Problem saving recorded video on iPhone's library - iphone

Question

I am trying to save a recorded video to the library using the UIImagePickerController delegate. It works fine for pictures but it doesn't save if it's a video, plus after trying to save a video if I open the Photos app, I get a message "Please wait. Updatring library", and a progress bar with the label "Rebuilding library". My photo library is restored but the video was not added to it.
- (void)imagePickerController:(UIImagePickerController *)picker didFinishPickingMediaWithInfo:(NSDictionary *)info {
NSString *mediaType = [info objectForKey:UIImagePickerControllerMediaType];
if ([mediaType isEqualToString:#"public.image"]){
UIImage *picture = [info objectForKey:UIImagePickerControllerOriginalImage];
UIImageWriteToSavedPhotosAlbum(picture, nil, nil, nil);
}
else if ([mediaType isEqualToString:#"public.movie"]){
NSString* m_objMediaURL= [info objectForKey:UIImagePickerControllerMediaURL];
NSLog(#"URL is %#", m_objMediaURL);
UISaveVideoAtPathToSavedPhotosAlbum(m_objMediaURL, nil, nil, nil);
}
[self dismissModalViewControllerAnimated:YES];
}
The NSLog above outputs the following:
URL is
file://localhost/private/var/mobile/Applications/3800A5FB-2A96-4A7A-85DF-B635E8D9A66C/tmp/capture-T0x1061f0.tmp.JMdxHq/capturedvideo.MOV
Has anyone implemented such method and can point me to the right direction please?
Thank you.

Answer 1

I think I see an issue.
NSString* m_objMediaURL= [info objectForKey:UIImagePickerControllerMediaURL];
Is the wrong type. My properly working code uses:
NSURL *url = [[[info objectForKey:UIImagePickerControllerMediaURL] copy] autorelease];
I copy it instead of retaining it because of some issues I have had in low memory situations after the picker view is dismissed. Although the save method you use might work, I use the newer and better (because of the callback block):
ALAssetsLibrary* library = [[[ALAssetsLibrary alloc] init] autorelease];
[library writeVideoAtPathToSavedPhotosAlbum:url
completionBlock:^(NSURL *assetURL, NSError *error){/*notify of completion*/}];
Also, you should be using kUTTypeMovie and kUTTypeImage instead of hard coding #"public.image.

Answer 2

I found the problem thanks to Peter's help. Turns out that [info objectForKey:UIImagePickerControllerMediaURL] returns a NSURL and not a NSString. So in the end here's how my method looks like
ALAssetsLibrary *library = [[ALAssetsLibrary alloc] init];
NSURL *videoURL= [info objectForKey:UIImagePickerControllerMediaURL];
if ([library videoAtPathIsCompatibleWithSavedPhotosAlbum:videoURL])
{
[library writeVideoAtPathToSavedPhotosAlbum:videoURL
completionBlock:^(NSURL *assetURL, NSError *error){}
];
}
[library release];
This method uses the new ALAssetsLibrary framework. The whole method, which supports saving a picture or movie, follows:
- (void)imagePickerController:(UIImagePickerController *)picker didFinishPickingMediaWithInfo:(NSDictionary *)info {
ALAssetsLibrary *library = [[ALAssetsLibrary alloc] init];
NSString *mediaType = [info objectForKey:UIImagePickerControllerMediaType];
if ([mediaType isEqualToString:#"public.image"]){
UIImage *picture= [info objectForKey:UIImagePickerControllerOriginalImage];
NSDictionary *metadata = [info objectForKey:UIImagePickerControllerMediaMetadata];
[library writeImageToSavedPhotosAlbum:[picture CGImage] metadata:metadata
completionBlock:^(NSURL *assetURL, NSError *error){}
];
}
else if ([mediaType isEqualToString:#"public.movie"]){
NSURL *videoURL= [info objectForKey:UIImagePickerControllerMediaURL];
if ([library videoAtPathIsCompatibleWithSavedPhotosAlbum:videoURL])
{
[library writeVideoAtPathToSavedPhotosAlbum:videoURL
completionBlock:^(NSURL *assetURL, NSError *error){}
];
}
}
[library release];
[self dismissModalViewControllerAnimated:YES];
}

Answer 3

Why are you passing nil, nil, nil into the method - if you pass in more options, it will tell you the error ;)
Try something like this instead :
UISaveVideoAtPathToSavedPhotosAlbum(m_objMediaURL, self, #selector(video:didFinishSavingWithError:contextInfo:), nil);
and later on in your class put this method
- (void)video:(NSString *)videoPath didFinishSavingWithError:(NSError *)error contextInfo:(void *)contextInfo {
// Let's see what happened
NSLog(#"path : %#", path);
NSLog(#:error : %#", error);
}
Hope the output of that helps you :)
EDIT :
Reading the docs a bit more, have you run this method to check that it's a valid video?
BOOL isVideoOK = UIVideoAtPathIsCompatibleWithSavedPhotosAlbum(m_objMediaURL);
if (NO == isVideoOK)
NSLog(#"Video at %# is not compatible", m_objMediaURL);