How to setup Appium Environment for Android Automation?

Question

I am working as SD in Test. I am new to Appium Automation tool, this tool is very tricky to set up environment for me.

I referred following link: http://unmesh.me/category/appium/

This link helped me to install Node.js and appium through command line. But I am not sure this right way to do.

I got following message from command line :

mani-kandans-MacBook-Pro:platform-tools manikandan$ info: Welcome to Appium v0.8.2 (REV e9cc66197ad6a3496322bd77a8699509fc761b69)
info: Appium REST http interface listener started on 0.0.0.0:4723
   info  - socket.io started

After this I don't have any idea. How to write testcase and run it through Appium?

If your interest to share your knowledge about Appium tool. Please guide me.

1. How to Install Appium?
2. How to run testcase through Appium tool?

Answer 1

Here I have tried to explain full end to end set up instruction to Configure and run Android Mobile Automation Testcases using Appium

Download Java and set Java_Home in environmental variables

Download Android STUDIO from below link
https://developer.android.com/studio/index.html

Check Android installation path in Machine

Set Android_Home Environmental variables path to SDK location and include bin folder paths in PATH variable

Open Android Studio and configure Virtual device/Emulator
Open Emulator and check if it is working.
Download Node.js                                                                                                                        
https://nodejs.org/en/download/
Set Node_Home Environmental variables path
Set npm Environmental variables path

Download Appium Server from Node
Download Appium and Selenium Java client library

Install Eclipse – Create a Project in Eclipse - configure Appium libraries
Add All dependencies 

//You can download any node module only using npm


npm install – g appium –  Latest Stable release version 1.16.0 – Android 10+ version

npm uninstall -g appium // g stands for global

Appium – starts the server

Answer 2

To install Appium first up all Download Required Tools:

1. Android Studio
2. Appium Jar Files For Java
3. Java Selenium Client Plugin
4. Appium Server
5. Java SDK

After downloading all these tools follow step by step process mention in this blog:

Installation Process of Appium in Android Studio

Answer 3

It seems to be late reply, but still I guess this post can help some one, who are looking for step by step by guide to install Appium on Windows platform

http://qaautomationworld.blogspot.in/2014/12/appium-setup-for-android-windows.html

This link mainly deals with the following sections

1. JDK Installation
2. Android SDK Installation path setup

3. Appium Installation

   a) Using node.js

   b) Using Appium.exe

Answer 4

Part One:-. You appear to have launched the appium server using node server.js - You can check the server by going to localhost:4723/wd/hub/status in your browser this will return a few details of the server. You have already done this.

The command output will look like this confirming that the server is started:

info: Welcome to Appium v0.8.1 (REV ***********************************)
info: Appium REST http interface listener started on 0.0.0.0:4723
       info  - socket.io started

Part Two:-. Next you use the selenium RC for Python, Java, or c# or whatever your language choice. I used c# and can provide examples this should be similar for your tests.

To add the selenium to a c# class: using OpenQA.Selenium.Remote; You pass all your data to a selenium desired capabilities object. Some custom desired capabilities exist such as:

• 'app-package' this is the app package name such as com.myapp.main,
• 'app-activity' which is the apps main activity to be called which will also launch the app. This is often a splash activity or main activity,
• 'wait-activity' is the activity that Appium will check for once launched, this would be the app-activity but for me it is different if for some tests a new activity is launched than is called,
• 'version' taking the android version,

• 'device ID' taking your attached device or AVD to command and app which will have a local path to the apk you wish to install. This is signed and installed on start-up if a resigned app already exists it will skip this for you.

      DesiredCapabilities caps = new DesiredCapabilities();
      caps.SetCapability("app-package", "com.myapp.test");
      caps.SetCapability("browserName", "");
      caps.SetCapability("device", "Android");
      caps.SetCapability("app-activity", "com.myapp.SplashActivity");
      caps.SetCapability("takesScreenshot", true);
      caps.SetCapability("version", "4.1.2");
      caps.SetCapability("device ID", "uniquedeviceid");
      caps.SetCapability("app", @"C:\path to\app\on\pc\app.apk");
  

Following the Capabilities you create create a remote web driver object passing the hub url that you've used e.g http://localhost:4723/wd/hub and the Desired Capabilities you've created.

RemoteWebDriver driver = new RemoteWebDriver(new Uri("http://localhost:4723/wd/hub/"), caps);

This line uses the ip or host of the Appium server to begin listening for requests. For me this step signs installs and launches the app on the attached device hopefully this will work for you the same. This is where the selenium tests you write are connected to the Appium server.

Now using the created driver object you can access the selenium rc commands of which Appium has implemented many alternatives for android testing. During each of these your Appium server console window should show you if there is any issues.

Output will be colour coded to assist in identifying failures from this window but you can handle these your own way and output to a file if needed.

Update for multiple devices I am unsure on the use of multiple devices, I would consider selenium grid my previous attempts to add 2 devices to one machine and test had confusion where adb was unable to distinguish regardless of the device id addition to the configuration and commands. The Appium team have been making improvements to add grid functionality to the server, I recommend you have a look into Appium Grid (link updated)

I apologize for my lack the experience with grid to assist you further.

Regards, Brian

Answer 5

Here's my env.rb file for appium android.

 require 'rubygems'
require 'appium_lib'

# Start Android driver
apk = {
    device: :android,
    app_path: (true && ENV['apk']) || 'path to apk',
    app_package: (true && ENV['package']) || 'com.foo.cam',
    app_activity: (true && ENV['activity']) || '.SplashActivity',
    app_wait_activity: (true && ENV['activity']) || '.MainActivity',
}
Appium::Driver.new(apk).start_driver

Appium.promote_appium_methods Object

log = Logger.new(STDOUT)

case ENV['log']
  when 'WARN'
    log.level = Logger::WARN
  when 'DEBUG'
    log.level = Logger::DEBUG
  when 'INFO'
    log.level = Logger::INFO
  when 'ERROR'
    log.level = Logger::ERROR
  when 'FATAL'
    log.level = Logger::FATAL
  when 'UNKNOWN'
    log.level = Logger::UNKNOWN
  else
    log.level = Logger::DEBUG
end

log.debug('starting suite')

Before do
  @test_env = {
      device: driver,
      main_activity: (true && ENV['main_activity']) || 'grid.GridLoginActivity',
      logger: log
  }
end

# Optional--clears alerts 
After ('@rate_limit') do |scenario|
  log = @test_env[:logger]
  device = @test_env[:device]

  if scenario.failed?
    begin
      wait = Selenium::WebDriver::Wait.new :timeout => 1
      wait.until { device.alert_accept }
      log.debug('cleared rate limit dialog')
    rescue
      log.error("dialog didn't pop.")
    end
  end

  log.debug('rate_limit finished')
end

After ('@network_connection') do |scenario|
  log = @test_env[:logger]
  device = @test_env[:device]

  if scenario.failed?
    begin
      wait = Selenium::WebDriver::Wait.new :timeout => 1
      wait.until { device.alert_accept }
      log.debug('cleared network connection issue')
    rescue
      log.error("dialog didn't pop.")
    end
  end

  log.debug('network_connection finished')
end