# set a shared value of TRUE for running the progress bar
my $keepRunningProgressBar : shared = 1;

# Set the progress bar running indefinitely
my $progressBar = threads->create(sub { while ($keepRunningProgressBar == 1) {print "<img src=\"http://www.thepaty.plus.com/dot.gif\">"; sleep(10);} }); 
$progressBar->detach;

# Now do stuff in the work thread
my $threadForSpidering = threads->new(\&workthread, $category, $contents, $userRunningBot,$userIPAddress);

#The work thread finished
$threadForSpidering->join;

#And tells the progress bar to stop running
$keepRunningProgressBar = 0;