Fixed long delay before streamed LCP audiobooks start playing

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file. Take a look
 #### LCP
 
 * The CRL used to validate LCP licenses is now checked to be a genuine X.509 CRL before being cached. Networks with a captive portal (e.g. on a plane) could return their login page with a `200 OK` status, which was then cached for seven days and prevented opening LCP publications. An invalid CRL cached by a previous version is now ignored instead of waiting for its expiration.
+* [#579](https://github.com/readium/swift-toolkit/issues/579) Streamed LCP audiobooks now start playing almost immediately. Resources encrypted with AES-CBC are decrypted and served in chunks, instead of being fully downloaded and decrypted upfront.
 
 
 ## [4.0.0-alpha.1] - 2026-08-14

Sources/LCP/Content Protection/LCPDecryptor.swift

@@ -120,63 +120,126 @@ final class LCPDecryptor: Sendable {
             await plainTextSize()
         }
 
+        /// Number of plaintext bytes decrypted and delivered per `consume`
+        /// call when streaming.
+        private static let chunkSize: UInt64 = 256 * 1024
+
         @concurrent func stream(range: Range<UInt64>?, consume: @escaping @Sendable (Data) -> Void) async -> ReadResult<Void> {
-            guard let range = range else {
+            var plainTextSize: UInt64?
+            switch await self.plainTextSize() {
+            case let .success(size):
+                plainTextSize = size
+            case let .failure(error):
+                guard range == nil else {
+                    return .failure(error)
+                }
+            }
+
+            guard let plainTextSize else {
+                // Without the plaintext size, we can't compute the chunks to
+                // decrypt; fall back on reading and decrypting the whole
+                // resource in one shot.
+                guard range == nil else {
+                    return failure(.noPlainTextSize)
+                }
                 return await license.decryptFully(data: resource.read(), isDeflated: encryption.isDeflated)
                     .map {
                         consume($0)
                         return ()
                     }
             }
 
-            return await resource.estimatedLength().asyncFlatMap { encryptedLength in
+            let requestedRange = range ?? 0 ..< plainTextSize
+            let clampedRange = min(requestedRange.lowerBound, plainTextSize) ..< min(requestedRange.upperBound, plainTextSize)
+            guard !clampedRange.isEmpty else {
+                return .success(())
+            }
+
+            return await resource.estimatedLength().asyncFlatMap { [self] encryptedLength in
                 guard let encryptedLength = encryptedLength else {
                     return .failure(.decoding(LCPDecryptor.Error.requiredEstimatedLength))
                 }
-                guard let rangeFirst = range.first, let rangeLast = range.last else {
-                    return .failure(.decoding(LCPDecryptor.Error.invalidRange(range)))
+
+                // Decrypting in chunks lets the caller process the beginning
+                // of the resource without waiting for the whole range, which
+                // matters when streaming a large track from the network.
+                var chunkStart = clampedRange.lowerBound
+                while chunkStart < clampedRange.upperBound {
+                    guard !Task.isCancelled else {
+                        return .failure(.cancelled)
+                    }
+
+                    let chunkEnd = min(chunkStart + Self.chunkSize, clampedRange.upperBound)
+                    let result = await decrypt(
+                        range: chunkStart ..< chunkEnd,
+                        encryptedLength: encryptedLength,
+                        plainTextSize: plainTextSize
+                    )
+                    switch result {
+                    case let .success(chunk):
+                        consume(chunk)
+                        chunkStart = chunkEnd
+                    case let .failure(error):
+                        return .failure(error)
+                    }
                 }
 
