diff --git a/bare-metrics-gui/src/background_loader.rs b/bare-metrics-gui/src/background_loader.rs
index f11b5b0..fdcc5dc 100644
--- a/bare-metrics-gui/src/background_loader.rs
+++ b/bare-metrics-gui/src/background_loader.rs
@@ -65,6 +65,14 @@ pub struct MetricsWindow {
     pub gauges: HashMap<MetricId, ScalarWindow>,
 }
 
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+pub struct RawMetricsWindow {
+    pub histograms: HashMap<MetricId, HistogramWindow>,
+    pub scalars: HashMap<MetricId, ScalarWindow>,
+    pub time_range: RangeInclusive<f64>,
+    pub wanted_time_points: u32,
+}
+
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, Debug, Default)]
 pub struct HeatmapRect {
     pub min_ts: UnixTimestampMilliseconds,
@@ -611,6 +619,148 @@ impl<R: Read + Seek> MetricsLogReaderManager<R> {
         Ok(metrics_window)
     }
 
+    fn load_raw_window_of_data(
+        &mut self,
+        start: UnixTimestampMilliseconds,
+        end: UnixTimestampMilliseconds,
+        time_points: u32,
+    ) -> anyhow::Result<RawMetricsWindow> {
+        let mut metrics_window = RawMetricsWindow {
+            time_range: RangeInclusive::new(start.0 as f64 * 0.001, end.0 as f64 * 0.001),
+            wanted_time_points: time_points,
+            histograms: Default::default(),
+            scalars: Default::default(),
+        };
+        let mut histograms: HashMap<MetricId, UnsummarisedHistogramWindow> = Default::default();
+
+        for (_metric_name, metric_labels_to_ids) in self.metric_descriptor_table.iter() {
+            for (_, metric_id) in metric_labels_to_ids.iter() {
+                match self.metric_descriptors[metric_id].kind {
+                    MetricKind::Histogram => {
+                        histograms.insert(*metric_id, Default::default());
+                    }
+                    MetricKind::Gauge | MetricKind::Counter => {
+                        metrics_window.scalars.insert(
+                            *metric_id,
+                            ScalarWindow {
+                                points: vec![],
+                                y_axis: 0.0..=0.0,
+                            },
+                        );
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        let checkpoint = self.find_checkpoint_just_before(start)?.clone();
+
+        let mut frame_state = checkpoint.state;
+        let next_token = checkpoint.seek;
+
+        let mut in_window = false;
+
+        fn write_to_window(
+            metric_window: &mut RawMetricsWindow,
+            histograms: &mut HashMap<MetricId, UnsummarisedHistogramWindow>,
+            current_state: &MetricsState,
+            frame: Option<(UnixTimestampMilliseconds, &Frame)>,
+        ) {
+            if let Some((frame_start, frame)) = frame {
+                for (metric_id, histogram) in frame.histograms.iter() {
+                    histograms.get_mut(metric_id).unwrap().map.push((
+                        frame_start,
+                        frame.end_time,
+                        histogram.underlying.clone(),
+                    ));
+                }
+            }
+            for (metric_id, count) in current_state.counters.iter() {
+                metric_window
+                    .scalars
+                    .get_mut(metric_id)
+                    .unwrap()
+                    .points
+                    .push((current_state.at, *count as f64));
+            }
+            for (metric_id, value) in current_state.gauges.iter() {
+                metric_window
+                    .scalars
+                    .get_mut(metric_id)
+                    .unwrap()
+                    .points
+                    .push((current_state.at, *value));
+            }
+        }
+
+        // need to try and preserve extra points just before the window and just after, for
+        // continuity ...
+
+        let mut num_points = 0;
+        self.reader.seek(next_token)?;
+        loop {
+            if let Some((start_ts, frame)) = self.reader.read_frame()? {
+                Self::integrate_state(&mut frame_state, &frame);
+
+                if !in_window {
+                    if frame_state.at >= start {
+                        in_window = true;
+                    } else {
+                        // Clear the windows because we still haven't reached the start and only
+                        // want one sample before the start.
+                        num_points = 0;
+                        for (_, window) in histograms.iter_mut() {
+                            window.map.clear();
+                        }
+                        for (_, window) in metrics_window.scalars.iter_mut() {
+                            window.points.clear();
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+
+                num_points += 1;
+                debug!("Writing frame to window with start ts {:?}", start_ts);
+                write_to_window(
+                    &mut metrics_window,
+                    &mut histograms,
+                    &frame_state,
+                    Some((start_ts, &frame)),
+                );
+
+                if frame_state.at >= end {
+                    // We've gone past the end. Stop here.
+                    break;
+                }
+            } else {
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+
+        while num_points >= time_points * 2 {
+            // Keep halving the points until we have less than double the number of requested points.
+
+            for (_, scalar) in metrics_window.scalars.iter_mut() {
+                Self::bicimate(&mut scalar.points);
+            }
+            for (_, hists) in histograms.iter_mut() {
+                Self::bicimate_histograms(&mut hists.map);
+            }
+
+            num_points = (num_points - 1) / 2 + 1;
+        }
+
+        for (metric_id, unsummarised_histogram) in histograms.into_iter() {
+            metrics_window
+                .histograms
+                .insert(metric_id, unsummarised_histogram.summarise());
+        }
+
+        for (_metric_id, scalar) in metrics_window.scalars.iter_mut() {
+            scalar.summarise_in_place();
+        }
+
+        Ok(metrics_window)
+    }
+
     fn run(&mut self) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         info!("Starting manager");
         self.initial_scan()?;