Execute an external program and progress bar

[Gérard Milmeister <gemi bluewin ch>]

Is there a standard way to:

1. Execute a program from a GNOME program and read its output,
2. Monitor the output and show a progress bar based on it?

Part 1 I have already done.
Is it necessary to use threads for part 2?
The program doesn't have to accept input during the progress, it should
only update its window.

-- 
Gérard Milmeister
Tannenrauchstrasse 35
8038 Zürich
gemi bluewin ch