How to Send Images with Python Telegram Bot

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1

I’m trying to figure out how to send images using a Python Telegram Bot. I want to send pictures from either a URL or a local file path when someone requests it. I found some sample code but I’m having trouble understanding it since I’m new to Python. Here’s what I’ve got so far:

def handle_image_request(message):
    if message.text == '/picture':
        photo = create_sample_image()
        send_photo(chat_id=message.chat.id, photo=photo)

def create_sample_image():
    canvas = Image.new('RGB', (400, 400))
    color_base = random.randint(0, 16777216)
    pixel_data = [color_base + i*j for i in range(400) for j in range(400)]
    canvas.putdata(pixel_data)
    img_buffer = BytesIO()
    canvas.save(img_buffer, 'PNG')
    return img_buffer.getvalue()

Can someone explain how this works or show me a simpler way to send images? Thanks!

2

hey there! i’ve used telegram bots before and it’s not too hard. for sending pics, you can just do:

bot.send_photo(chat_id=chat_id, photo=open(‘image.jpg’, ‘rb’))

or for urls:

bot.send_photo(chat_id=chat_id, photo=‘http://example.com/image.jpg’)

hope that helps! let me know if u need anything else

3

The code you’ve shared is actually quite advanced for sending images. For a simpler approach, you can use the ‘send_photo’ method from the telegram.Bot class. Here’s a basic example:

from telegram.ext import Updater, CommandHandler
from telegram import Bot

def send_image(update, context):
    # For URL
    context.bot.send_photo(chat_id=update.effective_chat.id, photo='https://example.com/image.jpg')
    
    # For local file
    context.bot.send_photo(chat_id=update.effective_chat.id, photo=open('path/to/image.jpg', 'rb'))

def main():
    updater = Updater('YOUR_BOT_TOKEN', use_context=True)
    dp = updater.dispatcher
    dp.add_handler(CommandHandler('picture', send_image))
    updater.start_polling()
    updater.idle()

if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()

This should be easier to understand and implement. Just replace ‘YOUR_BOT_TOKEN’ with your actual bot token.

4

I’ve been working with Telegram bots for a while now, and I can share some insights on sending images. The method you’re looking for is indeed ‘send_photo’, but there’s a bit more to it.

For local files, you’ll want to use:

bot.send_photo(chat_id=chat_id, photo=open(‘image.jpg’, ‘rb’))

The ‘rb’ mode is crucial here - it opens the file in binary read mode, which is necessary for image files.

For URLs, it’s even simpler:

bot.send_photo(chat_id=chat_id, photo=‘http://example.com/image.jpg’)

One thing to keep in mind is error handling. Networks can be unreliable, so you might want to wrap these calls in try-except blocks to gracefully handle any issues that might come up.

Also, if you’re sending a lot of images, consider using a media group to send multiple images in one go. It’s more efficient and provides a better user experience.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you need any clarification.