iOS: Local audio file (MP3) not playable, but remote URL works

[Ezzine-Smichi]

Describe the Bug
I am experiencing an issue where I can successfully play a remote MP3 file using react-native-track-player, but local audio files saved in DocumentDirectoryPath are not playing.

I get the following error when trying to play a local file:
error: {message: 'The track could not be played', code: 'ios_track_unplayable'}
However, a remote URL works fine:

await TrackPlayer.add({
id: 'test-url',
url: 'https://www.soundhelix.com/examples/mp3/SoundHelix-Song-1.mp3',
title: 'Test Audio',
artist: 'Unknown',
});
await TrackPlayer.play();

Steps To Reproduce
1-Copy an MP3 file from local storage to the app's document directory:
const simplePath = ${DocumentDirectoryPath}/audio.mp3;
await copyFile(tracker, simplePath);

=> the track is a document picked by the user inside the application

2-Try to play the copied file:
await TrackPlayer.add({
id: track_${Date.now()},
url: file://${simplePath},
title: 'Local Track',
artist: 'Unknown',
});
await TrackPlayer.play();

3-It throws the error: ios_track_unplayable.

Code To Reproduce
const setupPlayer = async () => {
try {
const simplePath = ${DocumentDirectoryPath}/audio.mp3;

  // Check if the file exists before copying
  const fileExists = await stat(tracker).catch(() => null);
  if (!fileExists) {
    console.log('Original file does not exist:', tracker);
    return;
  }

  // Delete existing file if present
  const newFileExists = await stat(simplePath).catch(() => null);
  if (newFileExists) {
    await unlink(simplePath);
  }

  // Copy file and verify
  await copyFile(tracker, simplePath);
  const copiedFileExists = await stat(simplePath).catch(() => null);
  if (!copiedFileExists) {
    console.log('Copied file does not exist:', simplePath);
    return;
  }

  console.log('File copied successfully:', simplePath);
 
  // Add track to player
  await TrackPlayer.add({
    id: `track_${Date.now()}`,
    url: `file://${simplePath}`,
    // url: 'https://www.soundhelix.com/examples/mp3/SoundHelix-Song-1.mp3',
    title: `track_${Date.now()}`,
    artist: `track_${Date.now()}`,
  });

  console.log('Track added successfully');
} catch (error) {
  console.log('Error in setupPlayer:', error);
}

};

Environment Info:
System:
OS: macOS 13.5.2
CPU: (12) x64 Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8750H CPU @ 2.20GHz
Memory: 91.71 MB / 16.00 GB
Shell:
version: "5.9"
path: /bin/zsh
Binaries:
Node:
version: 20.11.0
path: /usr/local/bin/node
Yarn:
version: 1.22.10
path: /usr/local/bin/yarn
npm:
version: 10.9.2
path: ~/Desktop/projects/audittab/node_modules/.bin/npm
Watchman:
version: 2023.01.16.00
path: /usr/local/bin/watchman
Managers:
CocoaPods:
version: 1.13.0
path: /Users/macbookpro/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.7.1/bin/pod
SDKs:
iOS SDK:
Platforms:
- DriverKit 23.2
- iOS 17.2
- macOS 14.2
- tvOS 17.2
- watchOS 10.2
react:
installed: 18.2.0
wanted: 18.2.0
react-native:
installed: 0.72.6
wanted: 0.72.6
iOS:
hermesEnabled: false
newArchEnabled: false
"react-native-track-player": "^4.1.1",
Real device
IOS 17.6.1

[lovegaoshi]

perhaps reference https://github.com/gyc-12/music-player-master/blob/de753420433d17cd7c98f560c9d7acf61510190f/src/helpers/trackPlayerIndex.ts#L830