import time
import sys
toolbar_width = 40
# setup toolbar
sys.stdout.write("[%s]" % (" " * toolbar_width))
sys.stdout.flush()
sys.stdout.write("" * (toolbar_width+1)) # return to start of line, after '['
for i in xrange(toolbar_width):
time.sleep(0.1) # do real work here
# update the bar
sys.stdout.write("-")
sys.stdout.flush()
sys.stdout.write("]
") # this ends the progress bar