docling-project/docling

Add image_dir parameter to export_to_markdown for automatic image saving

Open

#3094 opened on Mar 9, 2026

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 (3 comments) (1 reaction) (0 assignees)Python (59,751 stars) (4,140 forks)batch import
docling-documentenhancementgood first issue

Description

Problem

When using ImageRefMode.REFERENCED, users must manually:

  1. Iterate through all picture elements
  2. Save each image to disk
  3. Update the URI for each element
  4. Then call export_to_markdown()

Proposed Solution

Add optional image_dir and image_path_prefix parameters to export methods:

markdown = doc.export_to_markdown(
    image_mode=ImageRefMode.REFERENCED,
    image_dir=Path("./output/images"),
    image_path_prefix="images/"  # relative path in markdown output
)

When image_dir is provided:

  • Automatically save images to that directory
  • Generate sequential filenames (e.g. image_001.png)
  • Use image_path_prefix in the markdown output

Affected Methods

  • DoclingDocument.export_to_markdown()
  • PictureItem.export_to_markdown()
  • Potentially HTML export methods too

Would this be an interesting feature to have? Happy to submit a PR.

(PS: Keep up the great work!!)

Contributor guide

Tech stack
python
Domain
tooling
Issue type
feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
half day
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
fresh
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
PythonDocling API basicsFile I/OImage encoding
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
70
Research direction
Examine the current implementation of export to markdown methods in DoclingDocument and PictureItem to understand how images are handled when ImageRefMode.REFERENCED is used. Identify where image URIs are generated and how they are written to the markdown output. Propose a design for accepting image dir and image path prefix parameters that automatically saves images and updates the references. Review similar patterns in the codebase, such as export to html if applicable.