WebP to PNG Converter

This repository contains two Python scripts, webp2png.py and webp2png_service.py, designed to automatically convert .webp image files to .png format. The conversion process helps solve the common issue where .webp files, which are often downloaded from the web, are not widely supported when uploading to many websites.

The webp2png.py script can be run manually to watch your Downloads folder, while the webp2png_service.py script can be set up as a Windows service to run automatically in the background.

Features

• Automatically converts downloaded .webp images in your Downloads folder to .png format.
• Deletes the original .webp file after conversion.
• Can run manually or as a Windows service, allowing hands-off background operation.

Prerequisites

• Python 3.x installed on your machine.
• Pip (comes with Python) for installing required libraries.

Libraries Used

• Pillow: For image conversion.
• Watchdog: To monitor your Downloads folder for changes.
• pywin32: For creating a Windows service (only needed for webp2png_service.py).

Installation

Step 1: Install Python

1. Go to https://www.python.org/downloads/.
2. Download and install Python 3.x.
3. During installation, ensure you check the box that says "Add Python to PATH".

Step 2: Clone This Repository

Download the repository or clone it using Git:

git clone https://github.com/jgravelle/webp2png.git

Step 3: Install Required Libraries

Use pip to install the required Python libraries.

Open Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (Mac/Linux) and navigate to the repository folder:

cd path/to/webp2png

Install the necessary libraries by running:

pip install pillow watchdog pywin32

Usage

Option 1: Run Manually (webp2png.py)

The webp2png.py script can be run to manually monitor your Downloads folder and convert any .webp images to .png.

1. Open Command Prompt and navigate to the repository folder.

2. Run the script:

   python webp2png.py

3. The script will start watching your Downloads folder for any new .webp files and automatically convert them to .png when they appear.

Option 2: Set Up as a Windows Service (webp2png_service.py)

The webp2png_service.py script allows you to set up a Windows service that will automatically monitor your Downloads folder and convert .webp files without needing to manually run the script.

Step 1: Update the Downloads Path

Before proceeding, make sure to update the path to your Downloads folder in webp2png_service.py. Replace the line:

DOWNLOADS_FOLDER = r"C:\Users\<your_username>\Downloads"

with the correct path to your Downloads folder. Replace <your_username> with your actual Windows username.

Step 2: Install the Service

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

2. Navigate to the folder containing webp2png_service.py.

3. Install the service by running:

   python webp2png_service.py install

4. Start the service by running:

   python webp2png_service.py start

The service will now run in the background and automatically convert .webp files to .png whenever they are downloaded to your Downloads folder.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. FileNotFoundError: Ensure the path to your Downloads folder is correct. The path must be updated manually in webp2png_service.py.
2. Permission Issues: If the service fails to access your Downloads folder, ensure that the service has the necessary permissions. You may need to run Command Prompt as Administrator to install and start the service.
3. Service Not Starting: Double-check that pywin32 is installed and that the DOWNLOADS_FOLDER path is correctly specified.

Stopping or Uninstalling the Service

To stop the service:

python webp2png_service.py stop

To uninstall the service:

python webp2png_service.py remove

How It Works

• The scripts use Watchdog to monitor the Downloads folder for new .webp files.
• When a new .webp file is detected, Pillow is used to convert it to .png format.
• Once the conversion is successful, the original .webp file is deleted to save space.

Additional Notes

• This solution is specific to Windows users since it involves a Windows service. However, webp2png.py can be manually run on other operating systems like macOS or Linux.
• Feel free to modify the script to monitor a different folder if needed.

Contributions

Contributions are welcome! If you have suggestions for improving the script or adding new features, feel free to create a pull request or open an issue.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. Please mention J. Gravelle in your code and documentation if you use any of this. He's kind of full of himself...

Contact

If you have any questions or run into issues, please reach out by creating an issue on this repository.