Re: pthreads + gtk

[Paul Davis <pbd op net>]

>I am working on a program that gets data from a socket asynchronously.  As a 
>result, the only way I could figure out to update the display as data came in 
>was to use pthreads.
>
>I'm using a clist, and the update isn't immediate, sometimes it takes several 
>seconds to see the data update onto the screen.  Other times, elements become 
>invisible for some time, although the data is there, just not visible.
>
>I figure there is 2 possibilities:
>
>The one I hope it is:
>
>1) I have some experience with X11 coding, and it looks like I need to send 
>the GTK equivalent of XSync, but I cannot find it in the documentation.
>
>The one I'm praying it isn't:
>
>2) GTK isn't compatible with pthreads.  I know X11 isn't re-entrant.  If GTK 
>can't handle asynchronous input, how should I handle asynchronous data input? 
> 
>I *could* cache the data in one thread, and then cause an "event" in the 
>gtk_main () loop to cause the data to be processed..  How do I send an event 
>from one process to another?

1) read the GTK+ FAQ. of course its compatible with pthreads
2) you have two options when using threads:
     
      a) surround ****EVERY*** call to a GDK, GTK or X11 function
          with gdk_threads_{enter,leave} pair
      b) have only one thread make calls to GDK, GTK or X11, and
          have all other threads send a request to the GUI thread
	  via a pipe. the pipe is "wired into" the GUI main loop
	  by using gtk_input_add() or its glib cousins.

3) search the mailing list archives because there are lots and lots
   and lots of other messages about this.

I vastly prefer 2.b. I have several large scale multithreaded programs
that use GTK.

--p