Save Image To File in Python using Tkinter

Saving an uploaded image to a local directory using Tkinter combines the graphical user interface capabilities of Tkinter with the functionality of handling and storing images in Python. In this article, we will explore the steps involved in achieving this task, leveraging Tkinter’s GUI features to enhance the user experience in image management applications.

What is Tkinter?

Tkinter is a standard GUI (Graphical User Interface) toolkit for Python, providing a set of modules and libraries to create interactive and visually appealing desktop applications. Tkinter is based on the Tk GUI toolkit, and it comes bundled with most Python installations, making it readily available for developers. With Tkinter, developers can design windows, dialogs, buttons, and other GUI elements, facilitating the development of user-friendly applications with ease

Saving An Uploaded Image To A Local Directory Using Tkinter

Below, is the step-by-step guide to Saving An Uploaded Image To A Local Directory Using Tkinter in Python.

Create a Virtual Environment

First, create the virtual environment using the below commands

python -m venv env 
.\env\Scripts\activate.ps1

Install Nessaccary Library

First, it is necessary to install the Pillow library, which enables the upload and display of images in Tkinter. Use the following command to install the required library.

pip install pillow

Code Explanation

Step 1: Importing Libraries

In first necessary libraries are imported. tkinter provides GUI functionality, filedialog and messagebox modules handle file dialogs and message boxes, respectively. PIL (Pillow) is used for image processing, and shutil and os assist in managing files and directories.

Python3

import tkinter as tk
from tkinter import filedialog, messagebox
from PIL import Image, ImageTk
import shutil
import os

Step 2: Defining the Upload Function

beloa code defines the upload_image function, utilizing filedialog to prompt the user to select an image file. It then opens and resizes the image using Pillow, updates the Tkinter label to display the image, and calls the save_image function to store the image. A success message is displayed using messagebox.

Python3

def upload_image():
    file_path = filedialog.askopenfilename()
    if file_path:
        image = Image.open(file_path)
        image.thumbnail((300, 300))  # Resize image if necessary
        photo = ImageTk.PhotoImage(image)
        image_label.config(image=photo)
        image_label.image = photo  # Keep a reference to avoid garbage collection
        save_image(file_path)
        messagebox.showinfo("Success", "Image uploaded successfully!")

Step 3: Image Saving Function

below code part defines save_image, responsible for creating a directory (saved_images) if it doesn’t exist, extracting the filename from the provided path, and copying the image to the specified directory. A message is printed indicating the successful saving of the image.

Python3

def save_image(file_path):
    save_dir = "saved_images"
    if not os.path.exists(save_dir):
        os.makedirs(save_dir)
    filename = os.path.basename(file_path)
    shutil.copy(file_path, os.path.join(save_dir, filename))
    print("Image saved to:", os.path.join(save_dir, filename))

Step 4: Creating the Tkinter Window

In the pbelow code art, the Tkinter window is created with the title “Image Uploader” and a size of 500×500 pixels.

Python3

root = tk.Tk()
root.title("Image Uploader")
root.geometry("500x500")

Step 5: Create and Pack Widgets, Running the Application

The last part involves creating Tkinter widgets – a button (upload_button) and a label (image_label). The button triggers the upload_image function when clicked, and both widgets are packed into the window. The mainloop() method is called to run the Tkinter application, allowing user interaction with the image uploader interface.

Python3

upload_button = tk.Button(root, text="Upload Image", command=upload_image)
upload_button.pack(pady=10)

image_label = tk.Label(root)
image_label.pack()

root.mainloop()

Complete Code

Python3

import tkinter as tk
from tkinter import filedialog, messagebox
from PIL import Image, ImageTk
import shutil
import os

# Define the function to upload and save the image
def upload_image():
    file_path = filedialog.askopenfilename()
    if file_path:
        image = Image.open(file_path)
        image.thumbnail((300, 300))  # Resize image if necessary
        photo = ImageTk.PhotoImage(image)
        image_label.config(image=photo)
        image_label.image = photo  # Keep a reference to avoid garbage collection
        save_image(file_path)
        messagebox.showinfo("Success", "Image uploaded successfully!")

def save_image(file_path):
    save_dir = "saved_images"
    if not os.path.exists(save_dir):
        os.makedirs(save_dir)
    filename = os.path.basename(file_path)
    shutil.copy(file_path, os.path.join(save_dir, filename))
    print("Image saved to:", os.path.join(save_dir, filename))

# Create the main window
root = tk.Tk()
root.title("Image Uploader")

# Set window size
root.geometry("500x500")

# Create and pack widgets
upload_button = tk.Button(root, text="Upload Image", command=upload_image)
upload_button.pack(pady=10)

image_label = tk.Label(root)
image_label.pack()

# Run the application
root.mainloop()

Run the server

run the server using below command

python script_name.py

Output