each.

      // This call specifies a maximum degree of parallelism of 1.
      // This causes the dataflow block to process messages serially.
      elapsed = TimeDataflowComputations(1, messageCount);
      Console.WriteLine("Degree of parallelism = {0}; message count = {1}; " +
         "elapsed time = {2}ms.", 1, messageCount, (int)elapsed.TotalMilliseconds);

      // Perform the computations again. This time, specify the number of
      // processors as the maximum degree of parallelism. This causes
      // multiple messages to be processed in parallel.
      elapsed = TimeDataflowComputations(processorCount, messageCount);
      Console.WriteLine("Degree of parallelism = {0}; message count = {1}; " +
         "elapsed time = {2}ms.", processorCount, messageCount, (int)elapsed.TotalMilliseconds);
   }
}

/* Sample output:
Processor count = 4.
Degree of parallelism = 1; message count = 4; elapsed time = 4032ms.
Degree of parallelism = 4; message count = 4; elapsed time = 1001ms.
*/
// </snippet1>

' <snippet1>
Imports System.Diagnostics
Imports System.Threading
Imports System.Threading.Tasks.Dataflow

'<Snippet2>
' Demonstrates how to specify the maximum degree of parallelism 
' when using dataflow.
Friend Class Program
    ' Performs several computations by using dataflow and returns the elapsed
    ' time required to perform the computations.
    Private Shared Function TimeDataflowComputations(ByVal maxDegreeOfParallelism As Integer, ByVal messageCount As Integer) As TimeSpan
        ' Create an ActionBlock<int> that performs some work.
        Dim workerBlock = New ActionBlock(Of Integer)(Function(millisecondsTimeout) Pause(millisecondsTimeout), New ExecutionDataflowBlockOptions() With {.MaxDegreeOfParallelism = maxDegreeOfParallelism})
        ' Simulate work by suspending the current thread.
        ' Specify a maximum degree of parallelism.

        ' Compute the time that it takes for several messages to 
        ' flow through the dataflow block.

        Dim stopwatch As New Stopwatch()
        stopwatch.Start()

        For i As Integer = 0 To messageCount - 1
            workerBlock.Post(1000)
        Next i
        workerBlock.Complete()

        ' Wait for all messages to propagate through the network.
        workerBlock.Completion.Wait()

        ' Stop the timer and return the elapsed number of milliseconds.
        stopwatch.Stop()
        Return stopwatch.Elapsed
    End Function

    Private Shared Function Pause(ByVal obj As Object)
        Thread.Sleep(obj)
        Return Nothing
    End Function
    '</Snippet2>
    Shared Sub Main(ByVal args() As String)
        Dim processorCount As Integer = Environment.ProcessorCount
        Dim messageCount As Integer = processorCount

        ' Print the number of processors on this computer.
        Console.WriteLine("Processor count = {0}.", processorCount)

        Dim elapsed As TimeSpan

        ' Perform two dataflow computations and print the elapsed
        ' time required for each.

        ' This call specifies a maximum degree of parallelism of 1.
        ' This causes the dataflow block to process messages serially.
        elapsed = TimeDataflowComputations(1, messageCount)
        Console.WriteLine("Degree of parallelism = {0}; message count = {1}; " & "elapsed time = {2}ms.", 1, messageCount, CInt(Fix(elapsed.TotalMilliseconds)))

        ' Perform the computations again. This time, specify the number of 
        ' processors as the maximum degree of parallelism. This causes
        ' multiple messages to be processed in parallel.
        elapsed = TimeDataflowComputations(processorCount, messageCount)
        Console.WriteLine("Degree of parallelism = {0}; message count = {1}; " & "elapsed time = {2}ms.", processorCount, messageCount, CInt(Fix(elapsed.TotalMilliseconds)))
    End Sub
End Class

' Sample output:
'Processor count = 4.
'Degree of parallelism = 1; message count = 4; elapsed time = 4032ms.
'Degree of parallelism = 4; message count = 4; elapsed time = 1001ms.
'
' </snippet1>