How Can I simulate Return KeyPress within BashScript for Expo Build Process

Question

My current script looks something like this:

#!/bin/sh
cd Desktop/work-directory/project-directory/
code .
npx expo run:ios -d
sleep 10
xdotool key Return

• I navigate to a directory I open every morning for work.
• I open my text editor.
• I run the npx expo run:ios -d command to run my build on my local device.
• You can read more about it here if you are interested: (https://docs.expo.dev/workflow/run-on-device/)
• After running npx expo run:ios -d I am asked to "Select a simulator" where I pick which simulated device I want to create the build for.
• I always build it on my local device. Considering it's the first option available, I just want the above script to press Return/Enter when prompted to continue building the app without me having to be by the terminal.

From an outsiders perspective, might anyone be able to shed some light on what I might be doing wrong? Is my syntax wrong? Does someone know if I have to use any different tools from xdotool to interact with the Expo CLI prompt? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

• I already tried using yes and that did not work. I specifically need enter or return.
• I have adjusted sleep to over 30 seconds to see if that does it.
• I have read about Expect and unsure if that is the route I want to go/the tool I even need.

Thank you so much and I look forward to hearing from y'all within the Bash community :)

Answer 1

To answer my own question, I actually didn't need to simulate a return keyPress to automate one of the commands within the Expo CLI

I was able to come to a solution by using the following tool: FIG (https://fig.io/)

When I would input npx expo run:ios -d, before pressing enter like I usually do, fig had auto populated the device id to go after -d. Which made the whole command look something like this npx expo run:ios -d 00008030-000537H31B5573F (Numbers and letters have been changed). This alone allowed me to essentially respond to one of Expo's interactive prompts by providing the device id before it was ever asked.

Hopefully this can help someone else in the future. Cheers.

Answer 2

Looking at the manual page, , look for the reference to "Navigator".

That gives an example of how to make xdotool locate the window associated with your npx expo process, so that it can then send that signal to it.