Loading an image to a texture from a python script file

Question

I made a plugin to use on blender, installing the plugin will display a panel, and I wanted to display an image on that panel, so I create a texture in the script file with type 'IMAGE':

 ui_tex = bpy.data.textures.new('MP', 'IMAGE')

and then when I assign it an image it doesn't seem to load the image:

ui_tex.image = bpy.data.images.load("D:/pic.png")

So how can I load an image from the script file to a newly created texture. Note: the previous two python statements are written in a draw function of the panel

Edit: Here is the class for the panel with the draw function:

class UIPanel(bpy.types.Panel):

  bl_label = "Label"
  bl_space_type = "VIEW_3D"
  bl_region_type = "TOOLS"
  br_name = "Printing"

  def draw(self, context):

   layout = self.layout
   scn = context.scene

   ui_tex = bpy.data.textures.new("MP", "IMAGE")
   ui_tex.image = bpy.data.images.load("D:/pic.png")

   row = layout.row(align=True)
   row.alignment = 'EXPAND'
   row.template_preview(bpy.data.textures["MP"])

Might I add that I get this error in the blender system console:

line 39, in draw
ui_tex.image = bpy.data.images.load(filepath = filepath)
AttributeError: Writing to ID classes in this context is not allowed: MP, Texture datablock, error setting ImageTexture.image

Answer 1

Blender v2.79

Load image to texture:

bpy.ops.image.open(filepath='full_path_to/your_image.png')
bpy.data.images['your_image.png'].pack(as_png=True) # Pack an image as embedded data into the .blend file
ui_tex.image = bpy.data.images['your_image.png']

Don't forget to replace 'full_path_to/your_image.png' to your own values.

EDIT:

I think this method is easier, you simply load the node, given its name and then set the path:

im_node = scene.node_tree.nodes["Image"]
im_node.image.filepath = 'full_path_to/your_image.png'