iOS testing overview

With the mobile test client for iOS you can test native iOS applications, web applications, and hybrid applications. From your iOS device and from the iOS Simulator you can connect to the test workbench, record and run tests, and view reports.

Testing on an iOS device

You can test native, hybrid, and web applications on an iOS device using the browser-based client for iOS. This client is a web application that runs in the Safari or Chrome browser on your device. To run the client, simply type the Workbench URL in the following format in a browser on your device:

Format: http://Workbench_URL:port/mobile

Example: http://9.11.22.333:7878/mobile

The following figure shows the mobile test client in a browser on an iOS device:

Mobile Client

Here are some important details about the browser-based client:

Testing with the iOS Simulator

You can also do your testing using the Safari browser in the iOS Simulator, or you can use the native mobile test client in the Simulator after following the installation instructions at Installing the mobile test client on the iOS Simulator. Chrome is not currently available on the iOS Simulator.

Enabling pop-up windows

When using the mobile test client on an iOS device, be sure to enable pop-up windows. Pop-up windows must be allowed for the Workbench IP address. Safari silently disables pop-up windows, while Google Chrome prompts you to allow pop up windows. For every device-specific operation (install, record, playback), Safari prompts with a pop-up confirmation. There are fewer messages with Chrome.

Passive mode

When you are ready to run your tests, you can run them on the device or in the test workbench. To give control to the test workbench, simply tap Enter Passive Mode on the mobile test client.

Passive mode behavior is browser-specific. While Chrome operates in passive mode as expected. Safari is more restrictive and displays multiple passive mode confirmation dialog boxes.

Differentiating among multiple devices

When you connect a particular device, such as an iPhone, to the test workbench, you can view the connection in the Mobile Devices editor in the test workbench.

To differentiate among multiple iPhones that are connected to the test workbench, you can change the Device Description.

  1. On the device, open Safari or Chrome and browse to the Workbench URL.

    This opens the mobile test client.

  2. Tap About .
  3. Type the new label in the Device Description field.
  4. Click Register.

You can see the result in the figures below.

Table 1.
Before After

Default Device Description

Modified Device Description

IBM® Rational® Test Workbench Mobile Web Recorder

The mobile web recorder is an iOS application that is required to record and play back user actions of a web application under test. It is invoked automatically during the recording and playback process. You can download the mobile web recorder from the Apple App Store. When you are done testing, you can stop the mobile web recorder using the standard Apple Activity Monitor.

How the test workbench tests iOS applications

Before you can test a mobile application, the application must first be instrumented. An instrumented application contains the application under test augmented with code that allows you to record or play back a test.

A native iOS application is a complete iOS project in Xcode. The build and compile process to instrument the application takes place entirely in Xcode on a Macintosh computer. One, single application is created for both recording and playback.

The following figure shows the build chain for a native iOS app on a Macintosh computer:

iOS build chain


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