How to use XCUIKeyboardKey constants?

Question

Just below the XCUIElementQuery class inside XCTest there are many constants where the documentation note above it states:

    Constants for use with -[XCUIElement typeKey:modifierFlags:],
    representing keys that have no textual representation. These comprise
    the set of control, function, and modifier keys found on most keyboards.

Apparently, it seems there should be a XCUIElement method called typeKey:modifierFlags:, as the note states. However, I can't seem to find this method anywhere in the documentation. I also don't see any method that substitutes this behavior, utilizing the aforementioned constants. Here is a partial list of the constants I'd be interested in using:

let XCUIKeyboardKeyDelete: String
let XCUIKeyboardKeyReturn: String
let XCUIKeyboardKeyTab: String
let XCUIKeyboardKeyCommand: String

Is this code just premature and will likely be completed later, as part of future Xcode 7 releases?

Ultimately, I'd like to be able to type cmd+a then use XCUIKeyboardKeyDelete to delete the contents of the given XCUIElement. If there are good alternatives currently available in Xcode 7 UI Testing, I'd love to learn know.

--> Swift 2.0 beta 4

Guyot

I think [XCUIElement typeKey:modifierFlags:] got removed by accident or something on beta 4. The recorder uses it but it doesn't compile. – Gunpowder

Good thought. I also have beta 3 installed, however, and I can't seem to find it there either. Any other ideas? – Guyot

Nope... I submitted a radar. – Gunpowder

Good idea, I'd definitely like to have that functionality. Hopefully they decide to implement it. – Guyot

I also tried performSelector: on it and it doesn't seem to exist. – Gunpowder

Answer 1

You can use XCUIElement.typeText(text: String) with XCUIKeyboardKeyDelete.

Example, when a text field is not empty:

textField.tapWithNumberOfTaps(2, numberOfTouches: 1)
app.menuItems["Select All"].tap()
textField.typeText(XCUIKeyboardKeyDelete)

Hannah

This is a great idea and almost worked for me. tapWithNumberOfTaps only selected 1 character and XCUIKeyboardKeyDelete added a special character that didn't leave the field empty. Good stuff though – Cuthbert

Answer 2

It states in the documentation that the method [XCUIElement typeKey:modifierFlags:] is available on macOS only. See https://developer.apple.com/reference/xctest/xcuielement

I tested this out on Xcode 8.2.1 in a dummy macOS project UI Testing target, and indeed the method is existing. It does not exist on iOS.

Otiliaotina

This is stated to be available on iPad OS now too, but despite my best efforts it does not work. – Gowan