-                // Encrypted data is shifted by AESBlockSize, because of IV and because the
-                // previous block must be provided to perform XOR on intermediate blocks.
-                let encryptedStart = rangeFirst.floorMultiple(of: AESBlockSize)
-                let encryptedEndExclusive = min(
-                    (rangeLast + 1).ceilMultiple(of: AESBlockSize) + AESBlockSize,
-                    encryptedLength
-                )
-
-                return await resource.read(range: encryptedStart ..< encryptedEndExclusive)
-                    .combine(plainTextSize())
-                    .flatMap { encryptedData, plainTextSize in
-                        do {
-                            guard let plainTextSize = plainTextSize else {
-                                return .failure(.decoding(LCPDecryptor.Error.noPlainTextSize))
-                            }
-                            guard let bytes = try license.decipher(encryptedData) else {
-                                return .failure(.decoding(LCPDecryptor.Error.emptyDecryptedData))
-                            }
-
-                            // Exclude the bytes added to match a multiple of AESBlockSize.
-                            let sliceStart = (rangeFirst - encryptedStart)
-
-                            let isLastBlockRead = encryptedLength - encryptedEndExclusive <= AESBlockSize
-                            let rangeLength = isLastBlockRead
-                                // Use decrypted length to ensure `rangeLast` doesn't exceed decrypted length - 1.
-                                ? min(rangeLast, plainTextSize - 1) - rangeFirst + 1
-                                // The last block won't be read, so there's no need to compute the length
-                                : rangeLast - rangeFirst + 1
-
-                            // Keep only enough bytes to fit the length-corrected request in order to never
-                            // include padding.
-                            let sliceEnd = sliceStart + rangeLength
-
-                            consume(bytes[sliceStart ..< sliceEnd])
-                            return .success(())
-                        } catch {
-                            return .failure(.decoding(error))
+                return .success(())
+            }
+        }
+
+        /// Decrypts a single chunk of plaintext located at `range`.
+        private func decrypt(
+            range: Range<UInt64>,
+            encryptedLength: UInt64,
+            plainTextSize: UInt64
+        ) async -> ReadResult<Data> {
+            guard let rangeFirst = range.first, let rangeLast = range.last else {
+                return failure(.invalidRange(range))
+            }
+
+            // Encrypted data is shifted by AESBlockSize, because of IV and
+            // because the previous block must be provided to perform XOR on
+            // intermediate blocks.
+            let encryptedStart = rangeFirst.floorMultiple(of: AESBlockSize)
+            let encryptedEndExclusive = min(
+                (rangeLast + 1).ceilMultiple(of: AESBlockSize) + AESBlockSize,
+                encryptedLength
+            )
+
+            return await resource.read(range: encryptedStart ..< encryptedEndExclusive)
+                .flatMap { [self] encryptedData in
+                    do {
+                        guard let bytes = try license.decipher(encryptedData) else {
+                            return failure(.emptyDecryptedData)
                         }
+
+                        // Exclude the bytes added to match a multiple of
+                        // AESBlockSize.
+                        let sliceStart = (rangeFirst - encryptedStart)
+
+                        let isLastBlockRead = encryptedLength - encryptedEndExclusive <= AESBlockSize
+                        let rangeLength = isLastBlockRead
+                            // Use decrypted length to ensure `rangeLast`
+                            // doesn't exceed decrypted length - 1.
+                            ? min(rangeLast, plainTextSize - 1) - rangeFirst + 1
+                            // The last block won't be read, so there's no need
+                            // to compute the length
+                            : rangeLast - rangeFirst + 1
+
+                        // Keep only enough bytes to fit the length-corrected
+                        // request in order to never include padding.
+                        let sliceEnd = sliceStart + rangeLength
+
+                        return .success(bytes[sliceStart ..< sliceEnd])
+                    } catch {
+                        return .failure(.decoding(error))
                     }
-            }
+                }
+        }
+
+        private func failure<T>(_ error: LCPDecryptor.Error) -> ReadResult<T> {
+            .failure(.decoding(error))
         }
     }
 }

Sources/Navigator/Audiobook/AudioNavigator.swift

@@ -156,7 +156,27 @@ public final class AudioNavigator: Navigator, Configurable, AudioSessionUser, Lo
 
