Stopping a run-time plot via key-press using threads in pylab

You can use threads to tell a python script to end a plotting loop:

#!/usr/bin/env python
from pylab import *
import threading
import time

# Replot some data each time is called
def replot(datafile, title) :

    # Control errors (mainly "file not found")
    try :

        # read the data file 
        data=loadtxt(datafile)

        # open figure (in case create it)
        fig = figure(title)

        # clear canvas    
        fig.clear()
        # plot data
        plot(data.T)
        # redraw
        fig.canvas.draw()

    except :
        pass


# A thread dedicated to read the keyboard
class KeyPressThread(threading.Thread):
    def run(self):
        global end_thread;

        # wait for keypress
        raw_input()

        lock = threading.Lock()
        lock.acquire()

        # if a key is pressed switch 
        # the end flag to true
        end_thread = True;

        lock.release()


if __name == "__main__" :

    ion()
    close('all')

    # init the end flag
    end_thread = False

    # Start the dedicated thread
    k = KeyPressThread()
    k.start()

    # start the replot loop
    while(not end_thread) :
        replot("my_data","my_plot")

    # link the thread to main thread
    k.join()