Playing Video automatically on a View Controller without a button

Question

Can anyone show me what I am doing wrong? I have put everything right and tested the code, but every time I run the application on my device the video does not play. It is being shown a paused state. I don't know why the video will not play automatically.

Here is my code:

import UIKit
import AVFoundation

class ViewController: UIViewController {

    var player: AVPlayer?

    @IBOutlet weak var videoViewContainer: UIView!

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        initializeVideoPlayerWithVideo()
    }

    func initializeVideoPlayerWithVideo() {

        // get the path string for the video from assets
        let videoString:String? = Bundle.main.path(forResource: "BackgroundAppVideo", ofType: "mov")
        guard let unwrappedVideoPath = videoString else {return}

        // convert the path string to a url
        let videoUrl = URL(fileURLWithPath: unwrappedVideoPath)

        // initialize the video player with the url
        self.player = AVPlayer(url: videoUrl)

        // create a video layer for the player
        let layer: AVPlayerLayer = AVPlayerLayer(player: player)

        // make the layer the same size as the container view
        layer.frame = videoViewContainer.bounds

        // make the video fill the layer as much as possible while keeping its aspect size
        layer.videoGravity = AVLayerVideoGravity.resizeAspectFill

        // add the layer to the container view
        videoViewContainer.layer.addSublayer(layer)
    }


        }

You probably want `viewDidAppear` but as it's potentially called multiple times you'll want a flag to ensure you only show the video the first time. — trojanfoe, Apr 08 '20 at 07:40

score 1 · Answer 1 · edited Apr 08 '20 at 13:36

just add self.player?.play() at the end. As

func initializeVideoPlayerWithVideo() {

    // get the path string for the video from assets
    let videoString:String? = Bundle.main.path(forResource: "BackgroundAppVideo", ofType: "mov")
    guard let unwrappedVideoPath = videoString else {return}

    // convert the path string to a url
    let videoUrl = URL(fileURLWithPath: unwrappedVideoPath)

    // initialize the video player with the url
    self.player = AVPlayer(url: videoUrl)

    // create a video layer for the player
    let layer: AVPlayerLayer = AVPlayerLayer(player: player)

    // make the layer the same size as the container view
    layer.frame = videoViewContainer.bounds

    // make the video fill the layer as much as possible while keeping its aspect size
    layer.videoGravity = AVLayerVideoGravity.resizeAspectFill

    // add the layer to the container view
    videoViewContainer.layer.addSublayer(layer)
    self.player?.play()
}

Yes this worked. I just tried it and the video plays. How would I have the video restart after it is finished playing? — Manny, Apr 08 '20 at 07:46

score 0 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 08 '20 at 08:14

0

Since you want to automatically start the video and loop it, You have to use AVPlayerLooper and also, you should call play() method of the player object.

var player: AVQueuePlayer?
var videoLooper: AVPlayerLooper?
@IBOutlet weak var videoViewContainer:UIView!

override func viewDidLoad() {
    super.viewDidLoad()
    self.initializeVideoPlayerWithVideo()

}

func initializeVideoPlayerWithVideo() {

    // get the path string for the video from assets
    let videoString:String? = Bundle.main.path(forResource: "BackgroundAppVideo", ofType: "mov")
    guard let unwrappedVideoPath = videoString else {return}

    // convert the path string to a url
    let videoUrl = URL(fileURLWithPath: unwrappedVideoPath)

    let asset = AVAsset(url: videoUrl)
    let item = AVPlayerItem(asset: asset)

    // initialize the video player with the url
    self.player = AVQueuePlayer()

    // create a video layer for the player
    let layer: AVPlayerLayer = AVPlayerLayer(player: player)

    // make the layer the same size as the container view
    layer.frame = videoViewContainer.bounds

    // make the video fill the layer as much as possible while keeping its aspect size
    layer.videoGravity = AVLayerVideoGravity.resizeAspectFill

    // add the layer to the container view
    videoViewContainer.layer.addSublayer(layer)

    videoLooper = AVPlayerLooper(player: self.player!, templateItem: item)
    self.player?.play()

}

edited Apr 08 '20 at 08:14

BDL

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answered Apr 08 '20 at 07:41

Thilina Chamath Hewagama

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What about making the video restart again? – Manny Apr 08 '20 at 07:45
You want to loop the video ? – Thilina Chamath Hewagama Apr 08 '20 at 07:46
Yes I would like to loop the video. – Manny Apr 08 '20 at 07:47
this has the answer for that https://stackoverflow.com/questions/27808266/how-do-you-loop-avplayer-in-swift/47120425#47120425 – Thilina Chamath Hewagama Apr 08 '20 at 07:52
I am getting an error on the last line about an unresolved identifier. Is that last line even needed? videoLooper = AVPlayerLooper(player: player, templateItem: item) – Manny Apr 08 '20 at 07:55
What should I be referencing if not videoLooper? – Manny Apr 08 '20 at 08:01

Playing Video automatically on a View Controller without a button

2 Answers2