Pause, enter a command and resume console app

Question

I have a C# console app that do some work and keeps printing every 4 seconds market data.

Is there a way to be able to enter a command within the refresh rate to change some parameters and make the app continue following the new input?

Answer 1

Yes you could. Let's define 2 flows, one for main running and second for waiting new read line. Using a global variable to change through the processing between 2 flows, which is:

• Running(): Print a line from HyperParam then sleeping 4 seconds

• Task.Run(() => ...): Starting a infinity loop for reading a new HyperParam. Each loop will go sleeping 100 ms. That mean the user has at least 40 chances within 4 seconds to change the value.

    static string HyperParam = "A";
  
    static void Running()
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++)
        {
            Console.WriteLine($"Running with: {HyperParam}");
            Thread.Sleep(4000);
        }
    }
  
  
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        Task.Run(() =>
        {
            while (true)
            {
                HyperParam = Console.ReadLine();
                Thread.Sleep(100);
            }
        });
  
        Running();
    }
  

Result: