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Device Commands

We will now be illustrating the various device commands available. Further we will illustrate each one of them using related examples (Using Java).

Type 1 Device Commands – Activity Commands

The first type of command under Device Commands is referred as ‘Activity Command’

1. Start Activity

The Start Activity Command is used to start an Android activity by providing package name and activity name

Example –

driver.startActivity(new Activity(“com.example”, “ActivityName”));

HTTP API Specifications

Endpoint – POST /wd/hub/session/:session_id/appium/device/start_activity

URL Parameters –

session_id        ID of the session to route the command to

JSON Parameters –

name	type	description
appPackage	string	Name of the package
appActivity	string	Name of the activity
appWaitPackage	string	Automation will begin after this package starts
intentAction	string	Intent action which will be used to start activity
intentCategory	string	Intent category which will be used to start activity
intentFlags	string	Flags that will be used to start activity
optionalIntentArguments	string	Additional intent arguments that will be used to start activity
dontStopAppOnReset	boolean	Should the app stop on reset

Response – null

2. Get Current Activity

The second command is ‘Get Current Activity’. Further, this command is used to get the name of the current Android activity.

Example –

String activity = driver.currentActivity();

HTTP API Specifications

Endpoint – GET /wd/hub/session/:session_id/appium/device/current_activity

URL Parameters –

• session_id ID of the session to route the command to

JSON Parameters –  None

Response – Name of the current activity (string)

Type 2 Device Commands – App Commands

This is the second type of Device command referred as App Commands

1. Install App

In particular, the Install App is used to install the given app onto the device.

Example –

driver.installApp(“/Users/johndoe/path/to/app.apk”);

Such that,

iOS tests with XCUITest can also use the mobile: installApp method.

HTTP API Specifications

Endpoint – POST /wd/hub/session/:session_id/appium/device/install_app

URL Parameters –

• session_id ID of the session to route the command to

JSON Parameters –

name	type	description
appPath	string	Path of the app being installed

Response – null

2. Launch App

Here, the launch app is used to launch the app-under-test on the device

Example –

driver.launchApp();

In this case, if the app-under-test (AUT) is closed, or backgrounded, then it will launch it. Moreover, if the AUT is already open, it will background it and re-launch it. Also, iOS tests with XCUITest  can also use the mobile: launchApp method.

HTTP API Specifications

Endpoint – POST /session/:session_id/appium/app/launch

URL Parameters –

• session_id ID of the session to route the command to

JSON Parameters –  None

Response – null

TYPE 3 Device Commands – Interaction Command

1. Shake

This is the first type of interaction command. It is primarily used to perform a shake action on the device

Example –

driver.shake();

HTTP API Specifications

Endpoint – POST /session/:session_id/appium/device/shake

URL Parameters –

• session_id ID of the session to route the command to

JSON Parameters – None

Response – null

2. Lock

The second type of interaction command is used to lock the device

Example –

driver.lockDevice();

HTTP API Specifications

Endpoint – POST /session/:session_id/appium/device/lock

URL Parameters –

• session_id ID of the session to route the command to

JSON Parameters –

name	type	description
seconds	number	How long to lock the screen (iOS only).

Response – null

 

Type 4 Device Commands – Keys Command

1. Press Key Code

This is the first type of Keys Command that is used to press a particular key on an Android Device.

Example –

driver.pressKeyCode(AndroidKeyCode.SPACE, AndroidKeyMetastate.META_SHIFT_ON);

HTTP API Specifications

Endpoint – POST /session/:session_id/appium/device/press_keycode

URL Parameters –

session_id        ID of the session to route the command to

JSON Parameters –

name	type	description
keycode	number	Key code pressed on the device.
metastate	number	Metastate for the keypress.
flags	number	Flags for the keypress.

Response – null

2. Long Press Key Code

Press and hold a particular key code on an Android device

Example –

driver.longPressKeyCode(AndroidKeyCode.HOME);

HTTP API Specifications

Endpoint – POST /session/:session_id/appium/device/long_press_keycode

URL Parameters –

session_id        ID of the session to route the command to

JSON Parameters –

name	type	description
keycode	number	Key code pressed on the device.
metastate	number	Metastate for the keypress.
flags	number	Flags for the keypress.

Response – null

 

Type 5 Device Commands – Screen Recording Command

1. Start Recording Screen

This is the first type of screen recording command use to start recording screen

Example –

driver.startRecordingScreen();

driver.startRecordingScreen(new BaseStartScreenRecordingOptions(….));

HTTP API Specifications

Endpoint – POST /session/:session_id/appium/start_recording_screen

URL Parameters –

session_id        ID of the session to route the command to

2. Stop Recording Screen

This command is used to stop the recording screen

Example –

driver.stopRecordingScreen();

driver.stopRecordingScreen(new BaseStopScreenRecordingOptions(….));

HTTP API Specifications

Endpoint – POST /session/:session_id/appium/stop_recording_screen

JSON Parameters – None

Response – Base64 encoded string. If remote_path is set, the response is empty string. (string)

 

Type 6 Device Commands – Finger print Command

1. Finger print

This command is primarily used to authenticate users by using their finger print scans on supported emulators.

Example –

driver.fingerPrint(1);

For Android emulator. Authenticate users by using their finger print scans.

HTTP API Specifications

Endpoint – POST /session/:session_id/appium/device/finger_print

URL Parameters –

session_id        ID of the session to route the command to

JSON Parameters –

name	type	description
fingerprintId	number	finger prints stored in Android Keystore system (from 1 to 10)

Response – null

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