I’m trying to make movie file using a picture array and an audio file.

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Asked: May 22, 20262026-05-22T16:20:11+00:00 2026-05-22T16:20:11+00:00

I’m trying to make movie file using a picture array and an audio file.

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I’m trying to make movie file using a picture array and an audio file. To make movie with a picture array i used the big post by zoul here. All is perfect, I have my movie with my picture. However when I try to add some audio tracks I have lot of problems. To understand I put my code :

When I call this method, picture array and song file are ready :

-(void) writeImagesToMovieAtPath:(NSString *) path withSize:(CGSize) size
{
    NSString *documentsDirectoryPath = [NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES) objectAtIndex:0];
    NSArray *dirContents = [[NSFileManager defaultManager] directoryContentsAtPath:documentsDirectoryPath];
    for (NSString *tString in dirContents) {
        if ([tString isEqualToString:@"essai.mp4"]) 
        {
            [[NSFileManager defaultManager]removeItemAtPath:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@/%@",documentsDirectoryPath,tString] error:nil];

        }
    }

    NSLog(@"Write Started");

    NSError *error = nil;

    AVAssetWriter *videoWriter = [[AVAssetWriter alloc] initWithURL:
                                  [NSURL fileURLWithPath:path] fileType:AVFileTypeMPEG4
                                                              error:&error];    
    NSParameterAssert(videoWriter);

    NSDictionary *videoSettings = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:
                                   AVVideoCodecH264, AVVideoCodecKey,
                                   [NSNumber numberWithInt:size.width], AVVideoWidthKey,
                                   [NSNumber numberWithInt:size.height], AVVideoHeightKey,
                                   nil];

    AudioChannelLayout channelLayout;
    memset(&channelLayout, 0, sizeof(AudioChannelLayout));
    channelLayout.mChannelLayoutTag = kAudioChannelLayoutTag_Stereo;

    NSDictionary *audioSettings = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:
                                   [NSNumber numberWithInt:kAudioFormatMPEG4AAC], AVFormatIDKey,
                                   [NSNumber numberWithFloat:44100.0] ,AVSampleRateKey, 
                                   [NSNumber numberWithInt: 1] ,AVNumberOfChannelsKey,
                                   [NSNumber numberWithInt:192000],AVEncoderBitRateKey,
                                   [NSData dataWithBytes:&channelLayout length:sizeof(AudioChannelLayout)],AVChannelLayoutKey,
                                   nil];

    AVAssetWriterInput* videoWriterInput = [[AVAssetWriterInput
                                             assetWriterInputWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeVideo
                                             outputSettings:videoSettings] retain];

    AVAssetWriterInput* audioWriterInput = [[AVAssetWriterInput
                                             assetWriterInputWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio
                                             outputSettings:audioSettings] retain];

    NSURL* fileURL = [[NSBundle mainBundle] URLForResource:@"Big_Voice_1" withExtension:@"caf"];

    NSLog(@"%@",fileURL);
    AVAsset *asset = [[AVURLAsset URLAssetWithURL:fileURL 
                                            options:nil] retain];


    AVAssetReader *audioReader = [[AVAssetReader assetReaderWithAsset:asset error:&error] retain];


    AVAssetWriterInputPixelBufferAdaptor *adaptor = [AVAssetWriterInputPixelBufferAdaptor
                                                     assetWriterInputPixelBufferAdaptorWithAssetWriterInput:videoWriterInput
                                                     sourcePixelBufferAttributes:nil];


    AVAssetTrack* audioTrack = [asset.tracks objectAtIndex:0]; 

    AVAssetReaderOutput *readerOutput = [AVAssetReaderTrackOutput assetReaderTrackOutputWithTrack:audioTrack outputSettings:nil];

    [audioReader addOutput:readerOutput];                                             


    NSParameterAssert(videoWriterInput);
    NSParameterAssert(audioWriterInput);
    NSParameterAssert([videoWriter canAddInput:audioWriterInput]);
    NSParameterAssert([videoWriter canAddInput:videoWriterInput]);
    audioWriterInput.expectsMediaDataInRealTime = NO;
    videoWriterInput.expectsMediaDataInRealTime = YES;
    [videoWriter addInput:audioWriterInput];
    [videoWriter addInput:videoWriterInput];
    //Start a session:
    [videoWriter startWriting];
    [videoWriter startSessionAtSourceTime:kCMTimeZero];


    //Video encoding

    CVPixelBufferRef buffer = NULL;

    //convert uiimage to CGImage.

    int frameCount = 0;

    for(int i = 0; i<20; i++)
    {
        buffer = [self pixelBufferFromCGImage:[[m_PictArray objectAtIndex:i] CGImage] andSize:size];


        BOOL append_ok = NO;
        int j = 0;
        while (!append_ok && j < 30) 
        {
            if (adaptor.assetWriterInput.readyForMoreMediaData) 
            {
                printf("appending %d attemp %d\n", frameCount, j);

                CMTime frameTime = CMTimeMake(frameCount,(int32_t) 10);

