ade-ios-simulator

name	ade-ios-simulator
description	Use this skill when working with ADE iOS Simulator, Preview Lab, SwiftUI preview rendering, simulator screenshots, taps, streams, or iOS drawer context via `ade ios-sim`.

ADE iOS Simulator and Preview Lab

Start here

Use socket mode so CLI actions and the desktop drawer share one simulator session:

ade --socket ios-sim status --text
ade --socket ios-sim claim --lane <lane-id> --text
ade --socket ios-sim devices --text
ade --socket ios-sim apps --text
ade help ios-sim launch

Launch with a target from apps:

ade --socket ios-sim launch --target <id> --text

ADE-launched agents pass ADE_LANE_ID / ADE_CHAT_SESSION_ID through launch and claim; use claim when taking over an already-running simulator drawer so Work shows the lane that actually owns the visible simulator content.

Inspect and interact

Capture current screen/context before acting:

ade --socket ios-sim snapshot --text
ade --socket ios-sim elements --text
ade --socket ios-sim select --x <x> --y <y> --text

Interact with the running app:

ade --socket ios-sim tap --x <x> --y <y> --text
ade --socket ios-sim drag --start-x <x> --start-y <y> --end-x <x> --end-y <y> --text
ade --socket ios-sim type --value "text" --text

Streams

Use stream-status to explain the active Simulator.app live view and blockers:

ade --socket ios-sim window-start --fps 60 --text
ade --socket ios-sim live-start --fps 60 --text
ade --socket ios-sim stream-status --text
ade --socket ios-sim stream-stop --text

window-start and live-start use the same primary path: ADE opens the user's running Simulator.app window, parks it under the owning ADE window, and mirrors it into the drawer. If tap/drag/type/inspect actions fail, check that idb and idb_companion are installed.

Preview Lab

For SwiftUI preview work:

ade --socket ios-sim preview-status --text
ade --socket ios-sim previews --source <swift-file> --text
ade --socket ios-sim preview-match --source <swift-file> --line <n> --text
ade --socket ios-sim preview-ensure --source <swift-file> --line <n> --text
ade --socket ios-sim preview-current --text
ade --socket ios-sim preview-render --source <swift-file> --index <n> --text

To bridge the current simulator screen into Preview Lab, first select a source-backed element (ade --socket ios-sim select --x <x> --y <y> --text) or pass an explicit --source / --line, then run ade --socket ios-sim preview-current --text. That one command resolves the best nearby preview, opens/waits for Xcode when needed, renders through Xcode MCP, and brings the ADE Preview drawer forward.

Use preview-match when you only need the target decision without rendering. The selected simulator element's sourceFile and optional sourceLine bias matching; --label / --component-id are only hints for naming a missing-preview suggestion. Use preview-ensure when Xcode Preview Lab is not ready; it opens this lane's iOS project in Xcode and waits for MCP readiness.

Add or refine a preview only when no useful nearby preview exists or the match is too far from the selected element. Preview fixtures must not require live sync, keychain, network, push, sockets, or production databases.

Gotchas

• Do not create symlink projects, fake schemes, or repo-layout shims as the first fix for app detection. Re-run ade --socket ios-sim apps --text and report the selected project, scheme, and build output.
• If preview-current or preview-match returns no-context, do not guess the screen from stale code. Run ade --socket ios-sim snapshot --text, select a source-backed element, or pass an explicit source file/line.
• If no simulator/session/snapshot exists, report the exact blocker instead of guessing the screen.
• When you own the simulator session and the task no longer needs it, run ade --socket ios-sim shutdown --text.