CIFilter output image nil

Question

I am using core image and I am applying a CIFilter sepia tone to my image. I run a filter once in viewDidLoad and then immediately call another function that adds the filter

Answer 1

You cannot call UIImage(CIImage:) and use that UIImage as the image of a UIImageView. UIImageView requires a UIImage backed by a bitmap (CGImage). A UIImage instantiated with CIImage has no bitmap; it has no actual image, it's just a set of instructions for applying a filter. That is why your UIImageView's image is nil.

Answer 2

A couple of things here:

1) Using the CIImage constructor to create a CIImage based on a non CIImage backed UIImage is dangerous and will return nil or an empty CIImage.

2) When creating the image back I'd suggest you to use CIContext instead of UIImage(CIImage:).

Example:

class ViewController: UIViewController {
    @IBOutlet weak var myimage: UIImageView!

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        myimage.backgroundColor = UIColor.redColor()

        self.applyFilter()
        self.applyFilter()
    }

    func applyFilter(){
        let image = CIImage(CGImage: myimage.image?.CGImage)
        let filter = CIFilter(name: "CISepiaTone")
        filter.setDefaults()
        filter.setValue(image, forKey: kCIInputImageKey)

        let context = CIContext(options: nil)
        let imageRef = context.createCGImage(filter.outputImage, fromRect: image.extent())
        myimage.image = UIImage(CGImage: imageRef)
    }
}