Getting Data From Mobile Device Sensors (Legacy)

Applies to TestComplete 14.93, last modified on October 12, 2021
The information below concerns legacy mobile tests that work with mobile devices connected to the local computer. For new mobile tests, we recommend using the newer cloud-compatible approach.

Most mobile devices have built-in sensors - accelerometers, gravity sensors, light sensors, magnetometers and others. Sensors provide various data about the environment. Different device models have a different set of sensors.

You can read sensor data using TestComplete. For example, you can use TestComplete with third-party sensor simulators to test if your mobile application reacts to changed sensor data correctly.

This topic explains how you can read sensor data from automated tests. You can also get and set a GPS location as explained in Geolocation Testing (Legacy).

Requirements

Android

iOS

Test Objects for Sensors

You can get the number of device sensors using the Device.SensorsCount property, and enumerate the sensors using Device.Sensor(Index).

Android device sensors are represented by the AndroidSensor object. You can get a sensor’s Name, Type and Values – Value0, Value1 and Value2. For a list of Android sensor types, refer to the Android developer documentation:

Sensors Overview

iOS device sensors are represented by the iOSSensor object. You can get a sensor’s Name and values:

  • For an accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer - X, Y and Z.

  • For an attitude - Pitch, Roll and Yaw.

Remarks

TestComplete reads Android sensor values only when you access sensorObj.Values. So, always read the values directly from the sensor object using the sensorObj.Values.Value[0-2] syntax:

JavaScript, JScript

var sensor = Mobile.Device("MyDevice").Sensors(0);
Log.Message(sensor.Values.Value0);
Delay(1000);
Log.Message(sensor.Values.Value0); // new value

Python

sensor = Mobile.Device("MyDevice").Sensors(0);
Log.Message(sensor.Values.Value0);
Delay(1000);
Log.Message(sensor.Values.Value0); # new value

VBScript

Dim sensor
Set sensor = Mobile.Device("MyDevice").Sensors(0)
Call Log.Message(sensor.Values.Value0)
Call Delay(1000)
Call Log.Message(sensor.Values.Value0) ' new value

DelphiScript

sensor := Mobile.Device('MyDevice').Sensors(0);
Log.Message(sensor.Values.Value0);
Delay(1000);
Log.Message(sensor.Values.Value0); // new value

C++Script, C#Script

var sensor = Mobile["Device"]("MyDevice")["Sensors"](0);
Log["Message"](sensor["Values"]["Value0"]);
Delay(1000);
Log["Message"](sensor["Values"]["Value0"]); // new value

If you save a sensor’s Values object to a variable, this variable will return the same cached values:

JavaScript, JScript

var sensor = Mobile.Device("MyDevice").Sensors(0);
var values = sensor.Values;
Log.Message(values.Value0);
Delay(1000);
Log.Message(values.Value0); // still the old value

Python

sensor = Mobile.Device("MyDevice").Sensors(0);
values = sensor.Values;
Log.Message(values.Value0);
Delay(1000);
Log.Message(values.Value0); # still the old value

VBScript

Dim sensor, values
Set sensor = Mobile.Device("MyDevice").Sensors(0)
Set values = sensor.Values
Call Log.Message(values.Value0)
Call Delay(1000)
Call Log.Message(values.Value0) ' still the old value

DelphiScript

sensor := Mobile.Device('MyDevice').Sensors(0);
values := sensor.Values;
Log.Message(values.Value0);
Delay(1000);
Log.Message(values.Value0); // still the old value

C++Script, C#Script

var sensor = Mobile["Device"]("MyDevice")["Sensors"](0);
var values = sensor["Values"];
Log["Message"](values["Value0"]);
Delay(1000);
Log["Message"](values["Value0"]); // still the old value

Also, because of this, clicking Refresh All in the Object Browser, when it shows the Values object properties, does not refresh the sensor values. You need to “re-enter” the Values object to see the new sensor values.

Getting Sensor Data From Scripts

The script below demonstrates how you can list Android device sensors and their values.

