Use Perceptual Image Hash as Database Primary Key for Cats

by Mike Levin

Next step? Switch pip install scheduler to pip install huey!

But first! I started showing Python persistent dictionaries yesterday using sqlitedict and sqlite3. I eluded to the fact that:

• The “This Cat Does Not Exit” images I’m downloading could go into a database
• The primary key for that cat record could be a perceptual image hash
• Showing all the database keys would be the same as showing image thumbnails
• Because the primary key is a perceptual image hash, it will naturally dedupe

And it’s done. I captured the session for your YouTube viewing pleasure. Go through this video and you’ll see how we:

• Use the Python PIL and ImageHash libraries to calculate a perceptual image hash for each cat
• Use that image hash as the new filename for the cat, replacing sequential numbering like cat1.jpg, cat2.jpg
• Use that image hash as the database primary key in a SQLite3 database
• Put that SQlite3 database on a location shared by Windows, Linux, Hosts and Containers
• Access that SQLite3 database from a Jupyter Notebook on a Windows system in JypyterLab Desktop
• Step through the database and display the cat images from the Notebook