Why does UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext return nil after UIGraphicsBeginImageContext

Question

I am following a code example to make a blurred UILabel, https://stackoverflow.com/a/62224908/2226315.

My requirement is to make the label on blur after label initializat

Answer 1

Here is a better solution - instead of retrieving the blurred image, just let the label blur itself.

When you need it to be blurred, set label.isBluring = true. Also, this solution is better for performance, because it reuses the same context and does not need the image view.

class BlurredLabel: UILabel {
    
    var isBlurring = false {
        didSet {
            setNeedsDisplay()
        }
    }

    var blurRadius: Double = 2.5 {
        didSet {
            blurFilter?.setValue(blurRadius, forKey: kCIInputRadiusKey)
        }
    }

    lazy var blurFilter: CIFilter? = {
        let blurFilter = CIFilter(name: "CIGaussianBlur")
        blurFilter?.setDefaults()
        blurFilter?.setValue(blurRadius, forKey: kCIInputRadiusKey)
        return blurFilter
    }()
    
    override init(frame: CGRect) {
        super.init(frame: frame)
        layer.isOpaque = false
        layer.needsDisplayOnBoundsChange = true
        layer.contentsScale = UIScreen.main.scale
        layer.contentsGravity = .center
        isOpaque = false
        isUserInteractionEnabled = false
        contentMode = .redraw
    }
    
    required init?(coder: NSCoder) {
        fatalError("init(coder:) has not been implemented")
    }
    
    override func display(_ layer: CALayer) {
        let bounds = layer.bounds
        guard !bounds.isEmpty && bounds.size.width < CGFloat(UINT16_MAX) else {
            layer.contents = nil
            return
        }
        UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions(layer.bounds.size, layer.isOpaque, layer.contentsScale)
        if let ctx = UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext() {
            self.layer.draw(in: ctx)
        
            var image = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()?.cgImage
            if isBlurring, let cgImage = image {
                blurFilter?.setValue(CIImage(cgImage: cgImage), forKey: kCIInputImageKey)
                let ciContext = CIContext(cgContext: ctx, options: nil)
                if let blurOutputImage = blurFilter?.outputImage,
                   let cgImage = ciContext.createCGImage(blurOutputImage, from: blurOutputImage.extent) {
                    image = cgImage
                }
            }
            layer.contents = image
        }
        UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
    }
}