Backdoor implementation

[rajdeepv]

This is a port of one of the calabash-android features called Backdoors to appium-espresso-driver
Using this feature, we can call public methods defined in Application Class or Current Activity.

Example:
if we define a method raiseToast in our android activity or Application class as:

    public void raiseToast(String message){
        Toast.makeText(this, message, Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
    }

then we can call this method from client as:
(ruby):

    @driver.execute_script("mobile: backdoor",[{name:"raiseToast",args:["Love Appium"]}])

This is not a very perfect code because of my lack of Java knowledge. However, this is working solution.

[dpgraham]

I really like this.... I'll have a look at it.

Really cool feature though, I could see this having a lot of interesting use-cases.

[jlipps]

very cool @rajdeepv! exciting to see the implementation of what you talked about at AppiumConf. Java's lack of metaprogramming makes this so much more difficult. I'm in favor of this idea, though we probably want a java person like @mykola-mokhnach to comment on the specifics of the code

[mykola-mokhnach]

I am happy with the current implementation. Feel free to ask your boss about a promotion ;)

[rajdeepv]

He may fire me if sees this thread ;)

[rajdeepv]

@mykola-mokhnach is there anything pending for this to merge?

[mykola-mokhnach]

I wait for review from @dpgraham

[jlipps]

Just want to say thanks again @rajdeepv for this feature, it will be a lot of fun to release it to users and see how they make use of it!

[dpgraham]

I would like to see an E2E test for this, but I'll approve it and I can just write one.

@saikrishna321 Would you be able to help me with writing a test for this? I don't think it'll work with the APIDemos app but maybe we could test this on the VodQA app?

[saikrishna321]

@dpgraham Happy to help write a test for this. I don't think its possible to write with VodQA app as well because its build using ReactNative. @rajdeepv can we do with on RN apps as well?

[jlipps]

@saikrishna321 nothing prevents you from writing some custom functions in the android code for your react native app, but it's probably difficult to do anything with the UI since that is all handled by RN

[saikrishna321]

@jlipps should we build a sample native app to write an example test to show the superpower of backdoors?

[rajdeepv]

Hi @saikrishna321, I have no experience with RN apps. However just looked the code of vodqa app here https://github.com/appium/VodQAReactNative
If you put below code in VodQAReactNative/android/app/src/main/java/com/vodqareactnative/MainApplication.java

  public void raiseToast(String message){
    Toast.makeText(this, message, Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
  }

Then you can call it from the client as:
@driver.execute_script("mobile: backdoor", {:target=>"application", :methods=>[{:name=>"raiseToast", :args=>[{:value=>"Love Appium", :type=>"String"}]}]})

I did a quick trial and it worked for me. Need to check if we can do it in JS code