Why there is an invalid context error?

Question

Here is the code I use to draw:

- (void) drawSomething
{

    CGContextRef context = UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext();
    CGContextSetRGBStrokeColor(context, 1, 0, 0, 1);
    CGContextSetLineWidth(context, 6.0);

    CGContextMoveToPoint(context, 100.0f, 100.0f);
    CGContextAddLineToPoint(context, 200.0f, 200.0f);
    CGContextStrokePath(context);

    NSLog(@"draw");

}

But I got the error like this:

[Session started at 2010-04-03 17:51:07 +0800.]
Sat Apr  3 17:51:09 MacBook.local MyApp[12869] <Error>: CGContextSetRGBStrokeColor: invalid context
Sat Apr  3 17:51:09 MacBook.local MyApp[12869] <Error>: CGContextSetLineWidth: invalid context
Sat Apr  3 17:51:09 MacBook.local MyApp[12869] <Error>: CGContextMoveToPoint: invalid context
Sat Apr  3 17:51:09 MacBook.local MyApp[12869] <Error>: CGContextAddLineToPoint: invalid context
Sat Apr  3 17:51:09 MacBook.local MyApp[12869] <Error>: CGContextDrawPath: invalid context

Why it prompt me to say that the context is invalided?

Answer 1

Like the documentation says :

The current graphics context is nil by default. Prior to calling its drawRect: method, view objects push a valid context onto the stack, making it current.

So you need to put this code in the drawRect method

Answer 2

From my answer to this similar question:

If this is to be drawn to the screen, you'll need to locate your drawing code within the -drawRect: method of a UIView (or –drawInContext: of a CALayer). To update its contents, you'd need to call -setNeedsDisplay on the UIView or CALayer. Attempting drawing at any other time will cause the "invalid context" error you're seeing.

See also this question.