Question

I have a somewhat unusual problem. In my app, I am shadowing a UIImageView using basic Quartz2d layer shadowing. Here’s my code:

imageView.layer.shadowOpacity = 1.0; // Pretty self explanatory
imageView.layer.shadowRadius = 8.0; // My softness
imageView.layer.shadowColor = [UIColor blackColor].CGColor; // Color of the shadow
imageView.layer.shadowOffset = CGSizeMake(0.0, 0.0); // Offset of the shadow

This produces a nice blur behind the image view. However, I am doing some animation with this view, and the constant recalculation of the shadowing during the transitions causes a very choppy transition. What I’d like to be able to do is create a UIImage or .png file out of the image view with the blur and its alpha intact. Here’s what I’ve already tried:

UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(CGSizeMake(320, 396)); 
[imageView.layer renderInContext:UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext()]; 
UIImage *viewImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext();
UIGraphicsEndImageContext();
UIImageWriteToSavedPhotosAlbum(viewImage, nil, nil, nil);

Since I have a shadow which “grows outside” of the image view, I can’t just pass his size in the UIGraphicsBeginImageContext function. I set the correct size, but the resulting image doesn’t save my alpha, instead it places a white background behind the shadow, which won’t work for me because my real background is a wood texture. Also, the view isn’t centered in the resulting file.

I’m pretty good with UIKit, but I’m a real noobie with Quartz 2d graphics, so if there’s an obvious answer to this, send it anyway. 🙂

Answer 1

Try setting your UIImageView‘s backgroundColor to [UIColor clearColor] – this may enable your current solution to work.

imageView.backgroundColor = [UIColor clearColor];
UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(CGSizeMake(320, 396)); 
[imageView.layer renderInContext:UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext()]; 
UIImage *viewImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext();
UIGraphicsEndImageContext();

Source: Converting a CGLayer to a *transparent* UIImage and PNG file in CoreGraphics iphone