This document discusses UI testing in Xcode 7. It provides an example test for a successful user login. It explains the XCUIApplication and XCUIElement classes which represent the application and UI elements. XCUIElementQuery can be used to find elements. Interactions like tapping and typing are demonstrated. Setting up expectations and assertions for test results is covered. Tips discussed include handling interruptions, improving performance by disabling animations, and changing device orientation in tests.

1. UI Testing in Xcode 7
Dominique Stranz

3. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Example Test: Successful user login
1) tap my account button
2) tap log in button
3) tap & type e-mail
4) tap & type password
5) tap log in button

4. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Example Test: Successful user login
@interface Account : XCTestCase
@property (strong) TestUser *user;
@end
@implementation Account
- (void)setUp {
[super setUp];
[self createUser]; //we are creating test user account here, it will be used in all test cases
self.continueAfterFailure = NO;
}
- (void)tearDown {
[super tearDown];
}
- (void)testLogin_CredentialsAreValid_ShouldLogin {
}

5. RECORDING…

6. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Recording…
Problem with non-ascii characters
Not so useful with localised appsComplicated and not
universal queries

7. Testability
Quality of Accessibility Data
source: WWDC, Session 406

8. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
UIAccessibility identifiers
Unique identifiers allow recorder to use simpler queries
‣ Locale independent
‣ Ignored by Voice Over

9. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
How to set UIAccessibility identifiers?
@protocol UIAccessibilityIdentification <NSObject>
@required
/*
A string that identifies the user interface element.
default == nil
*/
@property(nullable, nonatomic, copy) NSString *accessibilityIdentifier
NS_AVAILABLE_IOS(5_0);
@end

10. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
We can choose from several options to find element
We should use more precise query, if our accessibility
identifier or label isn’t unique:

11. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Why not share our identifiers between app & test targets?
…and finally use user credentials created in setUp method.

12. EXPLANATION

13. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
XCUIElement - proxy for all application UI elements
XCUIElement UIButton
UITextField
UITableViewCell
and others…
‣ currentTitle
‣ currentAttributedTitle
‣ text
‣ placeholder
‣ textLabel.text
‣ detailTextLabel.text
‣ title
‣ label
‣ value
‣ placeholderValue
‣ identifier
‣ selected
‣ frame
‣ …

14. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Interactions
XCUIElement
‣ title
‣ label
‣ value
‣ placeholderValue
‣ identifier
‣ selected
‣ frame
‣ …
- (void)typeText:(NSString *)text;
- (void)tap;
- (void)doubleTap;
- (void)twoFingerTap;
- (void)tapWithNumberOfTaps:(NSUInteger)numberOfTaps
numberOfTouches:(NSUInteger)numberOfTouches;
- (void)pressForDuration:(NSTimeInterval)duration;
- (void)pressForDuration:(NSTimeInterval)duration
thenDragToElement:(XCUIElement *)otherElement;
- (void)swipeUp;
- (void)swipeDown;
- (void)swipeLeft;
- (void)swipeRight;
- (void)pinchWithScale:(CGFloat)scale velocity:(CGFloat)velocity;
- (void)rotate:(CGFloat)rotation withVelocity:(CGFloat)velocity;

15. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Element queries
XCUIElement
‣ title
‣ label
‣ value
‣ placeholderValue
‣ identifier
‣ selected
‣ frame
‣ …
/*! Returns a query for all descendants of the element matching the
specified type. */
- (XCUIElementQuery *)descendantsMatchingType:(XCUIElementType)type;
/*! Returns a query for direct children of the element matching the
specified type. */
- (XCUIElementQuery *)childrenMatchingType:(XCUIElementType)type;

16. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Element queries
XCUIElement
‣ title
‣ label
‣ value
‣ placeholderValue
‣ identifier
‣ selected
‣ frame
‣ …
/*! Returns a query for all descendants of the element matching the
specified type. */
- (XCUIElementQuery *)descendantsMatchingType:(XCUIElementType)type;
@property (readonly, copy) XCUIElementQuery *tables;
@property (readonly, copy) XCUIElementQuery *buttons;
@property (readonly, copy) XCUIElementQuery *staticTexts;
@property (readonly, copy) XCUIElementQuery *textFields;
@property (readonly, copy) XCUIElementQuery *secureTextFields;
@property (readonly, copy) XCUIElementQuery *textViews;

17. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Element queries
XCUIElement
‣ title
‣ label
‣ value
‣ placeholderValue
‣ identifier
‣ selected
‣ frame
‣ …
[element descendantsMatchingType:XCUIElementTypeButton];
element.buttons

18. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Root element - XCUIApplication
@interface XCUIApplication : XCUIElement
- (void)launch;
- (void)terminate;
@property (nonatomic, copy) NSArray <NSString *> *launchArguments;
@property (nonatomic, copy) NSDictionary <NSString *, NSString *> *launchEnvironment;
@end

19. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
XCUIElementQuery
@interface XCUIElementQuery : NSObject <XCUIElementTypeQueryProvider>
@property (readonly) NSUInteger count;
- (XCUIElement *)elementBoundByIndex:(NSUInteger)index;
- (XCUIElement *)elementMatchingPredicate:(NSPredicate *)predicate;
- (XCUIElement *)elementMatchingType:(XCUIElementType)elementType
identifier:(nullable NSString *)identifier;
- (XCUIElement *)objectForKeyedSubscript:(NSString *)key;
@end

20. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
XCUIElementQuery
@interface XCUIElementQuery : NSObject <XCUIElementTypeQueryProvider>
@property (readonly) NSUInteger count;
- (XCUIElement *)elementBoundByIndex:(NSUInteger)index;
- (XCUIElement *)elementMatchingPredicate:(NSPredicate *)predicate;
- (XCUIElement *)elementMatchingType:(XCUIElementType)elementType
identifier:(nullable NSString *)identifier;
- (XCUIElement *)objectForKeyedSubscript:(NSString *)key;
@end
▸ Evaluates the query
▸ Return the number of matches found

21. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
XCUIElementQuery
@interface XCUIElementQuery : NSObject <XCUIElementTypeQueryProvider>
@property (readonly) NSUInteger count;
- (XCUIElement *)elementBoundByIndex:(NSUInteger)index;
- (XCUIElement *)elementMatchingPredicate:(NSPredicate *)predicate;
- (XCUIElement *)elementMatchingType:(XCUIElementType)elementType
identifier:(nullable NSString *)identifier;
- (XCUIElement *)objectForKeyedSubscript:(NSString *)key;
@end
▸ Return nth element in query results
▸ Example:
XCUIElement *firstCell = [app.tables.cells elementBoundByIndex:0];

22. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
XCUIElementQuery
@interface XCUIElementQuery : NSObject <XCUIElementTypeQueryProvider>
@property (readonly) NSUInteger count;
- (XCUIElement *)elementBoundByIndex:(NSUInteger)index;
- (XCUIElement *)elementMatchingPredicate:(NSPredicate *)predicate;
- (XCUIElement *)elementMatchingType:(XCUIElementType)elementType
identifier:(nullable NSString *)identifier;
- (XCUIElement *)objectForKeyedSubscript:(NSString *)key;
@end
▸ Example:
NSPredicate *labelPrefixPredicate = [NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:
@"label BEGINSWITH %@", prefix];
XCUIElement *label = [app.staticTexts
elementMatchingPredicate:labelPrefixPredicate];

23. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
XCUIElementQuery
@interface XCUIElementQuery : NSObject <XCUIElementTypeQueryProvider>
@property (readonly) NSUInteger count;
- (XCUIElement *)elementBoundByIndex:(NSUInteger)index;
- (XCUIElement *)elementMatchingPredicate:(NSPredicate *)predicate;
- (XCUIElement *)elementMatchingType:(XCUIElementType)elementType
identifier:(nullable NSString *)identifier;
- (XCUIElement *)objectForKeyedSubscript:(NSString *)key;
@end
▸ Example:
XCUIElement *button = [app elementMatchingType:XCUIElementTypeButton
identifier:@"login"];

24. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
XCUIElementQuery
@interface XCUIElementQuery : NSObject <XCUIElementTypeQueryProvider>
@property (readonly) NSUInteger count;
- (XCUIElement *)elementBoundByIndex:(NSUInteger)index;
- (XCUIElement *)elementMatchingPredicate:(NSPredicate *)predicate;
- (XCUIElement *)elementMatchingType:(XCUIElementType)elementType
identifier:(nullable NSString *)identifier;
- (XCUIElement *)objectForKeyedSubscript:(NSString *)key;
@end
▸ Example:
XCUIElement *button = app.buttons[@"login"];

25. DEMO

26. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
How to asset test results?
▸ We can use all variants of XCTAssert macro
▸ But more accurate for asynchronous UI are expectations
XCUIElement *loggedInLabel = app.tables.staticTexts[Identifier_Account_LoggedInLabel];
NSPredicate *exists = [NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:@"exists == 1"];
[self expectationForPredicate:exists evaluatedWithObject:loggedInLabel handler:nil];
[self waitForExpectationsWithTimeout:15 handler:nil];

27. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Performance test
- (void)testLogin_CredentialsAreValid_ShouldLogin {
[self measureBlock:^{
//UITest code
}];
}
▸ Xcode executes each test 10 times and compare average execution
time with baseline (selected from previous results)
▸ Test will fail if new average has increased from baseline by 10% or
more, but it will ignore regressions of less than a tenth of a second

