Multiple threads and gtk_main()

[Gabriele Greco <gabriele greco darts it>]

I've a few threads (more than one) doing some work (not accessing GTK 
functions), I'd like to have a general way to make them notify their 
work to the main loop.

I used the g_idle_add() in the previous context where I had only a 
thread with this behaviour, but with two or more threads the 
g_idle_add() method of notification is not correct IMHO (what happens if 
 two threads call g_idle_add() before the call of the first one is 
processed by the glib main loop?)

I thought about a mutex solution, something like this:

thread X:
        lock idle_mutex
        g_idle_add(my_idle_func)

my_idle_func:
        unlock idle_mutex
        [update the gui]
        return FALSE

This way should work but when I use mutexes in context I've not full 
control on I always fear unhandled deadlock situations...

I though about using a GAsyncQueue for every thread but in this way the 
problem I have is how to notify the main loop that there is something on 
a queue, I've not found anything in the documentation... I fear the only 
 way it's to use a pipe or a socket, or an idle function, but in this 
case I will occur again in the locking problem, I hope I'm wrong about 
this so I'm asking here :)

--
Bye,
 Gabry