Pyinstaller image does not load

Question

The Problem

Im trying to turn a python file into an EXE file, however I seem to be running into the same problem every single time, whether it is CX_Freeze or Pyinstaller. I just tried using pyinstaller and I made an EXE file using the command

pyinstaller --onefile thepyfile

and everything works fine. It creates the exe in the dist file. However when I open the exe it shows me a command window and then quickly turns off. I managed to capture the error im getting using print screen, and it said pygame error: Couldn't open image family.jpg. I am using the pygame module.

What have I tried?

Iv made sure that the images are in the same directory and the same folder as my python file. My .py works fine when I run it, it's just the exe. Anyways just to make sure that there's no problems loading the images in the path I joined the path using

os.path.join

Again it worked for the py file, but it did not work in the exe. I have also checked if I installed pyinstaller correctly, and it works for other exe programs that don't involve importing images. I also did try to create a folder and then use

os.path.join(folder,file)

but again it worked in the py file, but not the pyinstaller/cx_freeze exe.

A clue?

While I was working with CX__freeze I discovered pygame cant import the image either. However it gave me a larger error case, not sure if it's usefull but, it may be a clue?

Please Help

Iv been running into this problem for more than 5 weeks now and am desperate for help.

Some Code

This is how I import the image (again works in the py file but not the exe)

family_image = pygame.image.load(os.path.join('folder',"family.jpg")).convert()

And if needed heres my cx_Freeze setup.py which also makes the exe file yet gives me image cant be loaded error.

import cx_Freeze
import sys
import pygame
import random
import math
import os
os.environ['TCL_LIBRARY'] = "C:\\Program Files\\Python35\\tcl\\tc18.6"
os.environ['TK_LIBRARY'] = "C:\\Program Files\\Python35\\tcl\\tk8.6"


base = None

if sys.platform == 'win32':
    base = "Win32GUI"





executables = [cx_Freeze.Executable("Treg&Shelly.py",shortcutName="Cards",shortcutDir="DesktopFolder",base = base)]

cx_Freeze.setup(
    name = "HAPPY NEW YEARS",
    options = {"build_exe":{"packages":["pygame","random","math"],"excludes" : ['tcl','ttk','tkinter','Tkinter'],"include_files":["family.jpg","newyears.png"]}},
    version = "0.01",
    description = "New Years Card",
    executables = executables

    )

Note

All my images are in a separate folder but are accessible by my python file.

Also Im using python 3.5

Thank you for any response

Answer 1

In case the pyinstaller bundling works if you create a one-folder bundle (remove the --onefile parameter) then the issue is probably this:

When you run a one-file bundle, a temporary folder-structure is created. The name of the temporary folder is created at run-time and not known when you bundle it. Therefore the path is not known.

Pyinstaller however adds an attribute sys._MEIPASS which contains the absolute path to the temporary folder. So, try something like:

if getattr(sys, 'frozen', False):
    wd = sys._MEIPASS
else:
    wd = ''    
family_image = pygame.image.load(os.path.join(wd,'folder',"family.jpg")).convert()

Also see ther Pyinstaller docu.