How to decode base64 string to its original image and open it without saving it

Question

So I have this basic code at the moment.

import base64
with open("test.png", "rb") as image_file:
    encoded_string = base64.b64encode(image_file.read())

And it converts the image into a crazy long string, I'm doing this of hopes of copying that string and making it a variable in another script I'm making. I don't want to save it to the computer or anything, I just want it to be decoded and opened for the GUI background. I'm trying to make it so just the exe is needed and nothing else.

I've found other questions going over this, but sadly I can't quite understand the answers very well. So if possible the simplest way would be much preferred, thank you!

Edit: The possible duplicate that was linked is fair, but it doesn't answer my question because as I said I don't understand what they did, why it works that way. And if i understand it at all I think it stores the image path but not the actual image in the exe. I want to be able to take the exe file and only that on a flash drive and it works.

So you want to display an image in a GUI? Why do you want it as a string? — Felix
– Felix, Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 18:20
@Felix I just want it to be stored in the exe file, so you only need that one file. And the best way I can tell from others posts is to encode the image with base64, save that string as a variable. Then decode that string. Right? — wowwee
– wowwee, Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 18:24
Ok now I get it. What are you using to freeze your program? pyinstaller? — Felix
– Felix, Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 18:31
Possible duplicate of Pyinstaller and --onefile: How to include an image in the exe file — Felix
– Felix, Commented Jun 28, 2018 at 18:39

figbeam · Accepted Answer · 2018-06-28 18:39:41Z

1

You can print the encoded_string to the console, copy it from there and paste it into your code. The encoded_string will look something like:

'R0lGODlhUABFAHAAA ... Qiq0Z1q2XN6oYYoQIBAQA7'

Use it in code like this example:

import tkinter as tk

image_string = 'R0lGODlhUABFAHAAA ... Qiq0Z1q2XN6oYYoQIBAQA7'

root = tk.Tk()
imgFrame = tk.Frame(root)
imgFrame.pack()
img = tk.PhotoImage(data=image_string)
imgLabel = tk.Label(imgFrame, image=img)
imgLabel.pack()

answered Jun 28, 2018 at 18:39

figbeam

7,1942 gold badges15 silver badges19 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

wowwee Over a year ago

Thanks this is exactly what I'm looking for, but sadly when I ran it I got a _tkinter.TclError: couldn't recognize image data error.

figbeam Over a year ago

Try with a couple of different images. Tkinter PhotoImage does not recognize all image formats.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How to decode base64 string to its original image and open it without saving it

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related