Re: gtk_timeout_add / SIGALRM with gtk

[Todd Fisher <taf2 lehigh edu>]

Hello,
   I took some time this morning to put together this example 
application that uses gthreads and gtk+
together.  I tested it on win98, winxp, kernel 2.4.22 and kernel 2.6.5.  
both 98 and kernel 2.4 seem to
have some issues with the way i'm using g_cond_wait but 
g_cond_timed_wait seems to have fixed those
issues.  Let me know if this example is helpful and if you find any 
errors in it. Thanks,
todd

Colin Thomas wrote:

> Hello.
>
> I am developing an application which is basically a lots of buttons, no
> drawing areas. When one button is depressed, the application runs a
> compute intensive job for 20 minutes. While this is happening though the
> main screen does not refresh, and slowly becomes obiterated.
>
> I have tried three possible solutions.
>
> One using a SIGALRM running each second to force a 
> gtk_widget_draw(MainWindow, NULL), then reset the alarm for another
> second.
> ########################################################
> i.e.
> void pathRepaintTopDaemon (int sig)
> {
> gtk_widget_draw(pTOPWindow, NULL);
> alarm(1);
> }       
>
> and in main code prior to gtk_main()
>
> signal(SIGALRM, pathRepaintTopDaemon);
> alarm(1);
>
> #########################################################
>
> This seems to happily refresh every second, until the big button is
> depressed and the compute intensive job starts, when it appears never to
> get a piece of the action....
>
> I have also tried using 
>
> #########################################################
> gint Repaint (void * v)
> {
> gtk_widget_draw(pTOPWindow, NULL);
> return 1;
> }
>
> with 
>  gtk_timeout_add(500, Repaint , 0);
> prior to gtk_main().
> #########################################################
>
> This again seems to suffer the same fate.
>
> I have also seem references to 
>
>  while(gtk_events_pending() )
>  {
>           gtk_main_iteration();
>  }
>
> Which I have tried along with gtk_main(), and again seems not to pick up
> the timeout or allow for refreshing which the app is in full steam.
>
> Apart from setting up a thread just to run a gtk_widget_draw 
> in the background, what would be the "preferred" solution to this
> problem of keeping menu/widgets refreshed while the application is busy?
>
> I look forward to your collective wisdom.
>
> Best regards
>
>
> Colin Thomas 
>