Build and run an app on simulator using xcodebuild

Question

I have the following goal to achieve: build and run an .app application using xcodebuild and ios-sim.

I'm using the following script to build the application.

xcrun xcodebuild \
  -scheme $XCODE_SCHEME \
  -project $XCODE_PROJECT \
  -configuration Debug \
  -destination generic/platform=iOS \
  -derivedDataPath \
  build

Then for running it, I'm using

ios-sim launch MyApp.app/ --devicetypeid "iPhone-6-Plus, 9.1"

Each time I receive the following message:

Program specified by service does not contain one of the requested architectures: ?

What is happening, that the app doesn't run?

Note: if I run the second command (ios-sim...) against the .app built from Xcode (the one contained in derived data) the procedure works fine.

Out of pure curiosity, why are you doing this instead of just running and building a project in XCode? — Hayden Holligan, Nov 30 '15 at 16:52
Are you sure you have this simulator installed? from the error it appears that the specific device you're trying to run doesn't exist in your machine — Julian E., Nov 30 '15 at 16:54
@JulianE. Yep. Tried with the app built with Xcode and it does work. — Lorenzo B, Nov 30 '15 at 16:57
@l'L'l The result is to launch the application for that simulator. It works if I have the .app created through Xcode. — Lorenzo B, Nov 30 '15 at 17:03
The only thing that comes to mind is maybe the simulator build from Xcode is somehow different from the CLI `xcodebuild` one. — l'L'l, Nov 30 '15 at 17:06
@l'L'l Sounds strange to me. I'm trying different options in order to do it. — Lorenzo B, Nov 30 '15 at 17:10

Lorenzo B · Accepted Answer · 2015-12-08T15:40:12.440

41

Ok. Figured out the issue.

You need to specify the correct destination. For example.

xcrun xcodebuild \
  -scheme $XCODE_SCHEME \
  -project $XCODE_PROJECT \
  -configuration Debug \
  -destination 'platform=iOS Simulator,name=iPhone 6 Plus,OS=9.1' \
  -derivedDataPath \
  build

In this way Xcode will create the folder (called build) containing your products (in particular look at Debug-iphonesimulator). The build dir is created within the dir you are running the xcodebuild command.

Now you can point that folder in order to run the ios-sim command (see ios-sim for more references) or simctl (see iOS 8: Building custom simulators and Build And Run iOS Apps In Commmand Line for more info).

edited Dec 08 '15 at 15:40

answered Nov 30 '15 at 18:02

Lorenzo B

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how to pass same simulator with different IDs in the -destination? – Qadir Hussain May 03 '16 at 11:17
Like I have 2 simulators of iPADs i) platform:iOS Simulator, id:0F9084E0-4E0D-43F7-AD3D-AB959744BD09, OS:9.3, name:iPad 2 ii) platform:iOS Simulator, id:4E05355C-EF57-4771-96D4-0F9FCF24A0D2, OS:9.3, name:iPad 2 – Qadir Hussain May 03 '16 at 11:17
How to run a workspace based project i.e project containing multiple pods projects. Please paste here complete command to run a -workspace – Qadir Hussain May 03 '16 at 11:23
1

@QadirHussain I used the method above today to build my workspace project. I just replaced `-project $XCODE_PROJECT` with `-workspace $XCODE_WORKSPACE` – Dawson Loudon Sep 15 '16 at 19:37
4

It build ok but didn't run the simulator – TomSawyer Apr 24 '17 at 05:21
Seems the second link in "more info" is dead, just FYI: http://dduan.net/post/2015/02/build-and-run-ios-apps-in-commmand-line/ - do you have an updated link for this reference? I'm curious about it's contents if it still is publicly available. – BHendricks Jul 21 '17 at 11:25
@BHendricks I cannot find it anymore. So, sorry. – Lorenzo B Jul 21 '17 at 15:22

Build and run an app on simulator using xcodebuild

1 Answers1