JavaScript, JScript

function ListSensors()
{
  var sensor, i;

  Mobile.SetCurrent("Nexus 7");
  for (i = 0; i < Mobile.Device().SensorsCount; i++)
  {
    sensor = Mobile.Device().Sensor(i);
    Log.AppendFolder("Sensor " + i + ": " + sensor.Name);
    Log.Message(sensor.Type);
    Log.Message("Value0: " + sensor.Values.Value0);
    Log.Message("Value1: " + sensor.Values.Value1);
    Log.Message("Value2: " + sensor.Values.Value2);
    Log.PopLogFolder();
  }
}

Python

def ListSensors():

  Mobile.SetCurrent("Nexus 7")
  for i in range (0,  Mobile.Device().SensorsCount):
    sensor = Mobile.Device().Sensor[i]
    Log.AppendFolder("Sensor " + IntToStr(i) + ": " + sensor.Name)
    Log.Message(sensor.Type)
    Log.Message("Value0: " + VarToStr(sensor.Values.Value0))
    Log.Message("Value1: " + VarToStr(sensor.Values.Value1))
    Log.Message("Value2: " + VarToStr(sensor.Values.Value2))
    Log.PopLogFolder()

VBScript

Sub ListSensors
  Dim sensor, i

  Call Mobile.SetCurrent("Nexus 7")
  For i = 0 To Mobile.Device.SensorsCount - 1
    Set sensor = Mobile.Device.Sensor(i)
    Call Log.AppendFolder("Sensor " & i & ": " & sensor.Name)
    Call Log.Message(sensor.Type)
    Call Log.Message("Value0: " & sensor.Values.Value0)
    Call Log.Message("Value1: " & sensor.Values.Value1)
    Call Log.Message("Value2: " & sensor.Values.Value2)
    Call Log.PopLogFolder
  Next
End Sub

DelphiScript

procedure ListSensors;
var sensor, i;
begin
  Mobile.SetCurrent('Nexus 7');
  for i := 0 to Mobile.Device.SensorsCount - 1 do
  begin
    sensor := Mobile.Device.Sensor(i);
    Log.AppendFolder('Sensor ' + aqConvert.VarToStr(i) + ': ' + sensor.Name);
    Log.Message(sensor.Type);
    Log.Message('Value0: ' + aqConvert.VarToStr(sensor.Values.Value0));
    Log.Message('Value1: ' + aqConvert.VarToStr(sensor.Values.Value1));
    Log.Message('Value2: ' + aqConvert.VarToStr(sensor.Values.Value2));
    Log.PopLogFolder;
  end;
end;

C++Script, C#Script

function ListSensors()
{
  var sensor, i;

  Mobile["SetCurrent"]("Nexus 7");
  for (i = 0; i < Mobile["Device"]["SensorsCount"]; i++)
  {
    sensor = Mobile["Device"]["Sensor"](i);
    Log["AppendFolder"]("Sensor " + i + ": " + sensor["Name"]);
    Log["Message"](sensor.Type);
    Log["Message"]("Value0: " + ["sensor"]["Values"]["Value0"]);
    Log["Message"]("Value1: " + ["sensor"]["Values"]["Value1"]);
    Log["Message"]("Value2: " + ["sensor"]["Values"]["Value2"]);
    Log["PopLogFolder"]();
  }
}

Getting Sensor Data From Keyword Tests

You can access the device sensor objects in keyword tests using the Call Object Method or Run Code Snippet operation. To use sensor values in other operation parameters, use the Code Expression parameter mode. For details, see Getting and Setting Object Property Values.

You can also write a script for getting sensor data and call it from your keyword test using the Run Script Routine operation.

Below is a sample keyword test that lists all Android device sensors and their values.

A keyword test that gets sensor data
A keyword test that gets sensor data

Samples

TestComplete includes a sample project that demonstrates how to get data from the mobile devices' sensors:

Android

<TestComplete Samples>\Mobile\Android\Sensors

iOS

<TestComplete Samples>\Mobile\iOS\Sensors

Note: If you do not have the sample, download the TestComplete Samples installation package from the support.smartbear.com/testcomplete/downloads/samples page of our website and run it.

See Also

Geolocation Testing and Sensors (Legacy)
AndroidSensor Object
iOSSensor Object
Common Tasks for Mobile Testing (Legacy)
Testing Mobile Applications

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