28. TIPS & TRICKS

29. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Handle UI interruptions
▸ Setup interruptions monitor
[self addUIInterruptionMonitorWithDescription:@"Location Permission"
handler:^BOOL(XCUIElement *element) {
XCUIElement *button = alert.buttons[@"Allow"];
if (button.exists) {
[button tap];
return true;
}
return false;
}];
▸ Handlers are invoked in reverse order
until one of them return true
1 2

30. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Handle UI interruptions
▸ By default, XCode 7.2 will try to find &
tap elements matching predicate:
userTestingAttributes CONTAINS "cancel-button"
userTestingAttributes CONTAINS "default-button"
1 2

31. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Handle UI interruptions
▸ By default, XCode 7.2 will try to find &
tap elements matching predicate:
userTestingAttributes CONTAINS "cancel-button"
userTestingAttributes CONTAINS "default-button"
2▸ Do you prefer confirm button as first
choice? Add your own monitor:
NSPredicate *predicate = [NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:
@"userTestingAttributes CONTAINS "default-button""];
XCUIElement *button = [alert.buttons elementMatchingPredicate:predicate];
if (button.exists) {
[button tap];
return true;
}

32. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Typing in secure text field doesn’t work
▸ Workaround: Disconnect Hardware Keyboard in Simulator
▸ „Neither element or any descendant has keyboard focus”
error occurs when you are trying to type in secure UITextField

33. ▸ Instead, we should check if element is hittable:
UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Why your test is not waiting for hidden elements?
▸ Hidden elements fulfil exists predicate:
[NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:@"exists == 1"]
[NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:@"hittable == 1"]

34. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
How to detect that app is in test mode?
XCUIApplication * app = [[XCUIApplication alloc] init];
[app setLaunchArguments:@[@"UITESTS"]];
[app launch];
NSArray *arguments = [[NSProcessInfo processInfo] arguments];
if ([arguments containsObject:@"UITESTS"]) {
//Customize app for tests
}
▸ In test file:
▸ In application:

35. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
How to speed up tests?
▸ Disable animations in AppDelegate:
NSArray *arguments = [[NSProcessInfo processInfo] arguments];
if ([arguments containsObject:@"UITESTS"]) {
[UIView setAnimationsEnabled:NO];
}

36. ▸ Waiting for element is one of the most cases in UI tests,
why not use convenient helper?
UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Waiting for elements shortcuts
NSPredicate *exists = [NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:@"exists == 1"];
[self expectationForPredicate:exists evaluatedWithObject:element handler:nil];
[self waitForExpectationsWithTimeout:15 handler:nil];
[self waitForElement:element];
[self waitForElement:button withTimeout:60];

37. ▸ Waiting for element is one of the most cases in UI tests,
why not use convenient helper?
UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Waiting for elements shortcuts
NSPredicate *exists = [NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:@"hittable == 1"];
[self expectationForPredicate:exists evaluatedWithObject:element handler:nil];
[self waitForExpectationsWithTimeout:15 handler:nil];
[self waitForElementHittable:element];
[self waitForElementHittable:button withTimeout:60];

38. ▸ Waiting for element is one of the most cases in UI tests,
why not use convenient helper?
UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Waiting for elements shortcuts
NSPredicate *exists = [NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:@"hittable == 1"];
[self expectationForPredicate:exists evaluatedWithObject:element handler:nil];
[self waitForExpectationsWithTimeout:15 handler:nil];
[self waitForElementHittable:element];
[self waitForElementHittable:button withTimeout:60];
https://github.com/dstranz/XCUITestsAdditions
pod "XCUITestsAdditions"

39. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Change device orientation
[[XCUIDevice sharedDevice] setOrientation:UIDeviceOrientationLandscapeRight];
[[XCUIDevice sharedDevice] setOrientation:UIDeviceOrientationLandscapeLeft];
▸ Landscape
[[XCUIDevice sharedDevice] setOrientation:UIDeviceOrientationPortraitFaceUp];
[[XCUIDevice sharedDevice] setOrientation:UIDeviceOrientationPortraitFaceDown];
▸ Portait

40. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Simulates the user pressing a physical button
[[XCUIDevice sharedDevice] pressButton:XCUIDeviceButtonHome];
[[XCUIDevice sharedDevice] pressButton:XCUIDeviceButtonVolumeUp];
[[XCUIDevice sharedDevice] pressButton:XCUIDeviceButtonVolumeDown];
▸ Home button
▸ Volume up
▸ Volume down
▸ Volume up & down doesn’t work on simulator

41. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
Test coverage

42. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
How to reset simulator state before each test?
It’s not possible to force launching app on clean simulator
(rdar://22455111).
What are workarounds?

43. UI TESTING IN XCODE 7
How to reset simulator state before each test?
▸ If you are using CI, you can run xcrun simctl erase all
between each test cases
▸ You can clean NSUserDefaults and Keychain in
AppDelegate, when app is in UITests mode
▸ …or rollback changes in tearDown method
(for example logout user after login test)

44. THANK YOU