python - Multithreading in pygtk

Question

I am trying to learn pygtk and I am developing a GUI for axel.

My problem is I need to show progress of download in my main window.

1. I used two threads one for downloading and second for progress calculation. Download is done by axel but my second thread is not running until first thread stops. and second thread is not updating the gui

2. I used gobject.idel_add it stucks the main window upon download start

3. tried to use Gtk.gdk.thread_init()/thread_enter()/thread_leave() it says no module gdk in Gtk. On top of the page Gtk is imported from gi.repository

By the way I am using quickly to develop the app Is there any way to solve the problem. or any similiar examples.

Answer 1

Check this thread separate threads in pygtk application may be usefully for you. Here left a pygtk manage multithreading example to you.

import threading
import random, time
import gtk
#Initializing the gtk's thread engine
gtk.threads_init()


class FractionSetter(threading.Thread):
    """This class sets the fraction of the progressbar"""

    #Thread event, stops the thread if it is set.
    stopthread = threading.Event()

    def run(self):
        """Run method, this is the code that runs while thread is alive."""

        #Importing the progressbar widget from the global scope
        global progressbar 

        #While the stopthread event isn't setted, the thread keeps going on
        while not self.stopthread.isSet() :
            # Acquiring the gtk global mutex
            gtk.threads_enter()
            #Setting a random value for the fraction
            progressbar.set_fraction(random.random())
            # Releasing the gtk global mutex
            gtk.threads_leave()

            #Delaying 100ms until the next iteration
            time.sleep(0.1)

    def stop(self):
        """Stop method, sets the event to terminate the thread's main loop"""
        self.stopthread.set()

def main_quit(obj):
    """main_quit function, it stops the thread and the gtk's main loop"""
    #Importing the fs object from the global scope
    global fs
    #Stopping the thread and the gtk's main loop
    fs.stop()
    gtk.main_quit()

#Gui bootstrap: window and progressbar
window = gtk.Window()
progressbar = gtk.ProgressBar()
window.add(progressbar)
window.show_all()
#Connecting the 'destroy' event to the main_quit function
window.connect('destroy', main_quit)

#Creating and starting the thread
fs = FractionSetter()
fs.start()

gtk.main()