xamarin forms ios 16 avplayer not showing video controls

Question

xamarin forms ios 16 avplayer not showing video controls

Phil 166

Hi there
I have a video player in Xamarin forms that works for IOS and android. Before IOS 16 the video controls, play, pause, full screen etc all appeared as expected.
After the device has been updated to IOS 16 the controls are now missing (This is both on a real device and emulator.) It seems the latest IOS update has had some breaking changes as they have updated the video controls.

I have found some similar topics and issues around.
https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/711360
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/72830620/playback-buttons-do-not-appear-in-an-avplayer-after-adding-a-layer-ios-16

These suggest that I may need to add the view controller to the parent UIView.
I am unsure how to do this in xamarin as I don't have a "controller" above.

Here is the code for the video player

using AVFoundation;  
using AVKit;  
using CoreMedia;  
using Foundation;  
using ScreenConfiguration.FormsVideoLibrary;  
using System;  
using System.Collections.Generic;  
using System.ComponentModel;  
using System.IO;  
using System.Linq;  
using System.Text;  
using System.Windows.Input;  
using UIKit;  
using Xamarin.Forms;  
using Xamarin.Forms.Platform.iOS;  
  
[assembly: ExportRenderer(typeof(VideoPlayer),  
                          typeof(ScreenConfiguration.iOS.FormsVideoLibrary.VideoPlayerRenderer))]  
namespace ScreenConfiguration.iOS.FormsVideoLibrary  
{  
    public class VideoPlayerRenderer : ViewRenderer<VideoPlayer, UIView>  
    {  
        AVPlayer player;  
        AVPlayerItem playerItem;  
        AVPlayerViewController _playerViewController;       // solely for ViewController property  
  
        public override UIViewController ViewController => _playerViewController;  
  
        protected override void OnElementChanged(ElementChangedEventArgs<VideoPlayer> args)  
        {  
            base.OnElementChanged(args);  
  
            if (args.NewElement != null)  
            {  
                if (Control == null)  
                {  
                    // Create AVPlayerViewController  
                    _playerViewController = new AVPlayerViewController();  
  
                    // Set Player property to AVPlayer  
                    player = new AVPlayer();  
  
                    _playerViewController.Player = player;  
  
                    if (args.NewElement.Fit)  
                    {  
                        _playerViewController.VideoGravity = AVLayerVideoGravity.Resize;  
                    }  
                    else  
                    {  
                        _playerViewController.VideoGravity = AVLayerVideoGravity.ResizeAspect;  
                    }  
  
                    if (args.NewElement.AreTransportControlsEnabled)  
                    {  
                        _playerViewController.ShowsPlaybackControls = false;  
                    }  
                    else  
                    {  
                        _playerViewController.ShowsPlaybackControls = true;  
                    }  
                    
                    var x = _playerViewController.View;  
  
                    SetNativeControl(x);  
                }  
  
                SetAreTransportControlsEnabled();  
                SetSource();  
  
                args.NewElement.UpdateStatus += OnUpdateStatus;  
                args.NewElement.PlayRequested += OnPlayRequested;  
                args.NewElement.PauseRequested += OnPauseRequested;  
                args.NewElement.StopRequested += OnStopRequested;  
                args.NewElement.VideoStepForwardEvent += OnVideoStepForwardEvent;  
                args.NewElement.VideoStepBackwardEvent += OnVideoStepBackwardEvent;  
  
  
            }  
  
            if (args.OldElement != null)  
            {  
                args.OldElement.UpdateStatus -= OnUpdateStatus;  
                args.OldElement.PlayRequested -= OnPlayRequested;  
                args.OldElement.PauseRequested -= OnPauseRequested;  
                args.OldElement.StopRequested -= OnStopRequested;  
                args.OldElement.VideoStepForwardEvent -= OnVideoStepForwardEvent;  
                args.OldElement.VideoStepBackwardEvent -= OnVideoStepBackwardEvent;  
            }  
        }  
  
        protected override void Dispose(bool disposing)  
        {  
            base.Dispose(disposing);  
  
            if (player != null)  
            {  
                player.ReplaceCurrentItemWithPlayerItem(null);  
            }  
        }  
  
        protected override void OnElementPropertyChanged(object sender, PropertyChangedEventArgs args)  
        {  
            base.OnElementPropertyChanged(sender, args);  
  
