Record audio file and save locally on iPhone

Question

I have been looking all over the place for an answer to this but cant find exactly what I need. Basically in my app I am recording voice to an audio file (like the iOS Voice Memo app) and then would like to save it to the local document dir. From some reason the URL that I am being given with the recorded file expires next time I launch the app. Besides, even if it did not, if I record twice, the second file URL gets the same URL as the first one, so I am losing the first file.

Recording this way:

    [audioRecorder record];

Where: AVAudioRecorder *audioRecorder;

Playing is ok:

        [audioPlayer play];

Where: AVAudioPlayer *audioPlayer;

What is the best way to record voice memo and save it to the local disk on the iPhone?

Thanks.

Update:

I tried to use this code:

NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0];
NSString *filePath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:fileName];
BOOL status = [data writeToFile:filePath atomically:YES];

With the data being the data of my AVAudioPlayer NSData property, but BOOL gets 0, and no idea why.

If you shared the code you are using for saving and loading the file maybe we could give you some feedback on whether you're doing it right or not. — Carl Veazey, Aug 27 '12 at 02:47

Hardeep Singh · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-20T18:31:22.340

Return current date and time which we are use as sound file name.

Objective-c

- (NSString *) dateString
{
// return a formatted string for a file name
NSDateFormatter *formatter = [[NSDateFormatter alloc] init];
formatter.dateFormat = @"ddMMMYY_hhmmssa";
return [[formatter stringFromDate:[NSDate date]] stringByAppendingString:@".aif"];
}

Swift 4

func dateString() -> String {
  let formatter = DateFormatter()
  formatter.dateFormat = "ddMMMYY_hhmmssa"
  let fileName = formatter.string(from: Date())
  return "\(fileName).aif"
}

Setup Audio Session

Objective-c

- (BOOL) startAudioSession
{
// Prepare the audio session
NSError *error;
AVAudioSession *session = [AVAudioSession sharedInstance];

if (![session setCategory:AVAudioSessionCategoryPlayAndRecord error:&error])
{
    NSLog(@"Error setting session category: %@", error.localizedFailureReason);
    return NO;
}


if (![session setActive:YES error:&error])
{
    NSLog(@"Error activating audio session: %@", error.localizedFailureReason);
    return NO;
}

return session.inputIsAvailable;
}

Swift 4

func startAudioSession() -> Bool {

 let session = AVAudioSession()
 do {
  try session.setCategory(AVAudioSessionCategoryPlayAndRecord)
 } catch(let error) {
  print("--> \(error.localizedDescription)")
}
 do {
   try session.setActive(true)
 } catch (let error) {
   print("--> \(error.localizedDescription)")
 }
   return session.isInputAvailable;
}

Record Sound..

Objective-c

- (BOOL) record
{
NSError *error;

// Recording settings
NSMutableDictionary *settings = [NSMutableDictionary dictionary];

[settings setValue: [NSNumber numberWithInt:kAudioFormatLinearPCM] forKey:AVFormatIDKey];
[settings setValue: [NSNumber numberWithFloat:8000.0] forKey:AVSampleRateKey];
[settings setValue: [NSNumber numberWithInt: 1] forKey:AVNumberOfChannelsKey]; 
[settings setValue: [NSNumber numberWithInt:16] forKey:AVLinearPCMBitDepthKey];
[settings setValue: [NSNumber numberWithBool:NO] forKey:AVLinearPCMIsBigEndianKey];
[settings setValue: [NSNumber numberWithBool:NO] forKey:AVLinearPCMIsFloatKey];
    [settings setValue:  [NSNumber numberWithInt: AVAudioQualityMax] forKey:AVEncoderAudioQualityKey];

 NSArray *searchPaths =NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentPath_ = [searchPaths objectAtIndex: 0];

NSString *pathToSave = [documentPath_ stringByAppendingPathComponent:[self dateString]];

// File URL
NSURL *url = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:pathToSave];//FILEPATH];

// Create recorder
recorder = [[AVAudioRecorder alloc] initWithURL:url settings:settings error:&error];
if (!recorder)
{
    NSLog(@"Error establishing recorder: %@", error.localizedFailureReason);
    return NO;
}

// Initialize degate, metering, etc.
recorder.delegate = self;
recorder.meteringEnabled = YES;
//self.title = @"0:00";

if (![recorder prepareToRecord])
{
    NSLog(@"Error: Prepare to record failed");
    //[self say:@"Error while preparing recording"];
    return NO;
}

if (![recorder record])
{
    NSLog(@"Error: Record failed");
//  [self say:@"Error while attempting to record audio"];
    return NO;
}

