Calabash-android: Attach to a Running App
Introduction
Calabash-android is a powerful testing framework for Android applications. It allows you to write automated tests in Ruby using a domain-specific language (DSL). One of the features of Calabash-android is the ability to attach to a running application, making it easier to debug and perform interactive testing.
Prerequisites
Before attaching to a running app, ensure you have the following:
* **Calabash-android installed:** You can find installation instructions on the official Calabash-android website.
* **Running Android application:** The application you wish to attach to should be running on your device or emulator.
* **Calabash server running:** The Calabash server must be running. This is usually started automatically when you run a Calabash test.
Attaching to a Running App
To attach to a running app, follow these steps:
1. **Identify the package name:** The package name is used to identify the specific app you want to attach to. You can find this information in the AndroidManifest.xml file of your app or by using a tool like `adb shell pm list packages`.
2. **Start the Calabash server:** If the server is not already running, start it using the command `calabash-android run server`.
3. **Attach to the running app:** Use the following command to attach to the app, replacing `
“`
calabash-android run server attach –package
4. **Interact with the app:** Once attached, you can use the Calabash DSL to interact with the app as if you were manually testing it.
Example
Let’s say you have an Android app with the package name “com.example.myapp”. The following code snippet shows how to attach to the running app and interact with a button:
“`ruby
# Attach to the running app
calabash_android.attach_to_running_app “–package com.example.myapp”
# Tap on a button with the text “Login”
touch(“button marked:’Login'”)
“`
**Output:**
The code will first attach to the running app with the specified package name. Then, it will find a button with the text “Login” and tap on it.
Advantages of Attaching
* **Debugging and Exploratory Testing:** Attaching to a running app allows for interactive testing and debugging. You can step through code, inspect UI elements, and verify the app’s behavior in real-time.
* **Speed up Testing:** By attaching to an already running app, you can save time on app launch and initialization steps, making your tests run faster.
* **Integration with other tools:** You can integrate Calabash-android with other testing and debugging tools, such as ADB and DDMS, for a comprehensive testing experience.
Limitations
* **Not suitable for all tests:** Attaching is primarily useful for debugging and interactive testing. For comprehensive automated tests, you should use the standard `calabash-android run` command.
* **Requires a running app:** You must have a running app on your device or emulator to attach to.
Conclusion
Attaching to a running app with Calabash-android is a valuable feature for interactive testing, debugging, and speeding up your testing process. While it has some limitations, it provides a powerful tool for gaining insights into your app’s behavior and improving the quality of your tests.