            if (args.PropertyName == VideoPlayer.AreTransportControlsEnabledProperty.PropertyName)  
            {  
                SetAreTransportControlsEnabled();  
            }  
            else if (args.PropertyName == VideoPlayer.SourceProperty.PropertyName)  
            {  
                SetSource();  
            }  
            else if (args.PropertyName == VideoPlayer.PositionProperty.PropertyName)  
            {  
                TimeSpan controlPosition = ConvertTime(player.CurrentTime);  
  
                if (Math.Abs((controlPosition - Element.Position).TotalSeconds) > 1)  
                {  
                    player.Seek(CMTime.FromSeconds(Element.Position.TotalSeconds, 1));  
                }  
            }  
        }  
  
        void SetAreTransportControlsEnabled()  
        {  
            ((AVPlayerViewController)ViewController).ShowsPlaybackControls = Element.AreTransportControlsEnabled;  
        }  
  
        void SetSource()  
        {  
            AVAsset asset = null;  
  
            if (Element.Source is UriVideoSource)  
            {  
                string uri = (Element.Source as UriVideoSource).Uri;  
  
                if (!String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(uri))  
                {  
                    try  
                    {  
                        asset = AVAsset.FromUrl(new NSUrl(uri));  
                    }  
                    catch(Exception ex)  
                    {  
  
                    }  
                }  
            }  
            else if (Element.Source is FileVideoSource)  
            {  
                string uri = (Element.Source as FileVideoSource).File;  
  
                if (!String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(uri))  
                {  
                    asset = AVAsset.FromUrl(new NSUrl(uri));  
                }  
            }  
            else if (Element.Source is ResourceVideoSource)  
            {  
                string path = (Element.Source as ResourceVideoSource).Path;  
  
                if (!String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(path))  
                {  
                    string directory = Path.GetDirectoryName(path);  
                    string filename = Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(path);  
                    string extension = Path.GetExtension(path).Substring(1);  
                    NSUrl url = NSBundle.MainBundle.GetUrlForResource(filename, extension, directory);  
                    asset = AVAsset.FromUrl(url);  
                }  
            }  
  
            if (asset != null)  
            {  
                playerItem = new AVPlayerItem(asset);  
                var videoWidth = asset.NaturalSize.Width;  
                var videoHeight = asset.NaturalSize.Height;  
            }  
            else  
            {  
                playerItem = null;  
            }  
  
            if (playerItem != null)  
            {  
                player.ReplaceCurrentItemWithPlayerItem(playerItem);  
                player.CurrentItem.PreferredForwardBufferDuration = 1;  
            }  
  
  
            if (playerItem != null && Element.AutoPlay)  
            {  
                player.Play();  
            }  
        }  
  
        // Event handler to update status  
        void OnUpdateStatus(object sender, EventArgs args)  
        {  
            VideoStatus videoStatus = VideoStatus.NotReady;  
  
            switch (player.Status)  
            {  
                case AVPlayerStatus.ReadyToPlay:  
                    switch (player.TimeControlStatus)  
                    {  
                        case AVPlayerTimeControlStatus.Playing:  
                            videoStatus = VideoStatus.Playing;  
                            break;  
  
                        case AVPlayerTimeControlStatus.Paused:  
                            videoStatus = VideoStatus.Paused;  
                            break;  
                    }  
                    break;  
            }  
            ((IVideoPlayerController)Element).Status = videoStatus;  
  
            if (playerItem != null)  
            {  
                ((IVideoPlayerController)Element).Duration = ConvertTime(playerItem.Duration);  
                ((IElementController)Element).SetValueFromRenderer(VideoPlayer.PositionProperty, ConvertTime(playerItem.CurrentTime));  
            }  
        }  
  
        TimeSpan ConvertTime(CMTime cmTime)  
        {  
            return TimeSpan.FromSeconds(Double.IsNaN(cmTime.Seconds) ? 0 : cmTime.Seconds);  
  
        }  
  
        // Event handlers to implement methods  
        void OnPlayRequested(object sender, EventArgs args)  
        {  
            player.Play();  
        }  
  
        void OnPauseRequested(object sender, EventArgs args)  
        {  
            player.Pause();  
        }  
  
        void OnStopRequested(object sender, EventArgs args)  
        {  
            player.Pause();  
            player.Seek(new CMTime(0, 1));  
        }  
  
        void OnVideoStepForwardEvent(object sender, EventArgs args)  
        {  
            TimeSpan controlPosition = ConvertTime(player.CurrentTime);  
            TimeSpan controlDuration = ConvertTime(playerItem.Duration);  
  
            if (controlPosition.TotalMilliseconds + 100 < controlDuration.TotalMilliseconds)  
            {  
                double calculatedSeconds = (controlPosition.TotalMilliseconds + 100)/1000;//(double)((controlPosition.TotalMilliseconds + 100) / 1000);  
                player.Seek(CMTime.FromSeconds(calculatedSeconds, 60000), CMTime.Zero, CMTime.Zero);  
            }  
            else  
            {  
                TimeSpan calculatedSeconds = ConvertTime(playerItem.Duration);  
                player.Seek(CMTime.FromSeconds((calculatedSeconds.TotalMilliseconds * 1000), 60000));  
            }  
  
        }  
  
        void OnVideoStepBackwardEvent(object sender, EventArgs args)  
        {  
            TimeSpan controlPosition = ConvertTime(player.CurrentTime);  
            TimeSpan controlDuration = ConvertTime(playerItem.Duration);  
  
            if (controlPosition.TotalMilliseconds - 100 > 0)  
            {  
                double calculatedSeconds = (controlPosition.TotalMilliseconds - 100) / 1000;  
                player.Seek(CMTime.FromSeconds(calculatedSeconds, 60000),CMTime.Zero, CMTime.Zero);  
            }  
            else  
            {  
                player.Seek(CMTime.FromSeconds(0, 1));  
            }  
  
        }  
  
  
  
        ICommand OnTappedCmd  
        {  
            get  
            {  
                return new Command(OnTapped);  
            }  
        }  
        void OnTapped()  
        {  
            Element.VideoSelected = true;  
        }  
    }  
}

In the page I just add it to a grid with a url.

    <ContentPage.Content>  
        <Grid BackgroundColor="Black">  
            <formsVideoLibrary:VideoPlayer x:Name="VideoPlayerControl"  
                        HorizontalOptions="FillAndExpand"  
                        VerticalOptions="FillAndExpand"  
                        IsVisible="True"                     
                        Source="{Binding VideoPlayer.Url}"  
                        VideoSelected="True"  
                        AreTransportControlsEnabled="True">  
            </formsVideoLibrary:VideoPlayer>  
        </Grid>  
    </ContentPage.Content>

Any suggestions or insight would be appreciated.

Deepak Surya Mohana Murali 0 Reputation points

2023-02-15T22:50:39.03+00:00

Phil, do you have the complete solution in a Git Repo or do you have the complete code since I'm also facing the same issue

Phil 166

I don't have a git hub with the solution currently. But I got it working using Wenyan Zhang answer below.

You can create a Page in the shared xamarin forms like MainPage.

Then in the ios project create the video library (as the code above).

Within the OnElementChanged

there is a check for if(control == null)

Within that block after the AV Player has been configured include a Message Center, the line below.

  MessagingCenter.Send(this, "loadVideo", _playerViewController);

Then in the ios project create a new class for a renderer.

[assembly: ExportRenderer(typeof(SavedVideoPlayerPage), typeof(SavePageRenderer))]
namespace ScreenConfiguration.iOS.FormsVideoLibrary
{
    public class SavePageRenderer : PageRenderer
    {
        public SavePageRenderer()
        {
            MessagingCenter.Subscribe<VideoPlayerRenderer, AVPlayerViewController>(this, "loadVideo", (VideoPlayerRenderer arg1, AVPlayerViewController arg2) =>
             {
                 AddChildViewController(arg2);
             });
        }

        public override void ViewDidDisappear(bool animated)
        {
            base.ViewDidDisappear(animated);

             MessagingCenter.Unsubscribe<VideoPlayerRenderer, AVPlayerViewController>(this, "loadVideo");
        }
    }
}

You should then be able to debug the video in ios and see the message centre get hit.

Once this happens it added the layout in ios and displayed the controls.

Accepted answer

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Deepak Surya Mohana Murali 0 Reputation points

2023-02-15T22:50:39.03+00:00

Phil, do you have the complete solution in a Git Repo or do you have the complete code since I'm also facing the same issue
Phil 166 Reputation points

2023-02-16T09:18:24.4633333+00:00

I don't have a git hub with the solution currently. But I got it working using Wenyan Zhang answer below.

You can create a Page in the shared xamarin forms like MainPage.

Then in the ios project create the video library (as the code above).

Within the OnElementChanged

there is a check for if(control == null)

Within that block after the AV Player has been configured include a Message Center, the line below.

MessagingCenter.Send(this, "loadVideo", _playerViewController);

Then in the ios project create a new class for a renderer.

[assembly: ExportRenderer(typeof(SavedVideoPlayerPage), typeof(SavePageRenderer))] namespace ScreenConfiguration.iOS.FormsVideoLibrary { public class SavePageRenderer : PageRenderer { public SavePageRenderer() { MessagingCenter.Subscribe<VideoPlayerRenderer, AVPlayerViewController>(this, "loadVideo", (VideoPlayerRenderer arg1, AVPlayerViewController arg2) => { AddChildViewController(arg2); }); } public override void ViewDidDisappear(bool animated) { base.ViewDidDisappear(animated); MessagingCenter.Unsubscribe<VideoPlayerRenderer, AVPlayerViewController>(this, "loadVideo"); } } }

You should then be able to debug the video in ios and see the message centre get hit.

Once this happens it added the layout in ios and displayed the controls.

Answer 1

Hello @Phil ,

You could check if the controls appear when you tap the player view once, I debugged the official Apple sample, it's the new default appearance by design in iOS16. The behavior is the same whether you add the view or not, you have to tap the player to see the controls. (There are also some developers discussing this in the two threads you mentioned)
About how to add the UIView and AddChildViewController, you can refer to the following code:

protected override void OnElementChanged(ElementChangedEventArgs<VideoPlayer> args)  
        {  
            base.OnElementChanged(args);  
  
            if (args.NewElement != null)  
            {  
                if (Control == null)  
                {  
                     // Create AVPlayerViewController  
                     _playerViewController = new AVPlayerViewController();  
                    // Set Player property to AVPlayer  
                 player = new AVPlayer(new NSUrl("https://devstreaming-cdn.apple.com/videos/tech-talks/110150/5/53004602-8AEC-4285-B8C9-400EC4F44035/cmaf.m3u8"));  
                   _playerViewController.Player = player;  
                   _playerViewController.ShowsPlaybackControls = true;  
                   // var view = new UIView(new CoreGraphics.CGRect(0,0,UIScreen.MainScreen.Bounds.Size.Width,UIScreen.MainScreen.Bounds.Height));  
                    var x = _playerViewController.View;  
                  //  MessagingCenter.Send(this, "Hi", _playerViewController);//try to add the child controller in the page renderer  
                   // view.AddSubview(_playerViewController.View);  
                SetNativeControl(x);  
                 //SetNativeControl(view);  
                }  
            }  
        }

AddChildViewController in MainPageRenderer(I added the formsVideoLibrary:VideoPlayer in MainPage)

 [assembly: ExportRenderer(typeof(MainPage),  
                           typeof(MainPageRenderer))]  
namespace AVPlayerSample.iOS  
{  
    public class MainPageRenderer:PageRenderer  
    {  
        public MainPageRenderer()  
        {  
            MessagingCenter.Subscribe<VideoPlayerRenderer, AVPlayerViewController>(this, "Hi", (VideoPlayerRenderer arg1, AVPlayerViewController arg2) =>  
            {  
                AddChildViewController(arg2);  
            });  
        }  
    }  
}

Best Regards,
Wenyan Zhang

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Phil 166 Reputation points

2022-10-18T09:35:32.78+00:00

Many thanks for this.

I thought I would add a bit more information in case anyone else comes across this.
I am using the Shell navigation project, and am running on Xamarin forms 5.0.0.2515.

I had to include the

MessagingCenter.Send(this, "LoadVideo", _playerViewController);//try to add the child controller in the page renderer

and MessagingCenter.Subscribe<VideoPlayerRenderer, AVPlayerViewController>(this, "LoadVideo", (VideoPlayerRenderer arg1, AVPlayerViewController arg2) => { AddChildViewController(arg2); });

Once I did this the controls appeared after tapping as you said.
Without this the controls don't appear even with tapping.

Thank you.
Phil 166 Reputation points

2022-10-18T10:28:20.053+00:00

I also had to add

public override void ViewDidDisappear(bool animated) { base.ViewDidDisappear(animated) MessageCenter.Unsubscribe<VideoPlayerRenderer, AVPlayerViewController>(this, "loadVideo"); } Into the new page render if I wanted to navigate away from the page and back. Otherwise ios would throw and exception.

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xamarin forms ios 16 avplayer not showing video controls

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