Converting images to JSON and Send to Server

[JIMSMITH 0]

How do I place 3 to 4 images into a JSON object and send to a server.  Also, need to be able to retrieve a string with 3 or 4 items from this server and store to file on a computer.  If someone can point me to youtube videos or other google references on this it will be helpful.  Code and examples compatible with Delphi XE11.3 (berlin or beyond).  Thanks for your help.

[Keesver 23]

You can encode the image using Base64 encoding. ChatGPT came up with this sample code. Calling TNetEncoding.Base64.EncodeBytesToString(Bytes) will do the actual conversion:

 

uses
  System.JSON, System.SysUtils, System.Classes, System.NetEncoding;

function ImageToBase64(const FilePath: string): string;
var
  FileStream: TFileStream;
  Bytes: TBytes;
begin
  FileStream := TFileStream.Create(FilePath, fmOpenRead);
  try
    SetLength(Bytes, FileStream.Size);
    FileStream.ReadBuffer(Pointer(Bytes)^, FileStream.Size);
    Result := TNetEncoding.Base64.EncodeBytesToString(Bytes);
  finally
    FileStream.Free;
  end;
end;

procedure SaveImageBase64ToJson;
var
  JSONObject: TJSONObject;
  Base64String: string;
  JSONString: string;
  JSONFile: TStringList;
begin
  Base64String := ImageToBase64('path/to/image.jpg');

  JSONObject := TJSONObject.Create;
  try
    JSONObject.AddPair('name', 'Example Image');
    JSONObject.AddPair('image_data', 'data:image/jpeg;base64,' + Base64String);
    
    JSONString := JSONObject.ToString;
    
    JSONFile := TStringList.Create;
    try
      JSONFile.Text := JSONString;
      JSONFile.SaveToFile('image_base64.json');
    finally
      JSONFile.Free;
    end;
  finally
    JSONObject.Free;
  end;
end;

 

[JIMSMITH 0]

I am finally trying to implement this code.  The fact that the image type is captured with the data (data:image/jpeg;base64) causes problem when reading the data to save the image to a file.  Anybody know how to make the reading of the value separate this information so that the proper file can be created and reread.   The problem as I see it is that part of the file is text and the other part is encoded.  So yes This does save the file, but now I need to read the file.  Meanwhile I will see what I can find.

data:image/jpeg;base64,'

causes problems when reading the data. 

[Remy Lebeau 1427]

4 hours ago, JIMSMITH said:

The fact that the image type is captured with the data (data:image/jpeg;base64) causes problem when reading the data to save the image to a file.

How so, exactly?

4 hours ago, JIMSMITH said:

Anybody know how to make the reading of the value separate this information so that the proper file can be created and reread. 

It is just a string field, JSON doesn't care what its content is.  When you get the string back, simply parse it to extract the base64 substring after the comma, and then decode that substring to get the raw bytes that you can then save to a file.  IOW, just reverse the code that created the string.  For example:

procedure Base64ToImage(const Base64String, FilePath: string);
var
  FileStream: TFileStream;
  Bytes: TBytes;
begin
  Bytes := TNetEncoding.Base64.DecodeStringToBytes(Base64String);
  FileStream := TFileStream.Create(FilePath, fmCreate);
  try
    FileStream.WriteBuffer(Pointer(Bytes)^, Length(Bytes));
  finally
    FileStream.Free;
  end;
end;

procedure LoadBase64JsonToImage;
var
  JSONObject: TJSONObject;
  Base64String: string;
  JSONString: string;
  JSONFile: TStringList;
begin
  JSONFile := TStringList.Create;
  try
    JSONFile.LoadFromFile('image_base64.json');
    JSONString := JSONFile.Text;
  finally
    JSONFile.Free;
  end;

  JSONObject := TJSONObject.ParseJSONValue(JSONString) as TJSONObject;
  try
    JSONString := JSONObject.GetValue('image_data').Value;
  finally
    JSONObject.Free;
  end;

  Base64String := Copy(JSONString, Pos(',', JSONString)+1, MaxInt);
  Base64ToImage(Base64String, 'path/to/image.jpg');
end;

Quote

The problem as I see it is that part of the file is text and the other part is encoded.

You are not supposed to save the entire string to a file.  Just as the string wasn't produced entirely from a file to begin with, but from a text and a file.

Edited September 13 by Remy Lebeau

[FaFaFooey 6]

Would BSON (Binary JSON) and not JSON be better in this situation?

[JIMSMITH 0]

2 hours ago, Remy Lebeau said:

How so, exactly?

It is just a string field, JSON doesn't care what its content is.  When you get the string back, simply parse it to extract the base64 substring after the comma, and then decode that substring to get the raw bytes that you can then save to a file.  IOW, just reverse the code that created the string.  For example:

procedure Base64ToImage(const Base64String, FilePath: string);
var
  FileStream: TFileStream;
  Bytes: TBytes;
begin
  Bytes := TNetEncoding.Base64.DecodeStringToBytes(Base64String);
  FileStream := TFileStream.Create(FilePath, fmCreate);
  try
    FileStream.WriteBuffer(Pointer(Bytes)^, Length(Bytes));
  finally
    FileStream.Free;
  end;
end;

procedure LoadBase64JsonToImage;
var
  JSONObject: TJSONObject;
  Base64String: string;
  JSONString: string;
  JSONFile: TStringList;
begin
  JSONFile := TStringList.Create;
  try
    JSONFile.LoadFromFile('image_base64.json');
    JSONString := JSONFile.Text;
  finally
    JSONFile.Free;
  end;

  JSONObject := TJSONObject.ParseJSONValue(JSONString) as TJSONObject;
  try
    JSONString := JSONObject.GetValue('image_data').Value;
  finally
    JSONObject.Free;
  end;

  Base64String := Copy(JSONString, Pos(',', JSONString)+1, MaxInt);
  Base64ToImage(Base64String, 'path/to/image.jpg');
end;

You are not supposed to save the entire string to a file.  Just as the string wasn't produced entirely from a file to begin with, but from a text and a file.

Totally agree with your observation and I was attempting to explain this in my followup.  Anyway you figured it out and solved this problem in the best way. possible.  I sent a direct message and really thank you.