C# Wait until condition is true

At least you can change your loop from a busy-wait to a slow poll. For example:

    while (!isExcelInteractive())
    {
        Console.WriteLine("Excel is busy");
        await Task.Delay(25);
    }

Ended up writing this today and seems to be ok. Your usage could be:

await TaskEx.WaitUntil(isExcelInteractive);

code (including the inverse operation)

public static class TaskEx
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Blocks while condition is true or timeout occurs.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="condition">The condition that will perpetuate the block.</param>
    /// <param name="frequency">The frequency at which the condition will be check, in milliseconds.</param>
    /// <param name="timeout">Timeout in milliseconds.</param>
    /// <exception cref="TimeoutException"></exception>
    /// <returns></returns>
    public static async Task WaitWhile(Func<bool> condition, int frequency = 25, int timeout = -1)
    {
        var waitTask = Task.Run(async () =>
        {
            while (condition()) await Task.Delay(frequency);
        });

        if(waitTask != await Task.WhenAny(waitTask, Task.Delay(timeout)))
            throw new TimeoutException();
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Blocks until condition is true or timeout occurs.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="condition">The break condition.</param>
    /// <param name="frequency">The frequency at which the condition will be checked.</param>
    /// <param name="timeout">The timeout in milliseconds.</param>
    /// <returns></returns>
    public static async Task WaitUntil(Func<bool> condition, int frequency = 25, int timeout = -1)
    {
        var waitTask = Task.Run(async () =>
        {
            while (!condition()) await Task.Delay(frequency);
        });

        if (waitTask != await Task.WhenAny(waitTask, 
                Task.Delay(timeout))) 
            throw new TimeoutException();
    }
}

Example usage: https://dotnetfiddle.net/Vy8GbV

You can use thread waiting handler

private readonly System.Threading.EventWaitHandle waitHandle = new System.Threading.AutoResetEvent(false);
private void btnOk_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    // Do some work
    Task<string> task = Task.Run(() => GreatBigMethod());
    string GreatBigMethod = await task;

    // Wait until condition is false
    waitHandle.WaitOne();
    Console.WriteLine("Excel is busy");
    waitHandle.Reset();

    // Do work
    Console.WriteLine("YAY");
 }

then some other job need to set your handler

void isExcelInteractive()
{
   /// Do your check
   waitHandle.Set()
}

Update: If you want use this solution, you have to call isExcelInteractive() continuously with specific interval:

var actions = new []{isExcelInteractive, () => Thread.Sleep(25)};
foreach (var action in actions)
{                                      
    action();
}