iPhone: How do I get the file path of an image saved with UIImageWriteToSavedPhotosAlbum()?

Question

I'm saving a merged image to the iPhone photo library using:

UIImageWriteToSavedPhotosAlbum(viewImage, self, @selector(savedPhotoImage:didFinishSavingWithError:contextInfo:), nil);

And getting the callback using:

- (void) savedPhotoImage:(UIImage*)image didFinishSavingWithError:(NSError *)error contextInfo: (void *)contextInfo { NSLog(@"%@", [error localizedDescription]);
NSLog(@"info: %@", contextInfo);}

What I would like to get is the path for where the image has been saved, so I can add it to an array which will be used to call up a list of saved items elsewhere in the app.

When I load the image using the picker it displays the path info. However when I save a created image, I can't find where to pull the saved image path.

I have search about the web, but most examples stop at the callback with a nice message to say the image was saved successfully. I would just like to be able to know where it was saved.

I understand one method might be to start defining my own paths, but as the method does that for me, I was just hoping it could tell me where it saved to.

Dicast

Answer 1

I finally found out the answer. Apparently the UIImage methods strip out metadata and so using UIImageWriteToSavedPhotosAlbum is no good.

However in ios4 Apple put in a new framework to handle the photo library called the ALAssetsLibrary.

First you need to right click on the Targets and in the build part, add the AlAsset Framework to your project with the little + icon in the bottom left.

Then add #import "AssetsLibrary/AssetsLibrary.h"; to the header file of your class.

Finally you can use the following code:

UIImage *viewImage = YOUR UIIMAGE  // --- mine was made from drawing context
ALAssetsLibrary *library = [[ALAssetsLibrary alloc] init];  
// Request to save the image to camera roll  
[library writeImageToSavedPhotosAlbum:[viewImage CGImage] orientation:(ALAssetOrientation)[viewImage imageOrientation] completionBlock:^(NSURL *assetURL, NSError *error){  
    if (error) {  
        NSLog(@"error");  
    } else {  
            NSLog(@"url %@", assetURL);  
    }  
}];  
[library release];

And that gets the path of the file you just saved.

Dicast

How to load that image ? Can i load image form Gallery? can anyone post code to load that? – Aldus

ALAssetsLibrary is deprecated in iOS 9.0+. Instead use the PHPhotoLibrary and the "performChanges" method to save images to the device. – Vicenta

This comment needs more upvotes, Spent hours implementing this and getting everything working, now have to rewrite it using the newer API. – Tobey

Can you give us an example of how to use PHPhotoLibrary and the "performChanges" ? – Lowe

I found this useful #30197469 – Pahari

user1495323's answer below explains how to get the file path as asked by the OP. https://mcmap.net/q/345848/-iphone-how-do-i-get-the-file-path-of-an-image-saved-with-uiimagewritetosavedphotosalbum – Mystical

Answer 2

My code is

-(void) imagePickerController:(UIImagePickerController *)picker didFinishPickingMediaWithInfo:(NSDictionary *)info{
    UIImage *image = [info valueForKey:UIImagePickerControllerOriginalImage];

    imageURL = nil;

    ALAssetsLibraryWriteImageCompletionBlock completeBlock = ^(NSURL *assetURL, NSError *error){
        if (!error) {  
            #pragma mark get image url from camera capture.
            imageURL = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@",assetURL];

        }  
    };

    if(image){
        ALAssetsLibrary *library = [[ALAssetsLibrary alloc] init];
        [library writeImageToSavedPhotosAlbum:[image CGImage] 
                                  orientation:(ALAssetOrientation)[image imageOrientation] 
                              completionBlock:completeBlock];
    }
}

in .h import Library and define type def of ALAssetsLibraryWriteImageCompletionBlock

#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
#import <AssetsLibrary/AssetsLibrary.h>

typedef void (^ALAssetsLibraryWriteImageCompletionBlock)(NSURL *assetURL, NSError *error);

if you don't know how to get <AssetsLibrary/AssetsLibrary.h>, please add existing framework (AssetsLibrary.framework)

Funicle

Answer 3

OlivariesF's answer is missing the key part of this question, retrieve the path:

Here's a code snippet that does everything:

- (void)processImage:(UIImage*)image type:(NSString*)mimeType forCallbackId:(NSString*)callbackId
    {
        __block NSString* localId;

