Fix: ImageLoader no longer crashes when directory missing; move loader to create_app()

warp/data/image_loader.py

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 """Image loader for scraped medical practice images."""
 
+import os
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from PIL import Image
@@ -21,15 +22,24 @@ class ImageLoader:
 
         Args:
             base_path: Root directory containing scraped images.
-                      Defaults to project's scrapedimages folder.
+                      Defaults to ``/app/data/scrapedimages`` or the path
+                      specified in the ``A360_IMAGE_DIR`` environment
+                      variable.
         """
-        if base_path is None:
-            self.base_path = DEFAULT_SCRAPED_IMAGES_DIR
-        else:
-            self.base_path = Path(base_path)
+        # Resolve base path with optional env override, defaulting to the
+        # Hugging Face Space path when running in that environment.
+        default_path = "/app/data/scrapedimages"
+        self.base_path = Path(base_path or os.environ.get("A360_IMAGE_DIR", default_path))
 
+        # IMPORTANT: Do NOT crash if the directory does not exist on Spaces.
         if not self.base_path.exists():
-            raise ValueError(f"Image directory does not exist: {self.base_path}")
+            print(
+                f"[ImageLoader] WARNING: Missing directory {self.base_path}. "
+                "Continuing with empty image list."
+            )
+            self.images = []
+            self._practices = []
+            return
 
         self._practices: list[str] | None = None
 

warp/gradio_app/model_comparison.py

@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@ from warp.models import list_model_names
 
 # Initialize components
 engine = BackgroundRemovalEngine()
-loader = ImageLoader()
+# ``loader`` will be created inside ``create_app`` so importing this module
+# never fails, even if the image directory is missing.
+loader: ImageLoader | None = None
 
 
 def load_test_image(practice: str) -> Optional[Image.Image]:
@@ -230,6 +232,12 @@ def create_single_model_tab():
 
 def create_app():
     """Create the full Gradio app."""
+    global loader
+    # Lazily create the ImageLoader so that importing this module does not
+    # require the scraped image directory to exist.
+    if loader is None:
+        loader = ImageLoader()
+
     with gr.Blocks(title="WARP Model Comparison", theme=gr.themes.Soft()) as app:
         gr.Markdown(
             """