                //CVPixelBufferPoolCreatePixelBuffer (kCFAllocatorDefault, adaptor.pixelBufferPool, &buffer);
                append_ok = [adaptor appendPixelBuffer:buffer withPresentationTime:frameTime];
                CVPixelBufferPoolRef bufferPool = adaptor.pixelBufferPool;
                NSParameterAssert(bufferPool != NULL);

                [NSThread sleepForTimeInterval:0.05];
            } 
            else 
            {
                printf("adaptor not ready %d, %d\n", frameCount, j);
                [NSThread sleepForTimeInterval:0.1];
            }
            j++;
        }
        if (!append_ok) {
            printf("error appending image %d times %d\n", frameCount, j);
        }
        frameCount++;
    }

    //Finish the session:
    [videoWriterInput markAsFinished];





//Start a session:
        [videoWriter startWriting];
        [videoWriter startSessionAtSourceTime:kCMTimeZero];

        CVPixelBufferRef buffer = NULL;

        //Write all picture array in movie file.

        int frameCount = 0;

        for(int i = 0; i<[m_PictArray count]; i++)
        {
            buffer = [self pixelBufferFromCGImage:[[m_PictArray objectAtIndex:i] CGImage] andSize:size];


            BOOL append_ok = NO;
            int j = 0;
            while (!append_ok && j < 30) 
            {
                if (adaptor.assetWriterInput.readyForMoreMediaData) 
                {
                    printf("appending %d attemp %d\n", frameCount, j);

                    CMTime frameTime = CMTimeMake(frameCount,(int32_t) 10);


                    append_ok = [adaptor appendPixelBuffer:buffer withPresentationTime:frameTime];
                    CVPixelBufferPoolRef bufferPool = adaptor.pixelBufferPool;
                    NSParameterAssert(bufferPool != NULL);

                    [NSThread sleepForTimeInterval:0.05];
                } 
                else 
                {
                    printf("adaptor not ready %d, %d\n", frameCount, j);
                    [NSThread sleepForTimeInterval:0.1];
                }
                j++;
            }
            if (!append_ok) {
                printf("error appending image %d times %d\n", frameCount, j);
            }
            frameCount++;
        }

        //Finish writing picture:
        [videoWriterInput markAsFinished];

I finish write picture in movie file and I want copy audio in the file and I do this :

[audioReader startReading];

    [videoWriter startSessionAtSourceTime:kCMTimeZero];
    dispatch_queue_t mediaInputQueue = dispatch_queue_create("mediaInputQueue", NULL);
    [audioWriterInput requestMediaDataWhenReadyOnQueue:mediaInputQueue usingBlock:^
     {
         NSLog(@"Request");
         NSLog(@"Asset Writer ready :%d",audioWriterInput.readyForMoreMediaData);
         while (audioWriterInput.readyForMoreMediaData) {
             NSLog(@"Ready");
             CMSampleBufferRef nextBuffer = [readerOutput copyNextSampleBuffer];
             if (nextBuffer) {
                 NSLog(@"NextBuffer");
                 [audioWriterInput appendSampleBuffer:nextBuffer];
             }
         }
     }
     ];

    [audioWriterInput markAsFinished];
    [videoWriter finishWriting];

However the status of AssetWriterInput of audio file is always “NO”.

My question : How to add audio to a video file using AVFoundation?

So please can someone help me by telling me if I forget something or if something is wrong.

Thank you very much

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1 Answer

Editorial Team · Answer 1 · 2026-05-22T16:20:12+00:00

I finally found how make movie with a picture array and an audio file. So if you want do the same thing I put my code here (be careful to memory):

First make a movie file with your picture array use zoul’s post here:

-(void) writeImagesToMovieAtPath:(NSString *) path withSize:(CGSize) size
{
  NSString *documentsDirectoryPath = [NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES) objectAtIndex:0];
  NSArray *dirContents = [[NSFileManager defaultManager] contentsOfDirectoryAtPath:documentsDirectoryPath error:nil];
  for (NSString *tString in dirContents) 
  {
    if ([tString isEqualToString:@"essai.mp4"]) 
    {
        [[NSFileManager defaultManager]removeItemAtPath:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@/%@",documentsDirectoryPath,tString] error:nil];

    }
  }

  NSLog(@"Write Started");

  NSError *error = nil;

  AVAssetWriter *videoWriter = [[AVAssetWriter alloc] initWithURL:
                              [NSURL fileURLWithPath:path] fileType:AVFileTypeMPEG4
                                                          error:&error];    
  NSParameterAssert(videoWriter);

  NSDictionary *videoSettings = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:
                               AVVideoCodecH264, AVVideoCodecKey,
                               [NSNumber numberWithInt:size.width], AVVideoWidthKey,
                               [NSNumber numberWithInt:size.height], AVVideoHeightKey,
                               nil];


  AVAssetWriterInput* videoWriterInput = [[AVAssetWriterInput
                                         assetWriterInputWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeVideo
                                         outputSettings:videoSettings] retain];




