Cannot import an exported JSON file from another computer to my local computer

[ahmetfatihsalim]

Setup:

I'm using Anaconda Navigator on Windows 11 system. My label-studio version is 1.15.4
In Anaconda Navigator I have a environment called label-studio. Python version 3.12.8
In this environment I've installed label studio. I've set local variables for using local storage

In my project settings I setup local storage for source and target storage

I get "successfully connected" message when I check connection. I didn't sync the storages (However target storage got auto-synced when I create it)

I got exported JSON file from my coworker who works on different computer. Exported JSON file has 49 images. I've edited JSON file so the data path looks at "/data/local-files/?d=". Here is the source link for this info. Here is the example from JSON file:

{ "id": 1, "annotations": [ { "id": 1, "completed_by": 1, "result": [ { "original_width": 1000, "original_height": 562, "image_rotation": 0, "value": { "x": 43.161599999999986, "y": 67.19999999999999, "width": 7.41840000000003, "height": 7.39999999999995, "rotation": 0, "rectanglelabels": ["fire"] }, "id": "7Jdww3Q3et", "from_name": "label", "to_name": "image", "type": "rectanglelabels", "origin": "manual" }, { "original_width": 1000, "original_height": 562, "image_rotation": 0, "value": { "x": 69.23839999999997, "y": 51.79999999999999, "width": 3.9340000000000335, "height": 5.999999999999953, "rotation": 0, "rectanglelabels": ["fire"] }, "id": "n8rQd0jspm", "from_name": "label", "to_name": "image", "type": "rectanglelabels", "origin": "manual" }, { "original_width": 1000, "original_height": 562, "image_rotation": 0, "value": { "x": 8.8796, "y": 0.6000000000000011, "width": 81.82720000000008, "height": 63.6, "rotation": 0, "rectanglelabels": ["smoke"] }, "id": "Ir8CCY1Q5-", "from_name": "label", "to_name": "image", "type": "rectanglelabels", "origin": "manual" }, { "original_width": 1000, "original_height": 562, "image_rotation": 0, "value": { "x": 33.94480000000007, "y": 64.40000000000005, "width": 8.542400000000004, "height": 14.000000000000036, "rotation": 0, "rectanglelabels": ["smoke"] }, "id": "bbrwY_ZbXE", "from_name": "label", "to_name": "image", "type": "rectanglelabels", "origin": "manual" }, { "original_width": 1000, "original_height": 562, "image_rotation": 0, "value": { "x": 42.712, "y": 75.2, "width": 2.6975999999999942, "height": 8.799999999999997, "rotation": 0, "rectanglelabels": ["fire"] }, "id": "0BU4x3_cHb", "from_name": "label", "to_name": "image", "type": "rectanglelabels", "origin": "manual" } ], "was_cancelled": false, "ground_truth": false, "created_at": "2025-01-19T19:01:36.682275Z", "updated_at": "2025-01-19T19:01:50.135836Z", "draft_created_at": "2025-01-19T18:56:50.843603Z", "lead_time": 367.841, "prediction": {}, "result_count": 0, "unique_id": "f8230439-cf19-4d47-aa6a-8c5d9f318d7a", "import_id": null, "last_action": null, "task": 1, "project": 3, "updated_by": 1, "parent_prediction": null, "parent_annotation": null, "last_created_by": null } ], "file_upload": "19642e5d-uxAsUwEdG0mI3GDubP5Dpw.webp", "drafts": [], "predictions": [], "data": { "image": "/data/local-files/?d=Osman19642e5d-uxAsUwEdG0mI3GDubP5Dpw.webp" }, "meta": {}, "created_at": "2025-01-19T18:54:10.234785Z", "updated_at": "2025-01-19T19:01:50.225508Z", "inner_id": 1, "total_annotations": 1, "cancelled_annotations": 0, "total_predictions": 0, "comment_count": 0, "unresolved_comment_count": 0, "last_comment_updated_at": null, "project": 3, "updated_by": 1, "comment_authors": [] },

I also got Exported project in YOLO format. So I can add these Images to my local storage folder. These Images have the same names as in JSON file.

Problem:
When I import the JSON file to my project images appear as "downloading Images". I can't see them

Here is the errors in cmd:

Question:
How can I successfully import an exported JSON file from another computer to my local computer and actually see images and annotations? what did I do wrong?

[heidi-humansignal]

Hello,

Thank you for contacting Label Studio,

Could you please apply the following suggestion and let us know if it has resolved the issue or not

To reuse an exported JSON file (with annotations) on a new computer and see the images correctly, you must ensure two things:

1. Correct File Paths in JSON:

• Each task’s data.image must match how Label Studio references local files. Instead of a raw path like C:/images/..., Label Studio expects something like: "/data/local-files/?d=folder_name/filename.jpg"
• The portion after ?d= must be exactly the relative path from your LABEL_STUDIO_LOCAL_FILES_DOCUMENT_ROOT.

2. Local Storage Setup and Placement of Images:

• Make sure you’ve set up your Local Storage in your project’s Settings → Cloud Storage with the absolute folder path where your images live on this new computer.
• Ensure that the environment variables are set when you start Label Studio: SET LABEL_STUDIO_LOCAL_FILES_SERVING_ENABLED=true SET LABEL_STUDIO_LOCAL_FILES_DOCUMENT_ROOT=C:\path\to\images label-studio start
• Place all exported images into that same folder path (or subfolders). For instance, if your JSON has "/data/local-files/?d=Osman19642e5d-uxAsUwEdG0mI3GDubP5Dpw.webp", then on disk you must have: C:\path\to\images\Osman19642e5d-uxAsUwEdG0mI3GDubP5Dpw.webp
• Finally, click Sync Storage on the Local Storage if needed, and import the JSON file under Data Manager → Import. This ensures Label Studio sees the images in the correct location to load them.

After these steps, your existing annotations should match up with the images, and you won’t see “downloading images” errors.
Let me know if you have any further questions or run into issues.

Comment by Oussama Assili
Workflow Run

[ahmetfatihsalim]

Hello Heidi,

* Place all exported images into that same folder path (or subfolders). For instance, if your JSON has `"/data/local-files/?d=Osman19642e5d-uxAsUwEdG0mI3GDubP5Dpw.webp"`, then on disk you must have:` C:\path\to\images\Osman19642e5d-uxAsUwEdG0mI3GDubP5Dpw.webp`

Turned out that I didnt put "/" to "/data/local-files/?d=Osman19642e5d-uxAsUwEdG0mI3GDubP5Dpw.webp". So it should have been "/data/local-files/?d=Osman/19642e5d-uxAsUwEdG0mI3GDubP5Dpw.webp" -_-. Literally as annoying as forgetting a ";".

Thanks for the reply.

[heidi-humansignal]

No worries at all! we are happy to assist you!

Please let us know if you have any additional questions! for now , we will close this ticket!

Comment by Oussama Assili
Workflow Run