Super simple method for converting a set of jpg and/or png images (or a mix) into mnist binary format for training (depends on imagemagick and python 2.7 PIL)

Use the following lines to install imagemagick and the python-imaging-library (PIL):

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install imagemagick php5-imagick
pip install pillow

1. Copy-pasta your jpg and/or png images into one of the class folders, as seen in (e.g. dogs -> 0, cats -> 1, ... giraffes->9)

2. Change the appropriate labels in batches.meta.txt

3. then use the following bash script which processes the images, rescaling all of the png's you placed in the folders the MNIST standard 28x28pixel size

./resize-script.sh

4. lastly, run the following python script to fold all the pics and categories into a single ble binary -- binary will appear as ubyte files ready to tar

python convert-images-to-mnist-format.py

You now have the files, and can replace the the conventional data in any standard mnist tutorial with your own data :D

Enjoy!

example of where files will appear/where-to put png's (ignore placeholder.txt, this is only there so that git could check in their parent folders -- since empty folders can't be committed):

.
├── batches.meta.txt
├── convert-images-to-mnist-format.py
├── LICENSE
├── README.md
├── resize-script.sh
├── test-images
│   ├── 0
│   │   ├── home-cat.png
│   │   └── placeholder.txt
│   ├── 1
│   │   ├── dog-07.png
│   │   └── placeholder.txt
│   ├── 2
│   │   └── placeholder.txt
│   ├── 3
│   │   └── placeholder.txt
│   ├── 4
│   │   └── placeholder.txt
│   ├── 5
│   │   └── placeholder.txt
│   ├── 6
│   │   └── placeholder.txt
│   ├── 7
│   │   └── placeholder.txt
│   ├── 8
│   │   └── placeholder.txt
│   └── 9
│       └── placeholder.txt
└── training-images
    ├── 0
    │   ├── home-cat.png
    │   └── placeholder.txt
    ├── 1
    │   ├── dog-07.png
    │   └── placeholder.txt
    ├── 2
    │   └── placeholder.txt
    ├── 3
    │   └── placeholder.txt
    ├── 4
    │   └── placeholder.txt
    ├── 5
    │   └── placeholder.txt
    ├── 6
    │   └── placeholder.txt
    ├── 7
    │   └── placeholder.txt
    ├── 8
    │   └── placeholder.txt
    └── 9
        └── placeholder.txt