        // Add it to the photo library
        [[PHPhotoLibrary sharedPhotoLibrary] performChanges:^{
            PHAssetChangeRequest *assetChangeRequest = [PHAssetChangeRequest creationRequestForAssetFromImage:image];

            localId = [[assetChangeRequest placeholderForCreatedAsset] localIdentifier];
        } completionHandler:^(BOOL success, NSError *err) {
            if (!success) {
                NSLog(@"Error saving image: %@", [err localizedDescription]);
            } else {
                PHFetchResult* assetResult = [PHAsset fetchAssetsWithLocalIdentifiers:@[localId] options:nil];
                PHAsset *asset = [assetResult firstObject];
                [[PHImageManager defaultManager] requestImageDataForAsset:asset
                                                                  options:nil
                                                            resultHandler:^(NSData *imageData, NSString *dataUTI, UIImageOrientation orientation, NSDictionary *info) {
                    NSURL *fileUrl = [info objectForKey:@"PHImageFileURLKey"];
                    if (fileUrl) {
                        NSLog(@"Image path: %@", [fileUrl relativePath]);
                    } else {
                        NSLog(@"Error retrieving image filePath, heres whats available: %@", info);
                    }
                }];
            }
        }];
    }

Pahari

Key PHImageFileURLKey is not found with PHAsset info – Fructiferous

Answer 4

Swift Version will be

 ALAssetsLibrary().writeImageToSavedPhotosAlbum(editedImage.CGImage, orientation: ALAssetOrientation(rawValue: editedImage.imageOrientation.rawValue)!,
                completionBlock:{ (path:NSURL!, error:NSError!) -> Void in
                    print("\(path)")
            })

And "import ALAssetsLibrary" in your file.

Project-> Build Phases -> Link binary -> AssetsLibrary.framework

Aldus

Answer 5

- (void)imagePickerController:(UIImagePickerController *)picker didFinishPickingImage:(UIImage *)img editingInfo:(NSDictionary *)editInfo {

    RandomIndexnew = arc4random() % 3;
    if(RandomIndexnew == 0)
    {
        nameStr =[NSString stringWithFormat:@"jpg"];
        textFieldNormalFile_type.text =[NSString stringWithFormat:@"jpg"];
    }
    else if(RandomIndexnew = 1)
    {
        nameStr =[NSString stringWithFormat:@"gif"];
        textFieldNormalFile_type.text =[NSString stringWithFormat:@"GIF"];
    }
    else if(RandomIndexnew = 2)
    {
        nameStr =[NSString stringWithFormat:@"jpg"];
        textFieldNormalFile_type.text =[NSString stringWithFormat:@"JPG"];
    }

    RandomIndex = arc4random() % 20;
    NSString *nameStr1 =[NSString stringWithFormat:@"Image%i",RandomIndex];
    textFieldNormalFile_name.text =[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@.%@",nameStr1,nameStr];

    newFilePath = [NSHomeDirectory() stringByAppendingPathComponent: textFieldNormalFile_name.text];
    imageData = UIImageJPEGRepresentation(img, 1.0);
    if (imageData != nil) {
        NSLog(@"HERE [%@]", newFilePath);
        [imageData writeToFile:newFilePath atomically:YES];
    }
    image.image =[UIImage imageNamed:newFilePath];
    NSLog(@"newFilePath:%@",newFilePath);
    path.text =[NSString stringWithFormat:newFilePath];
    NSLog(@"path.text :%@",path.text);
}

Algonkian

I am implementing this code im own Application And it's working.. you can modify for your own code to implement this. I hope it's helps you. – Algonkian

Answer 6

ALAssetsLibrary has been deprecated.

This is the way you should do it:

#import <Photos/Photos.h>

UIImage *yourImage;

[[PHPhotoLibrary sharedPhotoLibrary] performChanges:^{
    [PHAssetChangeRequest creationRequestForAssetFromImage:yourImage];
} completionHandler:^(BOOL success, NSError *error) {
    if (success) {
        NSLog(@"Success");
    } else {
        NSLog(@"write error : %@",error);
    }
}];

Chrissychrist

Answer 7

Swift 4.1 version of OlivaresF's answer

        PHPhotoLibrary.shared().performChanges({
                PHAssetChangeRequest.creationRequestForAsset(from: image)
            }) { (success, error) in
                if success {

                } else {
                }
            }

Boost

i am not seeing where exactly in your code you printed/returned the file path as the OP asked? – Horrible

Answer 8

Swift version

            var localId = ""
            PHPhotoLibrary.shared().performChanges({
                let assetChangeRequest:PHAssetChangeRequest = PHAssetChangeRequest.creationRequestForAsset(from: chosenImage)
                localId = assetChangeRequest.placeholderForCreatedAsset!.localIdentifier
            }) { (success, error) in
                let assetResult:PHFetchResult = PHAsset.fetchAssets(withLocalIdentifiers: [localId], options: nil)
                let asset:PHAsset = assetResult.firstObject!
                PHImageManager.default().requestImageData(for: asset, options: nil) { (imageData, dataUTI, orientation, info) in
                    if let url:URL = info?["PHImageFileURLKey"] as? URL
                    {
                        print("\(url)")
                        
                    }
                    
                }
                
            }

Anetta