Running spawned program in background

[William Dest <ddinbox1-william yahoo com>]

I am using g_spawn_command_line_sync to run a shell
script in an xterm window.  Of course, this runs as a
new process and leaves the GTK parent app unresponsive
and the screen elements don't get refreshed.  It's a
little different from some of the previous threads
that discussed using gtk_events_pending, because it's
not a process I can put in a while loop that returns
occasionally after doing data crunching or something.
While the spawned program is running in a new
(non-GTK) window, I just want to be able to go back to
the GTK app and have it respond.  Is there a way to
make some gtk_.. (or any) function call that will keep
the parent app active if it gets focus before the
child app closes?

Thanks,
William