import sys
from datetime import datetime

data_file = 'data.txt'
limit = 0
def generatevalues():
    for x in xrange(1500):
        yield x, range(5)

def prep_row(record_id, values):
    return 'whatever ' * 1000

fd = open(data_file, 'w')
for c, (recordid, values) in enumerate(generatevalues()):
        row = prep_row(recordid, values)
        fd.write(row)
        if c % 117 == 0:
                if limit > 0 and c >= limit:
                        break
                sys.stdout.write('\r%s @ %s' % (str(c + 1).rjust(7), datetime.now()))
                sys.stdout.flush()