Appium - iOS - Building using debug-mode is not supported #120789

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1. darshankawar

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2. darshankawar commented on Feb 16, 2023

   

   darshankawar

   on Feb 16, 2023

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   @marceloadsj
   Please check this link and this to see if it helps in your case.
3. darshankawar

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4. marceloadsj commented on Feb 16, 2023

   

   marceloadsj

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   Hello @darshankawar thanks for your reply.

   Well, I did good info on those links related to "other options" of integration testing on Flutter apps.

   But regarding the core issue, I couldn't find anything.

   Just to be in sync, the root problem is **an iOS Flutter app built in debug-mode cannot run externally, without being from Flutter cli".

   From there I had 2 options

   1. check exactly why the app can't run, and see if, on Appium, I can make the debug-mode app to run via flutter cli. This would became an Appium concern, thus this issue could be closed

   2. or, forget about debug-mode and use profile-mode. But this creates a new problem: some APIs are not available in this mode. So, here the question is: is there a way to keep them in place? (APIs like getRenderObjectDiagnostics)
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6. darshankawar commented on Feb 17, 2023

   

   darshankawar

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   Thanks for the feedback.

   2. forget about debug-mode and use profile-mode. But this creates a new problem: some APIs are not available in this mode. So, here the question is: is there a way to keep them in place? (APIs like getRenderObjectDiagnostics)

   #70772 would be the right link to follow-up on for this scenario.

   1. check exactly why the app can't run, and see if, on Appium, I can make the debug-mode app to run via flutter cli. This would became an Appium concern, thus this issue could be closed

   I am not sure how Flutter would fix anything for this scenario, since it seems to be requirement from iOS level itself as it can't be open in debug mode for iOS 14+, so I think the change should probably made at Appium level to support it.

   Based on above, I will go ahead and close it as I don't think this would be actionable from Flutter side. If you disagree, write in comments and I'll reopen it.
7. darshankawar

   closed this as completedon Feb 17, 2023
8. darshankawar

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9. marceloadsj commented on Feb 17, 2023

   

   marceloadsj

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   @darshankawar regarding:

   since it seems to be requirement from iOS level itself as it can't be open in debug mode for iOS 14+

   Do you have, please, any document from iOS, from Flutter or any "code", that explains what exactly is that requirement?
10. marceloadsj commented on Mar 1, 2023

    

    marceloadsj

    on Mar 1, 2023

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    Any input from @Hixie side here, please?

    I'm tagging you as you asked for us to open an issue to discuss this behaviour.
    #70772

    Thanks!
11. Hixie commented on Mar 1, 2023

    

    Hixie

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    Yeah this might actually be a bug that has to be filed with Appium rather than Flutter, but let's reopen this while we figure out exactly where the fix would have to happen.
12. Hixie

    reopened this on Mar 1, 2023
13. Hixie

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    a: tests"flutter test", flutter_test, or one of our tests"flutter test", flutter_test, or one of our tests

    platform-iosiOS applications specificallyiOS applications specifically

    P2Important issues not at the top of the work listImportant issues not at the top of the work list

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14. jmagman commented on Mar 1, 2023

    

    jmagman

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    The limitation is that on iOS 14+ any JIT app (Flutter iOS debug mode) needs to be launched by a debugger either from lldb or Xcode. See:
    #60657
    #62518
    flutter-team-archive/engine#20980

    When you flutter run or run from a Flutter IDE plugin, the app is built under the covers with xcodebuild, then the .app bundle is being installed and launched via an lldb debugserver session by a tool called ios-deploy which is shipped in the flutter SDK at bin/cache/artifacts/ios-deploy/ios-deploy. Appium, or any tooling, could do the same and use ios-deploy to launch the app with the debugger. See https://github.com/ios-control/ios-deploy#examples or run bin/cache/artifacts/ios-deploy/ios-deploy -h to see the available commands and flags (--justlaunch, etc).

    flutter/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/ios/ios_deploy.dart

    Lines 167 to 198 in 888b7b9

    	/// Installs and then runs the specified app bundle.
    	///
    	/// Uses ios-deploy and returns the exit code.
    	Future<int> launchApp({
    	required String deviceId,
    	required String bundlePath,
    	required List<String> launchArguments,
    	required IOSDeviceConnectionInterface interfaceType,
    	required bool uninstallFirst,
    	Directory? appDeltaDirectory,
    	}) async {
    	appDeltaDirectory?.createSync(recursive: true);
    	final List<String> launchCommand = <String>[
    	_binaryPath,
    	'--id',
    	deviceId,
    	'--bundle',
    	bundlePath,
    	if (appDeltaDirectory != null) ...<String>[
    	'--app_deltas',
    	appDeltaDirectory.path,
    	],
    	if (interfaceType != IOSDeviceConnectionInterface.network)
    	'--no-wifi',
    	if (uninstallFirst)
    	'--uninstall',
    	'--justlaunch',
    	if (launchArguments.isNotEmpty) ...<String>[
    	'--args',
    	launchArguments.join(' '),
    	],
    	];

    flutter/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/ios/ios_deploy.dart

    Lines 121 to 165 in 888b7b9

    	/// Returns [IOSDeployDebugger] wrapping attached debugger logic.
    	///
    	/// This method does not install the app. Call [IOSDeployDebugger.launchAndAttach()]
    	/// to install and attach the debugger to the specified app bundle.
    	IOSDeployDebugger prepareDebuggerForLaunch({
    	required String deviceId,
    	required String bundlePath,
    	required List<String> launchArguments,
    	required IOSDeviceConnectionInterface interfaceType,
    	Directory? appDeltaDirectory,
    	required bool uninstallFirst,
    	}) {
    	appDeltaDirectory?.createSync(recursive: true);
    	// Interactive debug session to support sending the lldb detach command.
    	final List<String> launchCommand = <String>[
    	'script',
    	'-t',
    	'0',
    	'/dev/null',
    	_binaryPath,
    	'--id',
    	deviceId,
    	'--bundle',
    	bundlePath,
    	if (appDeltaDirectory != null) ...<String>[
    	'--app_deltas',
    	appDeltaDirectory.path,
    	],
    	if (uninstallFirst)
    	'--uninstall',
    	'--debug',
    	if (interfaceType != IOSDeviceConnectionInterface.network)
    	'--no-wifi',
    	if (launchArguments.isNotEmpty) ...<String>[
    	'--args',
    	launchArguments.join(' '),
    	],
    	];
    	return IOSDeployDebugger(
    	launchCommand: launchCommand,
    	logger: _logger,
    	processUtils: _processUtils,
    	iosDeployEnv: iosDeployEnv,
    	);
    	}

    This is the workaround Flutter tooling uses for the iOS 14+ limitation of running a JIT app on iOS, so Appium should be able to do the same.

    Does that answer your question?
15. jmagman

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16. marceloadsj commented on Mar 14, 2023

    

    marceloadsj

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    Thanks a lot everyone for your detailed explanation, I really appreciate it! <3

    I believe Appium (and any other userland tooling) can use the info provided by @jmagman to be able to launch Flutter apps in debug mode.

    I will close this issue and continue the discussion on Appium side. Thanks again! :)

    👍React with 👍1Reacted by Jenn Magder
17. marceloadsj

    closed this as completedon Mar 14, 2023
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19. darshankawar

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20. github-actions commented on Mar 28, 2023

    

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    This thread has been automatically locked since there has not been any recent activity after it was closed. If you are still experiencing a similar issue, please open a new bug, including the output of flutter doctor -v and a minimal reproduction of the issue.
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    locked as resolved and limited conversation to collaborators on Mar 28, 2023