Sequencing multiple async operations

gistfile1.txt

#From CommandShift - © Richard Turton 2016
-(void)fetchConfigurationWithCompletion:(void (^)(NSError* error))completion
{
    // Define errors to be processed when everything is complete.
    // One error per service; in this example we'll have two 
    __block NSError *configError = nil;
    __block NSError *preferenceError = nil;
    
    // Create the dispatch group
    dispatch_group_t serviceGroup = dispatch_group_create();
    
    // Start the first service
    dispatch_group_enter(serviceGroup);
    [self.configService startWithCompletion:^(ConfigResponse *results, NSError* error){
        // Do something with the results
        configError = error;
        dispatch_group_leave(serviceGroup);
    }];
    
    // Start the second service
    dispatch_group_enter(serviceGroup);
    [self.preferenceService startWithCompletion:^(PreferenceResponse *results, NSError* error){
        // Do something with the results
        preferenceError = error;
        dispatch_group_leave(serviceGroup);
    }];
    
    dispatch_group_notify(serviceGroup,dispatch_get_main_queue(),^{
        // Assess any errors
        NSError *overallError = nil;
        if (configError || preferenceError)
        {
            // Either make a new error or assign one of them to the overall error
            overallError = configError ?: preferenceError;
        }
        // Now call the final completion block
        completion(overallError);
    });
}