Install and configure

Before starting, go through the Overview and Vision SDK Basics pages.

To set up the Vision SDK you will need to download the SDK, install the frameworks relevant to your project, and complete a few configuration steps.

SDK integration

You can integrate the Mapbox Vision SDK for iOS using a dependency manager such as Carthage or CocoaPods, or you can install the SDK manually.

SDK configuration

After downloading or importing the SDK into your project, you have to configure it:

Set your Mapbox access token

Mapbox Vision SDK requires a Mapbox account and access token.

1. As soon as you signed up at Mapbox, you can get an access token.
2. Get an access token from the Mapbox account page.
3. In Xcode, select the application's target, then go to the Info tab.
4. Under the "Custom iOS Target Properties" section, set MGLMapboxAccessToken to your access token.

Configure permissions

1. The Vision SDK needs to track the user's location in the foreground. To allow this, you have to edit the Info.plist file and set a proper description of location usage for the NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription key.
2. The Vision SDK uses the device's camera in the foreground. You have to edit the Info.plist file and set a proper description of camera usage for the NSCameraUsageDescription key.

Set up the initial code

Import relevant modules

MapboxVision is required.

MapboxVisionAR and MapboxVisionSafety are optionals, you have to import them to use AR and Safety features respectively.

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import MapboxVision
import MapboxVisionAR
import MapboxVisionSafety
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Prepare VisionManager

Initialize a video source and create an instance of VisionManager with the CameraVideoSource you have created.

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private var videoSource: CameraVideoSource!
 
private var visionManager: VisionManager!
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// create a video source obtaining buffers from camera module
videoSource = CameraVideoSource()
 
// create VisionManager with video source
visionManager = VisionManager.create(videoSource: videoSource)
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Set up VisionManager's delegate

You might want to subscribe to Vision events.

If you want to subscribe to Vision events, set up the delegate and implement required methods of the delegate.

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// set up the `VisionManagerDelegate`
visionManager.delegate = self
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extension GettingStartedViewController: VisionManagerDelegate {
// implement required methods of the delegate
}
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See VisionManagerDelegate API reference for a full list of methods.

Set up VisionARManager's and VisionSafetyManager's delegates

Similarly, you can subscribe to AR and Safety events with VisionARManager and VisionSafetyManager respectively.

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private var visionARManager: VisionARManager!
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// create VisionARManager to use AR features
visionARManager = VisionARManager.create(visionManager: visionManager)
// set up the `VisionARManagerDelegate`
visionARManager.delegate = self
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extension GettingStartedViewController: VisionARManagerDelegate {
// implement required methods of the delegate
}
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private var visionSafetyManager: VisionSafetyManager!
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// create VisionSafetyManager to use Safety features
visionSafetyManager = VisionSafetyManager.create(visionManager: visionManager)
// set up the `VisionSafetyManagerDelegate`
visionSafetyManager.delegate = self
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extension GettingStartedViewController: VisionSafetyManagerDelegate {
// implement required methods of the delegate
}
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See VisionARManagerDelegate and VisionSafetyManagerDelegate API references for a full list of methods.

Configure VisionPresentationViewController to display sample buffers from the video source

You may use VisionPresentationViewController to present events emitted from VisionManager.

Configure VisionPresentationViewController with an instance of VisionManager and add it to the current UI hierarchy:

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private let visionViewController = VisionPresentationViewController()
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// configure view to display sample buffers from video source
visionViewController.set(visionManager: visionManager)
addChild(visionViewController)
view.addSubview(visionViewController.view)
visionViewController.didMove(toParent: self)
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Start delivering events

To start delivering events from VisionManager, start running CameraVideoSource and then start VisionManager.

The viewWillAppear(_:) method from UIKit can be a good place for this:

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override func viewWillAppear(_ animated: Bool) {
super.viewWillAppear(animated)
 
// start delivering events
videoSource.start()
visionManager.start()
}
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Stop delivering events

To stop delivering events from VisionManager, stop running CameraVideoSource and then stop VisionManager.

You can do this in UIKit's viewDidDisappear(_:) method:

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override func viewDidDisappear(_ animated: Bool) {
super.viewDidDisappear(animated)
 
// stop delivering events
videoSource.stop()
visionManager.stop()
}
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Clean up the resources

It's important to clean up the resources when you don’t need them anymore:

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deinit {
// AR and Safety managers should be destroyed before the Vision manager
visionARManager.destroy()
visionSafetyManager.destroy()
 
// finally destroy the instance of `VisionManager`
visionManager.destroy()
}
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Test your first app with Vision SDK

Local testing setup

Read more about setting up your development environment for testing the capabilities of the Vision SDK in the Testing and development guide.

Vehicle setup

After installing the framework, you will need to set up the device in the vehicle. Some things to consider when choosing and setting up a mount:

• Generally, shorter length mounts will vibrate less. Mounting to your windshield or to the dashboard are both options.
• Place the phone near or behind your rearview mirror. Note that your local jurisdiction may have limits on where mounts may be placed.
• Make sure the phone’s camera view is unobstructed (you will be able to tell with any of the video screens open).