How to access music files stored on the iOS device? - ios

Question

My application is having trouble locating the files that are in the music folder on my iOS device.
If the files are held below as application data (in my playpen), no problem. But when I go looking for the "Music" folder, using the following lines:
dest_dir = try! FileManager.default.url(for: .musicDirectory, in: .allDomainsMask, appropriateFor: nil, create: false)
musicDir = dest_dir
if UIApplication.shared.canOpenURL(musicDir) {
print("found music directory")
}else {
print("did not find music directory")
}
When the code executes the canOpenURL, I get a permissions complaint.
I also tried accessing the user directory (thinking I could then navigate into Music).
Any clues on how an application can access the files and playlists held under the music system folder on the iOS device?

Answer 1

There is no such thing as "the Music folder" in iOS. To access the user's music library, use the Media Player framework.
Example (assuming you have obtained the necessary authorization from the user):
let query = MPMediaQuery()
let result = query.items

Answer 2

Here you go! (Swift 4.2)
Inside a button method or #IBAction button
let mediaItems = MPMediaQuery.songs().items
let mediaCollection = MPMediaItemCollection(items: mediaItems ?? [])
let player = MPMusicPlayerController.systemMusicPlayer
player.setQueue(with: mediaCollection)
player.play()
let picker = MPMediaPickerController(mediaTypes: .anyAudio)
picker.delegate = self
picker.allowsPickingMultipleItems = false
picker.prompt = "Choose a song"
present(picker, animated: true, completion: nil)

Answer 3

iOS doesn’t give you direct access to the Music folder, for security and privacy reasons; you need to use the APIs in the MediaPlayer framework. Assuming you’re trying to play content from the user’s library, take a look at MPMusicPlayerController; you’ll need to provide it some MPMediaItem instances retrieved with an MPMediaQuery, then call methods from the MPMediaPlayback protocol on the controller to make it play the content.