How to use tf.data.Dataset.ignore_errors to ignore errors in a Tensorflow Dataset? - tensorflow

Question

When loading images from a directory in Tensorflow, you use something like:
dataset = tf.keras.utils.image_dataset_from_directory(
"S:\\Images",
batch_size=32,
image_size=(128,128),
label_mode=None,
validation_split=0.20, #Reserve 20% of images for validation
subset='training', #If we specify a validation_split, we *must* specify subset
seed=619 #If using validation_split we *must* specify a seed to ensure there is no overlap between training and validation data
)
But of course some of the images (.jpg, .png, .gif, .bmp) will be invalid. So we want to ignore those errors; just skip them (and ideally log the filenames so they can be repaired, removed, or deleted).
There have been some ideas along the way of how to ignore invalid images:
Method 1: tf.contrib.data.ignore_errors (Tensorflow 1.x only)
Warning: The tf.contrib module will not be included in TensorFlow 2.0.
Sample usage:
dataset = dataset.apply(tf.contrib.data.ignore_errors())
The only down-side of this method is that it was only available in Tensorflow 1. Trying to use it today simply won't work, as the tf.contib namespace no longer exists. That led to a built-in method:
Method 2: tf.data.experimental.ignore_errors(log_warning=False) (deprecated)
From the documentation:
Creates a Dataset from another Dataset and silently ignores any errors. (deprecated)
Deprecated: THIS FUNCTION IS DEPRECATED. It will be removed in a future version. Instructions for updating: Use tf.data.Dataset.ignore_errors instead.
Sample usage:
dataset = dataset.apply(tf.data.experimental.ignore_errors(log_warning=True))
And this method works. It works great. And it has the advantage of working.
But it's apparently deprecated, and they documentation says we should use method 3:
Method 3 - tf.data.Dataset.ignore_errors(log_warning=False, name=None)
Drops elements that cause errors.
Sample usage:
dataset = dataset.ignore_errors(log_warning=True, name="Loading images from directory")
Except it doesn't work
The dataset.ignore_errors attribute doesn't work, and gives the error:
AttributeError: 'BatchDataset' object has no attribute 'ignore_errors'
Which means:
the thing that works is deprecated
they tell us to use this other thing instead
and "provide the instructions for updating"
but the other thing doesn't work
So we ask Stackoverflow:
How do i use tf.data.Dataset.ignore_errors to ignore errors?
Bonus Reading
TensorFlow Dataset `.map` - Is it possible to ignore errors?
TensorFlow: How to skip broken data
Untested Workaround
Not only is it not what i was asking, but people are not allowed to read this:
It looks like the tf.data.Dataset.ignore_errors() method is not
available in the BatchDataset object, which is what you are using in
your code. You can try using tf.data.Dataset.filter() to filter out
elements that cause errors when loading the images. You can use a
try-except block inside the lambda function passed to filter() to
catch the errors and return False for elements that cause errors,
which will filter them out. Here's an example of how you can use
filter() to achieve this:
def filter_fn(x):
try:
# Load the image and do some processing
# Return True if the image is valid, False otherwise
return True
except:
return False
dataset = dataset.filter(filter_fn)
Alternatively, you can use the tf.data.experimental.ignore_errors()
method, which is currently available in TensorFlow 2.x. This method
will silently ignore any errors that occur while processing the
elements of the dataset. However, keep in mind that this method is
experimental and may be removed or changed in a future version.

Answer 1

tf.data.Dataset.ignore_errors was introduced in TensorFlow 2.11. You can use tf.data.experimental.ignore_errors for older versions like so:
dataset.apply(tf.data.experimental.ignore_errors())