The task argument included a null value

Question

I am using mvc 5 and follow this example to create an array of Task.

I am sure that the database contains 1 row, at least with a query. I think I have a problem with Task because it threw me an error message

The task argument included a null value.

when i tried:

// I'm sure `cg` was not null and `type` was not empty
var cg = new List<string>();
var type = "";

var db = new MyDbContext();
var list = new List<TopicViewModels>();

if (cg != null && cg.Count > 0)
{
   var tasks = new Task<List<TopicViewModels>>[13];
   byte i = 0;

   while (i < cg.Count)
   {
      string _cg = cg[i];

      tasks[i] = Task.Run(async () => 
      {
         return await db.Topics.Where(m => m.Type == type && m.Category == _cg)
            .ToListAsync();
      });

      i++;
   }

   var continuation = Task.WhenAll(tasks); //the tasks argument included a null value

   // never go to this loop...
   foreach (var topics in continuation.Result)
   {
      topics.ForEach(x => list.Add(x));
   }
}

I set a breakpoint to validate the array tasks, was tasks[0]not null. It is correctly fixed.

Can you explain to me why?

UPDATE: (based on @YacoubMassad comment)

await Task.WhenAll(tasks); //same error here...

//never go to this loop, too...
foreach (var task in tasks)
{
   //
}

UPDATE 2: (based on @DavidPine's answer)

if (cg != null && cg.Count > 0)
{
   var tasks = new List<Task<List<TopicViewModels>>>();
   cg.ForEach(x =>
   {
      tasks.Add(Task.Run(async () =>
      {
         return await db.Topics.Where(m => m.Type == type && m.Category == x)
            .ToListAsync();
      }));
   });

   foreach (var topics in await Task.WhenAll(tasks.ToArray()))
   {
      topics.ForEach(x => list.Add(x));
   }
}

Answer 1

:

1. Task Task<T> async / await, , .. .NET 4.5.

2. Task.WhenAll(tasks) , null. .

3. , , await Task.WhenAll(tasks).

var cg = new List<string>();
var type = "";

var db = new MyDbContext();
var list = new List<TopicViewModels>();

if (cg != null && cg.Count > 0)
{
   var tasks = new Task<List<TopicViewModels>>[13];
   byte i = 0;

   while (i < cg.Count)
   {
      string _cg = cg[i];

      tasks[i] = Task.Run(async () => 
      {
         // Isn't it possible that the where clause filters out and returns null?
         return await db.Topics
                        .Where(m => m.Type == type && m.Category == _cg)
                        .ToListAsync();
      });

      i++;
   }

   // Use await keyword to ensure that work is done
   var continuation = await Task.WhenAll(tasks.Where(t => t != null).ToArray());

   // never go to this loop...
   foreach (var topics in continuation.Result)
   {
      topics.ForEach(x => list.Add(x));
   }
}

Answer 2

.

, , , threadpool, , ASP.NET, .

-, , Task.WhenAll, foreach, Task.Result.

:

var queryTasks = cg.Select(cg => db.Topics.Where(m => m.Type == type && m.Category == cg).ToListAsync());
return await Task.WhenAll(queryTasks);

, EF DbContext . , await .