Detecting Barcodes in Images with Python and OpenCV

detect_barcode.py

# Detecting Barcodes in Images with Python and OpenCV
# OpenCV 3.0 
# http://www.pyimagesearch.com/2014/11/24/detecting-barcodes-images-python-opencv/

import numpy as np 
import argparse 
import cv2

ap = argparse.ArgumentParser()
ap.add_argument("-i","--image", required = True, help="path to image file")
args = vars(ap.parse_args())

#load the image and convert it to grayscale 
image = cv2.imread(args["image"])
gray = cv2.cvtColor(image, cv2.COLOR_BGR2GRAY)

# compute the Scharr gradient magnitude reprtesentation of the images 
# in both the x and y direction 
gradX = cv2.Sobel(gray, ddepth = cv2.CV_32F, dx = 1, dy = 0, ksize = -1)
gradY = cv2.Sobel(gray, ddepth = cv2.CV_32F, dx = 0, dy = 1, ksize = -1)

#substract the y-gradient from the x-gradient 
gradient = cv2.subtract(gradX, gradY)
gradient = cv2.convertScaleAbs(gradient)

#blur and threshold the image 
blurred = cv2.blur(gradient, (9,9))
(_, thresh) = cv2.threshold(blurred, 225, 255, cv2.THRESH_BINARY)

# construct a closing kernel and apply it to the thresholded image
kernel = cv2.getStructuringElement(cv2.MORPH_RECT, (21, 7))
closed = cv2.morphologyEx(thresh, cv2.MORPH_CLOSE, kernel)

# perform a series of erosions and dilations 
closed = cv2.erode(closed, None, iterations = 4)
closed = cv2.dilate(closed, None, iterations = 4)

# find the contours in the thresholded image, then sort the contours
# by their area, keeping only the largest one
(_, cnts, _) = cv2.findContours(closed.copy(), cv2.RETR_EXTERNAL, cv2.CHAIN_APPROX_SIMPLE)
c = sorted(cnts, key = cv2.contourArea, reverse = True)[0]
 
# compute the rotated bounding box of the largest contour
rect = cv2.minAreaRect(c)
box = np.int0(cv2.boxPoints(rect))
 
# draw a bounding box arounded the detected barcode and display the
# image
cv2.drawContours(image, [box], -1, (0, 255, 0), 2)

#cv2.imshow("Gradient", gradient)
#cv2.imshow("Blurred", blurred)
#cv2.imshow("Threshold", thresh)
#cv2.imshow("Kernel", kernel)
#cv2.imshow("Closing", closed)

cv2.imshow("Image", image)

cv2.waitKey(5000)

Following the article and fixed corrected some issues that arised using a newer version of OpenCV

@gyurisc I am having a problem getting this to work with a barcode I have attached. Any advice would be great!