Save and Retrieve Image File From Realm - ios

Question

Writing to the file system allows users to write and retrieve string, image, etc., files to and from the application on their devices.
The images I write and retrieve to the app that appear when I run the simulator, for example, are unique to that app bundle, and differ from the images I write and retrieve from my device.
When I research how to write and read image files with Realm I am told not to save the image but the path. Images are too large to store. Got it.
But the file path I am saving naturally returns data native to the specific app bundle-- or returns nil. How might I write and retrieve image files/paths to and from Realm if the file path is unique to the device(s)? Do I need a separate image array?
First View Controller
let planet = planets[indexPath.item]
cell.name.text = planet.name
cell.system.text = planet.system
let imageData = (self.getDirectoryPath() as NSString).appendingPathComponent("image")
if self.fileManager.fileExists(atPath: imageData) {
// Populates every cell with the same image
cell.earthImage.image = UIImage(contentsOfFile: imageData)
// returns nil
cell.earthImage.image = UIImage(contentsOfFile: planet.image)
}
// Retrieve directory path for image
func getDirectoryPath() -> String {
let paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(.documentDirectory, .userDomainMask, true)
let documentsDirectory = paths[0]
return documentsDirectory
}
Second View Controller
let planet = Planet()
self.realm = try! Realm(configuration: config(user: SyncUser.current!))
planet.name = self.name.text!
planet.system = self.system.text!
let imageData = (self.getDirectoryPath() as NSString).appendingPathComponent("person")
if self.fileManager.fileExists(atPath: imageData) {
self.earthImage.image = UIImage(contentsOfFile: imageData)
// Why does this not write to realm?
planet.image = imageData
}
try! self.realm.write {
self.realm.add(planet)
}
Here, I am posting from the secondViewController where I would like to render these values in my collectionView in the firstViewController's numberOfItemsInSection_:) method.
Here's the model:
class Planet: Object {
#objc dynamic var name = String()
#objc dynamic var system = String()
#objc dynamic var image = String()
}