---
title: "temporaryPixelBuffer(withIdentifier:format:width:height:attributes:)"
framework: coreimage
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Method
path: "coreimage/ciimageprocessoroutput/temporarypixelbuffer(withidentifier:format:width:height:attributes:)"
---

# temporaryPixelBuffer(withIdentifier:format:width:height:attributes:)

Returns a temporary CVPixelBuffer that your Core Image Processor Kernel can use as scratch storage during processing.

## Declaration

```swift
func temporaryPixelBuffer(withIdentifier identifier: String, format: OSType, width: Int, height: Int, attributes: [AnyHashable : Any]? = nil) -> Unmanaged<CVPixelBuffer>?
```

## Parameters

- `identifier`: A name that uniquely identifies this scratch buffer within the processor invocation.
- `format`: The pixel format for the buffer. Must be a non-zero OSType pixel format constant.
- `width`: The width of the buffer in pixels. Must be greater than zero.
- `height`: The height of the buffer in pixels. Must be greater than zero.
- `attributes`: An optional dictionary of CVPixelBuffer creation attributes.

## Return Value

Return Value  A non-retained CVPixelBuffer of the requested size and format, or nil if the buffer could not be created.

## Discussion

Discussion Use this method when your processor needs an intermediate CVPixelBuffer to stash data between stages of its work. Core Image manages the lifetime of the returned buffer and reuses the underlying allocation across multiple invocations when possible. This is more efficient than allocating a fresh CVPixelBuffer on each invocation of your processor. The returned pixel buffer is valid only for the duration of the process(with:arguments:output:) call that requested it. Don’t retain it beyond the scope of that method or use it after the method returns. Calling this method multiple times within the same processor invocation with the same identifier, format, width, and height returns a pixel buffer backed by the same IOSurface. Otherwise it returns a distinct pixel buffer. This lets a processor request several independent pixel buffers by giving each one a unique name.