Can you set a tkinter background image without adding a new canvas element?

Question

I have a Python tkinter program simplified to

import tkinter as tk

root = tk.Tk()
canvas = tk.Canvas(root, height=200, width=200, bg="salmon")
canvas.pack(fill=tk.BOTH, expand=tk.YES)

def click(event):
    print(event.x)
    print(event.y)

def release(event):
    print(event.x)
    print(event.y)

canvas.bind("<Button-1>", click)
canvas.bind("<ButtonRelease-1>", release)

root.mainloop()

with a Canvas as the main element. Canvas has click/release events bound to it (e.g. returning event.x and event.y). I want to add a background image to the canvas in this manner:

canvas = tk.Canvas(root, bg='/path/to/image.png')

I have managed to set a background image by creating an image on the canvas using canvas.create_image method, as explained in Adding a background image in python. However, this broke my program as event.x and event.y return position of the background image.

I am looking for a solution that would force me to change the least of the existing code.

If you give us a [Minimal, Complete, and Verifiable example](https://stackoverflow.com/help/mcve) of this code we can provide the proper feedback to your question. — Mike - SMT, Jul 25 '17 at 18:02
@SierraMountainTech I have edited my question providing very simplified code. — Jan, Jul 25 '17 at 18:16
You are trying to add an image as a background color with this line: `canvas = tk.Canvas(root, bg='/path/to/image.png')` — Mike - SMT, Jul 25 '17 at 18:21
@SierraMountainTech no, I know this is not possible. I would like my background image to act like a background colour (not interfering with my bind events). — Jan, Jul 25 '17 at 18:26
Take a look at the code I posted. It will not interfere with your bindings. I tested it on my end and it worked fine. — Mike - SMT, Jul 25 '17 at 18:27

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 25 '17 at 18:28

1

The only way to create a background image on a canvas is to create an image object on the canvas. Doing so will not affect the coordinates returned by the bound functions in your example.

answered Jul 25 '17 at 18:28

Bryan Oakley

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Mike - SMT · Accepted Answer · 2017-07-25T18:26:09.227

We need to use PhotoImage to load the image for use then we use create_image to set that image to the canvas.

Give this a shot:

import tkinter as tk

root = tk.Tk()
canvas = tk.Canvas(root, height=200, width=200, bg="salmon")
canvas.pack(fill=tk.BOTH, expand=tk.YES)

def click(event):
    print(event.x)
    print(event.y)

def release(event):
    print(event.x)
    print(event.y)

canvas.bind("<Button-1>", click)
canvas.bind("<ButtonRelease-1>", release)

my_image = tk.PhotoImage(file='/path/to/image.png')
canvas.create_image(10, 10, image=my_image, anchor='nw')

root.mainloop()

Can you set a tkinter background image without adding a new canvas element?

2 Answers2