utils/image_processor.py

import os

# ✅ Set environment variable before importing easyocr
os.environ["EASYOCR_HOME"] = "/tmp/.easyocr"

import cv2
import numpy as np
import easyocr
from PIL import Image

# ✅ Initialize EasyOCR reader once (only once, with safe storage dir)
try:
    reader = easyocr.Reader(['en'], download_enabled=True)
    print("✅ EasyOCR initialized")
    ocr_available = True
except Exception as e:
    print(f"❌ EasyOCR initialization failed: {str(e)}")
    print("Text extraction may not work properly.")
    ocr_available = False

def extract_text_from_image(image_path):
    try:
        print(f"📂 Reading image from: {image_path}")
        if not ocr_available:
            print("❌ EasyOCR not available.")
            return "Text extraction failed. Please enter text manually."

        image = cv2.imread(image_path)
        if image is None:
            print("❌ cv2 could not read image.")
            return "Image could not be read."

        processed_image = preprocess_image(image)
        temp_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(image_path), f"temp_{os.path.basename(image_path)}")
        cv2.imwrite(temp_path, processed_image)
        print(f"🖼️ Temp processed image saved at: {temp_path}")

        results = reader.readtext(temp_path)
        print("🔍 OCR Raw Output:", results)

        os.remove(temp_path)

        text = ' '.join([result[1] for result in results]).strip()
        if not text:
            print("⚠️ No text found, retrying with original image...")
            results = reader.readtext(image_path)
            text = ' '.join([result[1] for result in results]).strip()

        print("✅ Extracted Text:", text)
        return text or "Text extraction failed. Please enter text manually."

    except Exception as e:
        print(f"OCR failed: {str(e)}")
        return "Text extraction failed. Please enter text manually."