Convert files form command line or all files in a dir to Base64. In Dir mode, also builds an archive of all converted files, one per line, preceded by filename:

gistfile1.txt

#!/usr/bin/env python

### Convert jpg, png and gif files in a directory to Base64
### Append the data to a master file in the format 'original_filename.jpg:Base64 data'

import os, base64, sys

ARCHIVE = True

if (ARCHIVE):
	a = open("file_archive.b64", 'a+')

def convert_to_b64(f):
	with open(f) as stream:
		encoded = base64.b64encode(stream.read())
		o = open(f+".b64", 'w+')
		o.write(encoded)
		if (ARCHIVE):
			print "Writing "+f
			a.write(f+":"+encoded)

def file_list():
	try:
		f = sys.argv[1]
		print "Looking at "+f
		ARCHIVE = False
		convert_to_b64(f)
	except:
		files = os.listdir(".")
		for f in files:
			if not f.endswith('b64') and f+".b64" not in files:
				print 'Looking at '+f
				convert_to_b64(f)

file_list()