diff --git a/python/obitools3/apps/progress.pyx b/python/obitools3/apps/progress.pyx
index e6d2a71..3fff5fa 100644
--- a/python/obitools3/apps/progress.pyx
+++ b/python/obitools3/apps/progress.pyx
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ Created on 27 mars 2016
 '''
 
 import sys
-from ..utils cimport bytes2str
+from ..utils import bytes2str,str2bytes
+from .config    cimport getConfiguration 
+
 
 cdef class ProgressBar:
     cdef clock_t clock(self):
@@ -23,7 +25,7 @@ cdef class ProgressBar:
 
     def __init__(self,
                  off_t maxi,
-                 dict  config,
+                 dict  config={},
                  str head="",
                  double seconde=0.1):
         self.starttime = self.clock()
@@ -34,14 +36,18 @@ cdef class ProgressBar:
         self.arrow     = 0
         self.lastlog   = 0
         
+        if not config:
+            config=getConfiguration()
+            
+        
         self.ontty = sys.stderr.isatty()
         
         if (maxi<=0):
             maxi=1
             
         self.maxi = maxi
-        self.head = str2bytes(head)
-        self.chead= self.head 
+        self._head = str2bytes(head)
+        self.chead= self._head 
         
         
         self.logger=config[config["__root_config__"]]["logger"]
@@ -104,35 +110,43 @@ cdef class ProgressBar:
             if self.ontty:
                 fraction=<int>(percent * 50.)
                 self.arrow=(self.arrow+1) % 4
-                self.diese[fraction]=0
-                self.spaces[50 - fraction]=0
             
                 if days:
-                    <void>fprintf(stderr,b'\r%s %5.1f %% |%s%c%s] remain : %d days %02d:%02d:%02d',
+                    <void>fprintf(stderr,b'\r%s %5.1f %% |%.*s%c%.*s] remain : %d days %02d:%02d:%02d',
                                     self.chead,
                                     percent*100,
-                                    self.diese,self.wheel[self.arrow],self.spaces,
+                                    fraction,self.diese,
+                                    self.wheel[self.arrow],
+                                    50-fraction,self.spaces,
                                     days,hour,minu,sec)
                 else:
-                    <void>fprintf(stderr,b'\r%s %5.1f %% |%s%c%s] remain : %02d:%02d:%02d',
+                    <void>fprintf(stderr,b'\r%s %5.1f %% |%.*s%c%.*s] remain : %02d:%02d:%02d',
                                     self.chead,
                                     percent*100.,
-                                    self.diese,self.wheel[self.arrow],self.spaces,
+                                    fraction,self.diese,
+                                    self.wheel[self.arrow],
+                                    50-fraction,self.spaces,
                                     hour,minu,sec)
-                self.diese[fraction]=b'#'
-                self.spaces[50 - fraction]=b' '
 
-            twentyth = int(percent * 20)
-            if twentyth != self.lastlog:
+            tenth = int(percent * 10)
+            if tenth != self.lastlog:
                 
                 if self.ontty:
                     <void>fputs(b'\n',stderr)
                     
                 self.logger.info('%s %5.1f %% remain : %02d:%02d:%02d' % (
-                                        bytes2str(self.head),
+                                        bytes2str(self._head),
                                         percent*100.,
                                         hour,minu,sec))
-                self.lastlog=twentyth
+                self.lastlog=tenth
         else:
             self.cycle+=1
 
+    property head:
+    
+        def __get__(self):
+            return self._head
+        
+        def __set__(self,str value):
+            self._head=str2bytes(value)
+            self.chead=self._head