changes and improvements

fold.py

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# workers.py
+import flares
+
+# This function must be completely standalone. 
+# No PyQt imports here!
+def run_fold_process(haemo_obj, label, shared_dict):
+    """
+    Runs in a separate OS process. 
+    Writes progress to shared_dict so the GUI can see it.
+    """
+    try:
+        def progress_callback(value):
+            # Only update shared memory if the value has changed
+            # This significantly reduces "noise" on the GUI thread
+            if shared_dict.get(label) != value:
+                shared_dict[label] = value
+
+        # Run the heavy calculation
+        # Ensure 'flares' logic does not try to open any plots/GUIs itself!
+        figures = flares.fold_channels(haemo_obj, progress_callback=progress_callback)
+        
+        
+    except Exception as e:
+        # If something breaks here, we return the error string 
+        # so the main thread knows what happened.
+        return f"ERROR: {str(e)}"