     /// Returns whether the resource is currently playing or not.
     public var state: MediaPlaybackState {
-        MediaPlaybackState(player.timeControlStatus)
+        let state = MediaPlaybackState(player.timeControlStatus)
+        if
+            state == .playing,
+            let item = player.currentItem,
+            item.isPlaybackBufferEmpty, !item.isPlaybackLikelyToKeepUp
+        {
+            // As `automaticallyWaitsToMinimizeStalling` is disabled, the
+            // player reports `.playing` even when it is stalled on an empty
+            // buffer waiting for data.
+            return .loading
+        }
+        return state
+    }
+
+    /// Indicates whether the player is meant to be playing, even if it is
+    /// currently stalled waiting for data.
+    ///
+    /// Unlike `state`, this reflects the playback intent, which is what we
+    /// need to know when temporarily pausing the player to seek.
+    private var isPlaybackRequested: Bool {
+        player.timeControlStatus != .paused
     }
 
     /// Current playback info.
@@ -243,7 +263,7 @@ public final class AudioNavigator: Navigator, Configurable, AudioSessionUser, Lo
 
     /// Seeks to the given time in the current resource.
     public func seek(to time: Double) async {
-        let wasPlaying = (state == .playing)
+        let wasPlaying = isPlaybackRequested
         pause()
 
         await player.seek(to: CMTime(seconds: time, preferredTimescale: 1000))
@@ -261,10 +281,23 @@ public final class AudioNavigator: Navigator, Configurable, AudioSessionUser, Lo
     private var rateObserver: NSKeyValueObservation?
     private var timeControlStatusObserver: NSKeyValueObservation?
     private var currentItemObserver: NSKeyValueObservation?
+    private var itemStatusObserver: NSKeyValueObservation?
+    private var itemLikelyToKeepUpObserver: NSKeyValueObservation?
     private var timeObserverToken: TimeObserverToken?
     private var notificationTask: Task<Void, Never>?
 
-    private lazy var mediaLoader = PublicationMediaLoader(publication: publication)
+    private lazy var mediaLoader: PublicationMediaLoader = {
+        let loader = PublicationMediaLoader(publication: publication)
+        loader.onLoadingError = { [weak self] href, error in
+            Task { @MainActor in
+                guard let self = self, let href = href.relativeURL else {
+                    return
+                }
+                self.delegate?.navigator(self, didFailToLoadResourceAt: href, withError: error)
+            }
+        }
+        return loader
+    }()
 
     private lazy var player: AVPlayer = makePlayer()
 
@@ -312,8 +345,10 @@ public final class AudioNavigator: Navigator, Configurable, AudioSessionUser, Lo
             }
         }
 
-        currentItemObserver = player.observe(\.currentItem, options: [.new, .old]) { [weak self] _, _ in
+        currentItemObserver = player.observe(\.currentItem, options: [.new, .old]) { [weak self] player, _ in
+            let item = player.currentItem
             Task { @MainActor [weak self] in
+                self?.observe(currentItem: item)
                 self?.playbackDidChange()
             }
         }
@@ -339,6 +374,33 @@ public final class AudioNavigator: Navigator, Configurable, AudioSessionUser, Lo
         return player
     }
 
+    private func observe(currentItem item: AVPlayerItem?) {
+        itemLikelyToKeepUpObserver = item?.observe(\.isPlaybackLikelyToKeepUp) { [weak self] _, _ in
+            Task { @MainActor [weak self] in
+                self?.playbackDidChange()
+            }
+        }
+
+        itemStatusObserver = item?.observe(\.status) { [weak self] item, _ in
+            guard item.status == .failed else {
+                return
+            }
+
+            let itemError = item.error
+
+            Task { @MainActor [weak self] in
+                guard let self = self else { return }
+                log(.error, "Failed to load the player item: \(String(describing: itemError))")
+                guard let href = self.publication.readingOrder[self.resourceIndex].url().relativeURL else {
+                    return
+                }
+                let error: ReadError = itemError.flatMap { .wrap($0) }
+                    ?? .decoding("The AVPlayerItem failed to load", cause: itemError)
+                self.delegate?.navigator(self, didFailToLoadResourceAt: href, withError: error)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     private func shouldPlayNextResource() -> Bool {
         guard let delegate = delegate else {
             return true
@@ -459,7 +521,7 @@ public final class AudioNavigator: Navigator, Configurable, AudioSessionUser, Lo
     public private(set) var currentLocation: Locator?
 