// Set a timer to monitor levels, current time
timer = [NSTimer scheduledTimerWithTimeInterval:0.1f target:self selector:@selector(updateMeters) userInfo:nil repeats:YES];

return YES;
}

Swift 4

func record() -> Bool {

    var settings: [String: Any]  = [String: String]()
    settings[AVFormatIDKey] = kAudioFormatLinearPCM
    settings[AVSampleRateKey] = 8000.0
    settings[AVNumberOfChannelsKey] = 1
    settings[AVLinearPCMBitDepthKey] = 16
    settings[AVLinearPCMIsBigEndianKey] = false
    settings[AVLinearPCMIsFloatKey] = false
    settings[AVAudioQualityMax] = AVEncoderAudioQualityKey

    let searchPaths: [String] = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(.documentDirectory, .allDomainsMask, true)
    let documentPath_ = searchPaths.first
    let pathToSave = "\(documentPath_)/\(dateString)"
    let url: URL = URL(pathToSave)

    recorder = try? AVAudioRecorder(url: url, settings: settings)

    // Initialize degate, metering, etc.
    recorder.delegate = self;
    recorder.meteringEnabled = true;
    recorder?.prepareToRecord()
    if let recordIs = recorder {
        return recordIs.record()
    }
    return false
    }

Play sound...Retrieve From document directiory

Objective-c

-(void)play
{

 NSArray *searchPaths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
NSString *documentPath_ = [searchPaths objectAtIndex: 0];

 NSFileManager *fileManager = [NSFileManager defaultManager];

if ([fileManager fileExistsAtPath:[self recordingFolder]]) 
    { 

    arrayListOfRecordSound=[[NSMutableArray alloc]initWithArray:[fileManager  contentsOfDirectoryAtPath:documentPath_ error:nil]];

    NSLog(@"====%@",arrayListOfRecordSound);

}

   NSString  *selectedSound =  [documentPath_ stringByAppendingPathComponent:[arrayListOfRecordSound objectAtIndex:0]];

    NSURL   *url =[NSURL fileURLWithPath:selectedSound];

     //Start playback
   player = [[AVAudioPlayer alloc] initWithContentsOfURL:url error:&error];

   if (!player)
   {
     NSLog(@"Error establishing player for %@: %@", recorder.url, error.localizedFailureReason);
     return;
    }

    player.delegate = self;

    // Change audio session for playback
    if (![[AVAudioSession sharedInstance] setCategory:AVAudioSessionCategoryPlayback error:&error])
    {
        NSLog(@"Error updating audio session: %@", error.localizedFailureReason);
        return;
    }

    self.title = @"Playing back recording...";

    [player prepareToPlay];
    [player play];


}

Swift 4

func play() {
        let searchPaths: [String] = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(.documentDirectory, .allDomainsMask, true)
    let documentPath_ = searchPaths.first
      let fileManager = FileManager.default
        let arrayListOfRecordSound: [String]
        if fileManager.fileExists(atPath: recordingFolder()) {
    let arrayListOfRecordSound = try? fileManager.contentsOfDirectory(atPath: documentPath_)
    }

let selectedSound = "\(documentPath_)/\(arrayListOfRecordSound.first)"
let url = URL.init(fileURLWithPath: selectedSound)
let player = try? AVAudioPlayer(contentsOf: url)
player?.delegate = self;
try? AVAudioSession.sharedInstance().setCategory(AVAudioSessionCategoryPlayback)
player?.prepareToPlay()
player?.play()
}

stopRecording

Objective-c

- (void) stopRecording
{
// This causes the didFinishRecording delegate method to fire
  [recorder stop];
}

Swift 4

func stopRecording() {
 recorder?.stop()
}

continueRecording

Objective-c

- (void) continueRecording
{
// resume from a paused recording
[recorder record];

}

Swift 4

func continueRecording() {
 recorder?.record()
}

pauseRecording

Objective-c

 - (void) pauseRecording
 {  // pause an ongoing recording
[recorder pause];

 }

Swift 4

func pauseRecording() {
 recorder?.pause()
}

Thanks, but thats not answering my question...how do I save the files locally on the device and retrieve them later? — moshikafya, Aug 27 '12 at 15:07
Now edit some code for retrieve sound list later from save directory. Try it. — Hardeep Singh, Aug 28 '12 at 02:09
i add an new method - (NSString *) dateString, i use it for give different names when you record new sound. — Hardeep Singh, Aug 28 '12 at 04:30
I implemented your code but recordingFolder is not defined. When I defined it I still had issues and so had to disable code around this missing variable. How could I get it to work with a subfolder? eg, Documents/my-sound-sub-folder/my-sound.aif ?? Do we have to create the sub first or should it be automatically handled by the NSURL used with the recorder? — DynamicDan, Dec 09 '13 at 17:03
if you want create sub you can use it.- (void)ensurePathAt:(NSString *)path { NSFileManager *fm = [NSFileManager defaultManager]; if ( [fm fileExistsAtPath:path] == false ) { [fm createDirectoryAtPath:path withIntermediateDirectories:YES attributes:nil error:NULL]; } } — Hardeep Singh, Dec 10 '13 at 03:01
@Hardeep Please specify what is [self recordingFolder] and what can i do for this? — iamVishal16, Apr 12 '14 at 06:17
It will return local folder Path. For ex. Path of local Folder from document folder where i saved file. — Hardeep Singh, Apr 12 '14 at 12:19

Record audio file and save locally on iPhone

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