How to continue execution of method after returning data?

Question

I developed a Web API for performance monitoring on machines, that when calling the resource via URL, the information is printed on the browser in json format. One of the methods has a loop that gets a new data value every second.

Is it possible to "return" the value upon each iteration and display it in json on the browser, thus updating automatically with each iteration? In other words, I'm trying to create a live update mechanism, rather than waiting for the program to execute and then displaying the json once the performance data log is completed.

public List<LogInfo> LogTimedPerfData(string macName, string categoryName, string counterName,
                                          string instanceName, string logName, long? seconds)
    {
        iModsDBRepository modsDB = new iModsDBRepository();
        List<MachineInfo> theMac = modsDB.GetMachineByName(macName);

        if (theMac.Count == 0)
            return new List<LogInfo>();

        else if (instanceName == null)
        {
            if (!PerformanceCounterCategory.Exists(categoryName, macName) ||
                !PerformanceCounterCategory.CounterExists(counterName, categoryName, macName) )
            {
                return new List<LogInfo>();
            }
        }
        else if (instanceName != null)
        {
            if (!PerformanceCounterCategory.Exists(categoryName, macName) ||
                !PerformanceCounterCategory.CounterExists(counterName, categoryName, macName) ||
                !PerformanceCounterCategory.InstanceExists(instanceName, categoryName, macName))
            {
                return new List<LogInfo>();
            }
        }
        else if (logName == null)
        {
            return new List<LogInfo>();
        }

        // Check if entered log name is a duplicate for the authenticated user
        List<LogInfo> checkDuplicateLog = this.GetSingleLog(logName);
        if (checkDuplicateLog.Count > 0)
        {
            return new List<LogInfo>();
        }

        PerformanceCounterCategory category = new PerformanceCounterCategory(categoryName, theMac[0].MachineName);
        if (category.CategoryName == null || category.MachineName == null)
        {
            return new List<LogInfo>();
        }

        List<LogInfo> logIt = new List<LogInfo>();
        if (category.CategoryType != PerformanceCounterCategoryType.SingleInstance)
        {
            List<InstanceInfo> instances = modsDB.GetInstancesFromCatMacName(theMac[0].MachineName, category.CategoryName);

            foreach (InstanceInfo inst in instances)
            {
                if (!category.InstanceExists(inst.InstanceName))
                {
                    continue;
                }
                else if (inst.InstanceName.Equals(instanceName, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
                {
                    PerformanceCounter perfCounter = new PerformanceCounter(categoryName, counterName,
                                                                        inst.InstanceName, theMac[0].MachineName);

                    string data = "";
                    List<UserInfo> currUser = this.GetUserByName(WindowsIdentity.GetCurrent().Name);

                    string timeStarted = DateTime.Now.ToString("MM/dd/yyyy - h:mm:ss tt");

                    string[] dataValues = new string[(int)seconds];
                    for (int i = 0; i < seconds; i++)
                    {
                        data = "Value " + i + ": " + perfCounter.NextValue().ToString();
                        dataValues[i] = data;
                        Thread.Sleep(1000);
                    }
                    string timeFinished = DateTime.Now.ToString("MM/dd/yyyy - h:mm:ss tt");

                    Log log = new Log
                    {
                        LogName = logName,
                        CounterName = perfCounter.CounterName,
                        InstanceName = perfCounter.InstanceName,
                        CategoryName = perfCounter.CategoryName,
                        MachineName = perfCounter.MachineName,
                        TimeStarted = timeStarted,
                        TimeFinished = timeFinished,
                        PerformanceData = string.Join(",", dataValues),
                        UserID = currUser[0].UserID
                    };
                    this.CreateLog(log);
                    logIt.Add(new LogInfo
                    {
                        LogName = logName,
                        CounterName = perfCounter.CounterName,
                        InstanceName = perfCounter.InstanceName,
                        CategoryName = perfCounter.CategoryName,
                        MachineName = perfCounter.MachineName,
                        TimeStarted = timeStarted,
                        TimeFinished = timeFinished,
                        PerformanceData = dataValues.ToList<string>()
                    });
                    break;
                }
            }
        }
        else
        {
            PerformanceCounter perfCounter = new PerformanceCounter(categoryName, counterName,
                                                                        "", theMac[0].MachineName);


            string data = "";
            List<UserInfo> currUser = this.GetUserByName(WindowsIdentity.GetCurrent().Name);

            string timeStarted = DateTime.Now.ToString("MM/dd/yyyy - h:mm:ss tt");

            string[] dataValues = new string[(int)seconds];
            for (int i = 0; i < seconds; i++)
            {
                data = "Value " + i + ": " + perfCounter.NextValue().ToString();
                dataValues[i] = data;
                Thread.Sleep(1000);
            }
            string timeFinished = DateTime.Now.ToString("MM/dd/yyyy - h:mm:ss tt");

            Log log = new Log
            {
                LogName = logName,
                CounterName = perfCounter.CounterName,
                InstanceName = perfCounter.InstanceName,
                CategoryName = perfCounter.CategoryName,
                MachineName = perfCounter.MachineName,
                TimeStarted = timeStarted,
                TimeFinished = timeFinished,
                PerformanceData = string.Join(",", dataValues),
                UserID = currUser[0].UserID
            };              
            this.CreateLog(log);
            logIt.Add(new LogInfo
            {
                LogName = logName,
                CounterName = perfCounter.CounterName,
                InstanceName = perfCounter.InstanceName,
                CategoryName = perfCounter.CategoryName,
                MachineName = perfCounter.MachineName,
                TimeStarted = timeStarted,
                TimeFinished = timeFinished,
                PerformanceData = dataValues.ToList<string>()
            });
        }
        return logIt;
    }

Answer 1

You might want to do some research on SignalR there are a couple tutorials out there on pushing notifications to browsers with SignalR.

Handful of possibly helpful links:

• https://github.com/SignalR/SignalR/wiki
• http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/322154/ASP-NET-MVC-SIngalR-and-Knockout-based-Real-time-U
• http://www.msguy.com/2011/11/real-time-push-notifications-with.html