     public func go(to locator: Locator, options: NavigatorGoOptions) async -> Bool {
-        let wasPlaying = (state == .playing)
+        let wasPlaying = isPlaybackRequested
         pause()
 
         guard let newResourceIndex = publication.readingOrder.firstIndexWithHREF(locator.href) else {

Sources/Navigator/Audiobook/PublicationMediaLoader.swift

@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ final class PublicationMediaLoader: NSObject, AVAssetResourceLoaderDelegate, Log
 
     private let publication: Publication
 
+    /// Called when a resource failed to be served to the player, e.g. to
+    /// forward the error to the `NavigatorDelegate`.
+    var onLoadingError: ((AnyURL, ReadError) -> Void)?
+
     private let tasks = CancellableTasks()
 
     init(publication: Publication) {
@@ -63,6 +67,13 @@ final class PublicationMediaLoader: NSObject, AVAssetResourceLoaderDelegate, Log
         else {
             return nil
         }
+
+        // Only the resources of other entries are evicted, as the player
+        // routinely abandons its requests to issue new ones for the same
+        // entry. Dropping the current resource would throw away its buffered
+        // data and force re-downloading the beginning of the entry.
+        resources = resources.filter { requests[$0.key] != nil }
+
         resources[href] = (link, resource)
         return (link, resource)
     }
@@ -99,8 +110,9 @@ final class PublicationMediaLoader: NSObject, AVAssetResourceLoaderDelegate, Log
         let req = reqs.remove(at: index)
         req.task.cancel()
 
+        // The resource is intentionally kept in `resources`, to reuse its
+        // buffered data with the next loading requests for the same entry.
         if reqs.isEmpty {
-            resources.removeValue(forKey: href)
             requests.removeValue(forKey: href)
         } else {
             requests[href] = reqs
@@ -138,7 +150,7 @@ final class PublicationMediaLoader: NSObject, AVAssetResourceLoaderDelegate, Log
         using resource: Resource,
         link: Link
     ) {
-        tasks.add {
+        tasks.add { [self] in
             infoRequest.isByteRangeAccessSupported = true
             infoRequest.contentType = link.mediaType?.uti
 
@@ -149,6 +161,7 @@ final class PublicationMediaLoader: NSObject, AVAssetResourceLoaderDelegate, Log
 
             case let .failure(error):
                 log(.error, error)
+                report(error, forHREF: link.url())
                 request.finishLoading(with: error)
             }
         }
@@ -162,17 +175,24 @@ final class PublicationMediaLoader: NSObject, AVAssetResourceLoaderDelegate, Log
             range = UInt64(dataRequest.currentOffset) ..< (UInt64(dataRequest.currentOffset) + UInt64(dataRequest.requestedLength))
         }
 
-        let task = Task {
+        let task = Task { [self] in
             let result = await resource.stream(
                 range: range,
                 consume: { dataRequest.respond(with: $0) }
             )
 
+            // The player abandons data requests regularly, e.g. when seeking.
+            // There's nothing to report or finish in this case.
+            guard !Task.isCancelled else {
+                return
+            }
+
             queue.async { [weak self] in
                 switch result {
                 case .success:
                     request.finishLoading()
                 case let .failure(error):
+                    self?.report(error, forHREF: link.url())
                     request.finishLoading(with: error)
                 }
 
@@ -183,6 +203,15 @@ final class PublicationMediaLoader: NSObject, AVAssetResourceLoaderDelegate, Log
         registerRequest(request, task: task, for: link.url())
     }
 
+    private func report(_ error: ReadError, forHREF href: AnyURL) {
+        // Cancellation is not an error worth reporting, it occurs whenever
+        // the player abandons a data request, e.g. when seeking.
+        if case .cancelled = error {
+            return
+        }
+        onLoadingError?(href, error)
+    }
+
     func resourceLoader(_ resourceLoader: AVAssetResourceLoader, didCancel loadingRequest: AVAssetResourceLoadingRequest) {
         finishRequest(loadingRequest)
     }