[R-gui] Tcl\Tk help needed for time-consuming calculations

[F. J. Hosking]

Hi,

I am using R2.0.1 (under Windows) and using Tcl\Tk to produce a GUI for 
some R code. My main problem is that reading in the types of files and 
doing a lot of the calculations is quite time consuming. So I would like 
some way of showing that the computer is still busy - either a wait cursor, 
animated giff or somesuch, on a window which stays in focus.

I've tried using tkconfigure(tt,cursor="watch"), but it only appears at the 
end of the loading. For the calculations, ideally, I would like a window to 
appear and then as the calculations are finished the results appear on the 
same window in order and in correct place; but am unsure of how to 
"refresh" the window each time. I have looked at various Tcl and R:Tcl/Tk 
commands and am unsure how to achieve this, without (I hope) needing 
threads but any advice on how best to proceed would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Fay

----------------------
F J Hosking
PhD Student, Statistics
Department of Mathematics
University of Bristol
Email: fay.hosking at bristol.ac.uk
Webpage: http://www.maths.bris.ac.uk/~mafjh/