Add action groups in Appium script

To enhance test analysis, you can group related Appium actions. Grouping actions can help in troubleshooting by marking specific phases of a test and aligning them with your testing objectives.

Action group Appium setting

To add actions within your script, use the following Appium setting to assign actions to a specific group.

Appium setting Description Default value

Appium setting	Description	Default value
`kobiton:setGroup`	Set this field to any string value to assign actions to a group, using that value as the group name.	`''` (blank)

kobiton:setGroup

Set this field to any string value to assign actions to a group, using that value as the group name.

'' (blank)

Add action group

Before starting a test action, use the Update Settings Appium command to set 'kobiton:setGroup' to a string.

Example (JavaScript)

await driver.updateSettings({'kobiton:setGroup': 'Test case A5423'})

Using the updateSettings command, all actions will be added to the group. To assign subsequent actions to a different group, execute the command again with the new group name.

Examples

Below is a complete JavaScript example using wd that demonstrates how actions are organized into two distinct groups: Test login and Test home page.

Example (JavaScript)

import 'babel-polyfill'
import 'colors'
import wd from 'wd'
import {assert} from 'chai'

const username = process.env.KOBITON_USERNAME
const apiKey = process.env.KOBITON_API_KEY
const deviceUdid = process.env.KOBITON_DEVICE_UDID
const protocol = 'https'
const host = 'api.kobiton.com'

if (!username || !apiKey || !deviceUdid) {
  console.log('Error: Environment variables KOBITON_USERNAME, KOBITON_API_KEY or KOBITON_DEVICE_UDID are required to execute script')
  process.exit(1)
}

const kobitonServerConfig = {protocol, host, auth: `${username}:${apiKey}`}

const desiredCaps = {
  sessionName: 'Automation test action groups',
  sessionDescription: 'An automation test with action groups',
  udid: deviceUdid,
  noReset: true,
  fullReset: false,
  browserName: 'chrome',
  autoWebview: 'true',
}

let driver

function sleep(ms) {
  return new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, ms))
}

describe('Android Web sample', () => {
  before(async () => {
    driver = wd.promiseChainRemote(kobitonServerConfig)

    driver.on('status', (info) => {
      console.log(info.cyan)
    })
    driver.on('command', (meth, path, data) => {
      console.log(' > ' + meth.yellow, path.grey, data || '')
    })
    driver.on('http', (meth, path, data) => {
      console.log(' > ' + meth.magenta, path, (data || '').grey)
    })

    try {
      await driver.init(desiredCaps)
    }
    catch (err) {
      if (err.data) {
        console.error(`init driver: ${err.data}`)
      }
      throw err
    }
  })

  it('should perform a simple login', async () => {
    await driver.settings()

    //Start adding actions to group 'Test login'
    await driver.updateSettings({'kobiton:setGroup': 'Test login'})

    // Send username and password to log in.
    await driver.get('https://the-internet.herokuapp.com/login')
     .waitForElementByName('username')
     .sendKeys('tomsmith')
     .sleep(1000)
     .waitForElementByName('password')
     .sendKeys('SuperSecretPassword!')
     .sleep(3000)
     .keys(wd.SPECIAL_KEYS.Enter)

    // Login completes. Start adding actions to group 'Test home page'
    await driver.updateSettings({'kobiton:setGroup': 'Test home page'})
    await driver.settings()

    await driver.get('https://the-internet.herokuapp.com/')
    await sleep(2000)
    await driver.title()

  })

  after(async () => {
    if (driver != null) {
    try {
      await driver.quit()
    }
    catch (err) {
      console.error(`quit driver: ${err}`)
    }
  }
  })
})

Grouped actions in Session Explorer

You can review grouped actions in the Session Explorer timeline.

Limitations/Notes

Only supported in Xium and Appium 2 Basic automation sessions.
After adding action group, setting the group name to empty assigns the subsequent commands to the previous group.