  AVAssetWriterInputPixelBufferAdaptor *adaptor = [AVAssetWriterInputPixelBufferAdaptor
                                                 assetWriterInputPixelBufferAdaptorWithAssetWriterInput:videoWriterInput
                                                 sourcePixelBufferAttributes:nil];

  NSParameterAssert(videoWriterInput);

  NSParameterAssert([videoWriter canAddInput:videoWriterInput]);
  videoWriterInput.expectsMediaDataInRealTime = YES;
  [videoWriter addInput:videoWriterInput];
  //Start a session:
  [videoWriter startWriting];
  [videoWriter startSessionAtSourceTime:kCMTimeZero];


  //Video encoding

  CVPixelBufferRef buffer = NULL;

  //convert uiimage to CGImage.

  int frameCount = 0;

  for(int i = 0; i<[m_PictArray count]; i++)
  {
    buffer = [self pixelBufferFromCGImage:[[m_PictArray objectAtIndex:i] CGImage] andSize:size];


    BOOL append_ok = NO;
    int j = 0;
    while (!append_ok && j < 30) 
    {
        if (adaptor.assetWriterInput.readyForMoreMediaData) 
        {
            printf("appending %d attemp %d\n", frameCount, j);

            CMTime frameTime = CMTimeMake(frameCount,(int32_t) 10);

            append_ok = [adaptor appendPixelBuffer:buffer withPresentationTime:frameTime];
            CVPixelBufferPoolRef bufferPool = adaptor.pixelBufferPool;
            NSParameterAssert(bufferPool != NULL);

            [NSThread sleepForTimeInterval:0.05];
        } 
        else 
        {
            printf("adaptor not ready %d, %d\n", frameCount, j);
            [NSThread sleepForTimeInterval:0.1];
        }
        j++;
    }
    if (!append_ok) 
    {
        printf("error appending image %d times %d\n", frameCount, j);
    }
    frameCount++;
    CVBufferRelease(buffer);
  }

  [videoWriterInput markAsFinished];
  [videoWriter finishWriting];

  [videoWriterInput release];
  [videoWriter release];

  [m_PictArray removeAllObjects];

  NSLog(@"Write Ended"); 
}

After that you must put together movie file and audio file. To do this follow my code:

-(void)CompileFilesToMakeMovie
{
  AVMutableComposition* mixComposition = [AVMutableComposition composition];

  NSString* audio_inputFileName = @"deformed.caf";
  NSString* audio_inputFilePath = [Utilities documentsPath:audio_inputFileName];
  NSURL*    audio_inputFileUrl = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:audio_inputFilePath];

  NSString* video_inputFileName = @"essai.mp4";
  NSString* video_inputFilePath = [Utilities documentsPath:video_inputFileName];
  NSURL*    video_inputFileUrl = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:video_inputFilePath];

  NSString* outputFileName = @"outputFile.mov";
  NSString* outputFilePath = [Utilities documentsPath:outputFileName];
  NSURL*    outputFileUrl = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:outputFilePath];

  if ([[NSFileManager defaultManager] fileExistsAtPath:outputFilePath]) 
    [[NSFileManager defaultManager] removeItemAtPath:outputFilePath error:nil];



  CMTime nextClipStartTime = kCMTimeZero;

  AVURLAsset* videoAsset = [[AVURLAsset alloc]initWithURL:video_inputFileUrl options:nil];
  CMTimeRange video_timeRange = CMTimeRangeMake(kCMTimeZero,videoAsset.duration);
  AVMutableCompositionTrack *a_compositionVideoTrack = [mixComposition addMutableTrackWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeVideo preferredTrackID:kCMPersistentTrackID_Invalid];
  [a_compositionVideoTrack insertTimeRange:video_timeRange ofTrack:[[videoAsset tracksWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeVideo] objectAtIndex:0] atTime:nextClipStartTime error:nil];

  //nextClipStartTime = CMTimeAdd(nextClipStartTime, a_timeRange.duration);

  AVURLAsset* audioAsset = [[AVURLAsset alloc]initWithURL:audio_inputFileUrl options:nil];
  CMTimeRange audio_timeRange = CMTimeRangeMake(kCMTimeZero, audioAsset.duration);
  AVMutableCompositionTrack *b_compositionAudioTrack = [mixComposition addMutableTrackWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio preferredTrackID:kCMPersistentTrackID_Invalid];
  [b_compositionAudioTrack insertTimeRange:audio_timeRange ofTrack:[[audioAsset tracksWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio] objectAtIndex:0] atTime:nextClipStartTime error:nil];



  AVAssetExportSession* _assetExport = [[AVAssetExportSession alloc] initWithAsset:mixComposition presetName:AVAssetExportPresetHighestQuality];   
  _assetExport.outputFileType = @"com.apple.quicktime-movie";
  _assetExport.outputURL = outputFileUrl;

  [_assetExport exportAsynchronouslyWithCompletionHandler:
 ^(void ) {
     [self saveVideoToAlbum:outputFilePath]; 
 }       
 ];  
}

Sorry if there are some leak, I’m doing the optimization of memory.

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