iOS Appium on BrowserStack Falls Back to MSONWP instead of Using Expected W3C Protocol

[pablopaul]

Environment:

• WebdriverIO version: 5.7.12
• Mode: WDIO Testrunner
• If WDIO Testrunner, running sync/async: async
• Node.js version: v11.13.0
  NPM version: 6.10.1
• Platform name and version: iOS 11.2
• Additional wdio packages used (if applicable): appium service

Config of WebdriverIO

Local capabilities set through webdriverio which are working

config.capabilities = [
    {
        // The defaults you need to have in your config
        browserName: 'safari',
        platformName: 'iOS',
        maxInstances: 1,
        // For W3C the appium capabilities need to have an extension prefix
        // This is `appium:` for all Appium Capabilities which can be found here
        // http://appium.io/docs/en/writing-running-appium/caps/
        'appium:deviceName': 'iPhone X',
        'appium:platformVersion': '12.0',
        'appium:orientation': 'PORTRAIT',
        // `automationName` will be mandatory, see
        // https://github.com/appium/appium/releases/tag/v1.13.0
        'appium:automationName': 'XCUITest',
        'appium:newCommandTimeout': 240,
    },
];

The capabilities for BrowserStack are looking like this:

config.capabilities = [
    {   
        platformName: "iOS",
        deviceName: "iPhone X",
        browserName: "safari",
        'appium:automationName': 'XCUITest',
        'bstack:options' : {
            'deviceName' : 'iPhone X',
            'realMobile' : 'true',
        },
    },
];

Describe the bug

I try to run a test which sets timeouts (/timeouts endpoint) on iOS on BrowserStack through Appium 1.9.1.
I am using WebdriverIO as client library.

The test looks like:

describe('timeouts', () => {
    it('should be configurable', () => {
        browser.setTimeouts(1000, 2000, 3000);
    });
});

The test fails with Error: Parameters were incorrect. We wanted {"required":["type","ms"]} and you sent ["implicit","pageLoad","script"].

This is because on BrowserStack Appium detects MSONWP protocol, but the timeout format is only compatible with W3C protocol.

To Reproduce

Execute the test above against a real iOS device on BrowserStack.

Expected behavior

No error appears when using setTimeouts.

Log

Link to WebdriverIO log: https://gist.github.com/pablopaul/e08b68aaf6d4e622936eabc338e7bf0c

Link to Appium log: https://gist.github.com/pablopaul/6c2141d5023e65532ae838da84f15c10

[wswebcreation]

@pablopaul

Is there a reason for using Appium 1.9.1? I know there is a fix with W3C and timeouts in 1.10.0, I don't know if that is related to this issue

[christian-bromann]

It is. WebdriverIO sends a w3c command as it suppose to do with Appium given they support w3c within the latest versions. Please reach out to BS and ask how to use the latest version of Appium.

[pablopaul]

@wswebcreation for the record I added the debug log to the issue (https://gist.github.com/pablopaul/e08b68aaf6d4e622936eabc338e7bf0c).

Currently the latest Appium version available on BrowserStack is v1.9.1.

@christian-bromann BS want to provide newer Appium version, but no ETA.

[wswebcreation]

@pablopaul

It's a pity that BS isn't supporting the latest versions, Appium is already on version 1.14.0, meaning they are back behind a lot

[pablopaul]

@wswebcreation

Yes, Appium 1.9.1 is almost a year old.

I contacted sales again.

[pablopaul]

@wswebcreation

Anyway, locally I ran successfully setTimeouts() inside an iOS simulator and Appium 1.9.1 with WebdriverIO, meaning I could not even reproduce the error locally with the same Appium Version.

Maybe its the simulator vs real device, what do you think?

[wswebcreation]

@pablopaul

I don't think it's related, I think it's more a BS thing, but maybe that's also because I'm a SL guy 😉

[amit-punjabi]

On Android execution, I am not facing this. However, on iOS this error is displayed.

Review the attached Appium logs - #iOS, #Android

seems like Safari cares about exact parameter string and Chrome does not. Check this

[pablopaul]

@christian-bromann the issue is still existing, also with appium 1.14.0 which is now available on BrowserStack. What can I contribute / prepare to get this fixed?

[christian-bromann]

The error is either in Appium in their iOS driver or still on BS