> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.augelab.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.augelab.com/function-blocks/blocks-reference/input-output/image-inputs/load-image-from-path.md).

# Load Image From Path

Load image data from a file system path. You can either provide a folder and file name separately or give a full file path in the first input. Designed for simple, reliable image inputs into your processing flow.

## 📥 Inputs <a href="#inputs" id="inputs"></a>

* `Folder Path` (input socket)\
  Full folder path containing the image files. You may also supply a full file path here; in that case leave `File Name` empty.
* `File Name` (input socket)\
  Optional file name to combine with the `Folder Path`. When empty, the block treats the first input as the full file path.

## 📤 Outputs <a href="#outputs" id="outputs"></a>

* `Image` (output socket)\
  The loaded image. If loading fails, the output will reflect a missing or empty image (check Troubleshooting).

## 🕹️ Controls <a href="#controls" id="controls"></a>

* `Folder Path` entry field (text input)
* `File Name` entry field (text input)

These two inputs act as the visible controls for selecting which file gets loaded. Supplying a full path to `Folder Path` is the simplest way to load a single file.

## 🎯 Features <a href="#features" id="features"></a>

* Accepts either a folder + file name pair or a single full file path for convenience.
* Works with common image formats supported by the system.
* Designed to be combined easily with preview, save and preprocessing blocks in your flow.

## 📝 Usage Instructions <a href="#usage" id="usage"></a>

1. Provide the folder containing the image in the `Folder Path` input.
2. Optionally provide the file name in the `File Name` input. If you paste a full path into `Folder Path`, leave `File Name` empty.
3. Use the `Image` output as the source for downstream processing or preview.

## ⚙️ Evaluation <a href="#evaluation" id="evaluation"></a>

When the block is evaluated it attempts to load the image referenced by the inputs and outputs the image for use by subsequent blocks.

## 💡 Tips and Tricks <a href="#tips-and-tricks" id="tips-and-tricks"></a>

* Preview the loaded image with `Show Image` to confirm you picked the correct file before further processing.
* When processing large images or feeding AI blocks, use `Image Resize` or `Image Resizer` to reduce image size and improve performance.
* Use `Image ROI Select` or `Image ROI` to crop the loaded image before analysis if you only need a region.
* Save examples or results using `Image Write` or `Image Logger` to keep records of inputs/outputs.
* If you need to load many images from a folder, consider the `Load Image` block which lets you choose folders and iterate through images.
* Improve image quality before analysis with `Denoising`, `Contrast Optimization`.
* For text extraction on loaded images, connect to `OCR` or `OCR (EasyOCR)` after verifying the image with `Show Image`.

## 🛠️ Troubleshooting <a href="#troubleshooting" id="troubleshooting"></a>

* File not found or empty output
  * Verify the path is correct and accessible from the machine running the system.
  * Try using an absolute path instead of a relative one.
  * If providing `Folder Path` and `File Name`, ensure both combine to a valid file location.
* Unsupported image format or corrupted file
  * Open the file in an external image viewer to confirm it is valid.
  * Convert the image to a common format (JPEG, PNG) if needed.
* Permission issues
  * Ensure the running user has read access to the folder and file.

If problems persist, preview the path with `Show Image` or test loading the same image with the `Load Image` block to rule out path/permission issues.