c# - Why doesn't this thread ever end? -

i'm trying control piece of test equipment , need sequencing correct of how communicate it.

first call startgettingtracedata(). time in future call stopgettingtracedata() attempt end gettracedata() function instead of re-launching itself. never happens. in fact, never line donetraces.set() on line bool timedout = !donetraces.waitone(10000), timedout true;

private static autoresetevent donetraces = new autoresetevent(false);  private void gettracedata() {     byte[] receivedbytes = new byte[1];     if (connection.readdata(receivedbytes) && receivedbytes[0] == 192)         processincomingtrace();      thread.sleep(100);      if (runtracequeryworker)         new thread(gettracedata).start();     else     {         thread.sleep(200);         donetraces.set();     } }  private void startgettingtracedata() {     runtracequeryworker = true;     new thread(gettracedata).start(); }  private bool stopgettingtracedata() {     runtracequeryworker = false;     bool timedout = !donetraces.waitone(10000);     return timedout; } 

any thoughts on going on?

edit:

here connection.readdata(...) function. it's serial connection way.

public bool readdata(byte[] responsebytes) {     int bytesexpected = responsebytes.length, offset = 0, bytesread;     while (bytesexpected > 0 && (bytesread = myserialport.read(responsebytes, offset, bytesexpected)) > 0)     {         offset += bytesread;         bytesexpected -= bytesread;     }     return bytesexpected == 0; } 

rather recusively calling gettracedata again, should use while loop looking @ condition this:

private static autoresetevent donetraces = new autoresetevent(false);  private void gettracedata() {     {     byte[] receivedbytes = new byte[1];     if (connection.readdata(receivedbytes) && receivedbytes[0] == 192)         processincomingtrace();      thread.sleep(100); } while (runtracequeryworker)  thread.sleep(200); donetraces.set();  }  private void startgettingtracedata() {     runtracequeryworker = true;     new thread(gettracedata).start(); }  private bool stopgettingtracedata() {     runtracequeryworker = false;     bool timedout = !donetraces.waitone(10000);     return timedout; } 

it's impossible know why code freezing without understanding readdata & processincomingtrace() do.