Need a way to load image file into Mac clipboard using Python

Question

I have a Python program that I'm porting to Mac. I need to load a saved image file into the clipboard so that it can be pasted into a document using cmd + v.

This was the closest thread to what I need but the solutions don't work because my osascript filepath is unknown. It is a variable defined in Python by the user and I'm struggling with syntax necessary to pass the variable from Python to osascript.

This doesn't work:

import subprocess


def imagepath():                               
    f=open('config.txt')
    line=f.readlines()
    inpath = (line[2])    
    print(inpath)
    return(inpath)

imagepath()

subprocess.run(["osascript", "-e", 'set the clipboard to (read (POSIX file  "+ str(inpath) + /tc.jpg") as JPEG picture)'])

inpath prints as: /Users/admin/Desktop/PROGRAMMING which is the correct path but it results in "execution error: Can't make file ":+ str(inpath) +:tc.jpg" into type file. (-1700)"

Nor does this:

import subprocess


def imagepath():                               
    f=open('config.txt')
    line=f.readlines()
    inpath = (line[2])    
    print(inpath)
    return(inpath)

imagepath()

subprocess.run(["osascript", "-e", 'set the clipboard to (read (POSIX file  """+ str(inpath) + /tc.jpg""") as JPEG picture)'])

It results in: "syntax error: Expected “,” but found “"”. (-2741)"

The following:

import subprocess


def imagepath():                                 # check line 1 of config file (screencap name)
    f=open('config.txt')
    line=f.readlines()
    inpath = (line[2])    # note: confusing.  0=line 1, 1=line2 etc.
    print(inpath)
    return(inpath)

imagepath()

subprocess.run(["osascript", "-e", 'set the clipboard to (read (POSIX file  ''' + str(inpath) + '''/tc.jpg") as JPEG picture)'])

Results in: "SyntaxError: EOF while scanning triple-quoted string literal"

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

EDIT: Updated code below:

def imagepath():                                 # check line 1 of config file (screencap name)
    f=open('config.txt')
    line=f.readlines()
    inpath = line[2].strip('\n')
    print(inpath)
    return(inpath)

imagepath()

subprocess.run(["osascript", "-e", "set the clipboard to (read (POSIX file \"" + inpath  + "/tc.jpg\") as JPEG picture)" ])

Now returns: "NameError: name 'inpath' is not defined"

EDIT 2: Completes without error but fails to load to clipboard.

import subprocess


def imagepath():                                 # check line 1 of config file (screencap name)
    f=open('config.txt')
    line=f.readlines()
    inpath = (line[2]).strip('\n')
    print(inpath)
    return(inpath)
    subprocess.run(
        ["osascript", "-e", "set the clipboard to (read (POSIX file \"" + inpath + "/tc.jpg\") as JPEG picture)"])
imagepath()

This returns no errors and prints correct path but does not add the file to the clipboard.

Answer 1

You have likely got a linefeed at the end of your string inpath , so try:

inpath = line[2].strip('\n')

Then you want:

subprocess.run(["osascript", "-e", "set the clipboard to (read (POSIX file \"" + inpath  + "/tc.jpg\") as JPEG picture)" ])

Answer 2

Mac has a command line utility for this:

pbcopy

ONLY reads std in. Eg

cat image.jpg | pbcopy