5 April 2024 Leave a comment Tech-Help
When managing iOS simulators, especially for automation tasks like uninstalling an app, you may need to know the bundle identifiers of all installed applications. This guide will provide you with a step-by-step method to retrieve the bundle identifiers from an iOS simulator, enabling you to automate the uninstallation process efficiently.
Retrieving Bundle Identifiers
To list all the installed applications on an iOS simulator, you can use the xcrun command-line tool provided by Xcode. This tool allows you to interact with Apple’s simulators and devices directly from the command line.
Using xcrun simctl
The following command lists all applications installed on a specific iOS simulator:
xcrun simctl listapps {DEVICE_UUID}Replace {DEVICE_UUID} with the actual UUID of the simulator you are targeting. You can find the UUID of the simulator by running:
xcrun simctl list devicesOnce you have the list of bundle identifiers, you can script the uninstallation of a specific app like WebDriverAgent as follows:
xcrun simctl uninstall booted com.example.apple-samplecode.UICatalogMake sure to replace com.example.apple-samplecode.UICatalog with the actual bundle identifier of the application you wish to uninstall.
Alternative Method for Retrieving Bundle Identifiers
In addition to the xcrun simctl command, there is an alternative method for both simulator and real devices using ideviceinstaller.
For Simulators:
ideviceinstaller -l -o list_allFor Real Devices:
ideviceinstaller -u <UDID> -l -o list_allReplace <UDID> with the UDID of the real device you are connected to. This method requires having ideviceinstaller installed on your system.
Locating Installed Apps on the File System
If you prefer to navigate through the file system, applications are typically installed in the following directory:
~/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/[DeviceID]/data/Containers/Data/Application/Here, [DeviceID] should be replaced with the simulator’s UDID. Applications are stored in separate directories, and each time a new app is installed, a new directory is created.
With this information, you can locate the WebDriverAgent or any other application and manage it as required for your automation scripts.
Conclusion
Whether you’re an app developer, QA tester, or running automated tests using tools like Appium, knowing how to retrieve bundle identifiers is essential for managing iOS simulators. The methods provided here should help streamline your workflow and allow for effective automation of app management tasks.
