thumbnailImageAtTime: now deprecated - What's the alternative?

Question

Until iOS7 update I was using...

UIImage *image = [moviePlayer thumbnailImageAtTime:1.0 timeOption:MPMovieTimeOptionNea         


        

Answer 1

Jeely provides a good work around but it requires an additional library that isn't necessary when the MPMoviePlayer already provides functions for this task. I noticed a syntax error in the original poster's code. The thumbnail notification handler expects an object of type NSNotification, not a dictionary object. Here's a corrected example:

-(void)MPMoviePlayerThumbnailImageRequestDidFinishNotification: (NSNotification*)note
{
    NSDictionary * userInfo = [note userInfo];
    UIImage *image = (UIImage *)[userInfo objectForKey:MPMoviePlayerThumbnailImageKey];
    if(image!=NULL)
        [thumbView setImage:image];
}

Answer 2

The problem is that you have to specify float values in requestThumbnailImagesAtTimes.

For example, this will work

[self.moviePlayer requestThumbnailImagesAtTimes:@[@14.f] timeOption:MPMovieTimeOptionNearestKeyFrame];

but this won't work:

[self.moviePlayer requestThumbnailImagesAtTimes:@[@14] timeOption:MPMovieTimeOptionNearestKeyFrame];

Answer 3

The code in Swift 2.1 would look like this:

do{
    let asset1 =  AVURLAsset(URL: url)
    let generate1: AVAssetImageGenerator = AVAssetImageGenerator(asset: asset1)
    generate1.appliesPreferredTrackTransform = true

    let time: CMTime = CMTimeMake(3, 1)  //TO CATCH THE THIRD SECOND OF THE VIDEO
    let oneRef: CGImageRef = try generate1.copyCGImageAtTime(time, actualTime: nil)
    let resultImage = UIImage(CGImage: oneRef)
}
catch let error as NSError{
    print(error)
}

Answer 4

The way to do it, at least in iOS7 is to use floats for your times

NSNumber *timeStamp = @1.f;
[moviePlayer requestThumbnailImagesAtTimes:timeStamp timeOption:MPMovieTimeOptionNearestKeyFrame];

Hope this helps

Answer 5

Managed to find a great way using AVAssetImageGenerator, please see code below...

AVURLAsset *asset1 = [[AVURLAsset alloc] initWithURL:partOneUrl options:nil];
AVAssetImageGenerator *generate1 = [[AVAssetImageGenerator alloc] initWithAsset:asset1];
generate1.appliesPreferredTrackTransform = YES;
NSError *err = NULL;
CMTime time = CMTimeMake(1, 2);
CGImageRef oneRef = [generate1 copyCGImageAtTime:time actualTime:NULL error:&err];
UIImage *one = [[UIImage alloc] initWithCGImage:oneRef];
[_firstImage setImage:one];
_firstImage.contentMode = UIViewContentModeScaleAspectFit;

Within header file, please import

#import <AVFoundation/AVFoundation.h>

It works perfect and I've been able to call it from viewDidLoad, which was quicker than calling the deprecated thumbNailImageAtTime: from the viewDidAppear.

Hope this helps anyone else who had the same problem.

* **Update for Swift 5.1 ****

Useful function...

    func createThumbnailOfVideoUrl(url: URL) -> UIImage? {
        let asset = AVAsset(url: url)
        let assetImgGenerate = AVAssetImageGenerator(asset: asset)
        assetImgGenerate.appliesPreferredTrackTransform = true

        let time = CMTimeMakeWithSeconds(1.0, preferredTimescale: 600)
        do {
            let img = try assetImgGenerate.copyCGImage(at: time, actualTime: nil) 
            let thumbnail = UIImage(cgImage: img)
            return thumbnail
        } catch {
          print(error.localizedDescription)
          return nil
        }
    }

Answer 6

The requestThumbnailImagesAtTimes:timeOption: method will post a MPMoviePlayerThumbnailImageRequestDidFinishNotification notification when an image request completes. Your code that needs the thumbnail image should subscribe to this notification using NSNotificationCenter, and use the image when it receives the notification.