Android JB 4.2.2 and Monkeyrunner script to make call - command

Question

I am using Jelly Bean 4.2.2 on my device and trying to make a call using Monkeyrunner script.
I am using the below code which was working on ICS very well but in JB, it doesn't type the phone number in the edit text box once the key dialer screen is opened.. Does anyone experience this issue?
device.startActivity(component='com.android.contacts/com.android.contacts.activities.DialtactsActivity')
device.type("8888888888")
BR
Srini

Answer 1

The intent alternative is the correct one for many cases, however if you really want to simulate a real user dialing a number you can use this culebra script slightly edited from autogenerated to add the dialNumber method and other minor things:
#! /usr/local/bin/shebang monkeyrunner -plugin $AVC_HOME/bin/androidviewclient-$AVC_VERSION.jar #!
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
'''
Copyright (C) 2013 Diego Torres Milano
Created on 2013-05-15 by Culebra v0.9.8
__ __ __ __
/ \ / \ / \ / \
____________________/ __\/ __\/ __\/ __\_____________________________
___________________/ /__/ /__/ /__/ /________________________________
| / \ / \ / \ / \ \___
|/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \ o \
\_____/--<
#author: Diego Torres Milano
#author: Jennifer E. Swofford (ascii art snake)
'''
import re
import sys
import os
from com.dtmilano.android.viewclient import ViewClient
from com.android.monkeyrunner import MonkeyRunner, MonkeyDevice
def dialNumber(number):
print "dialing", number
digits = [zero, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine]
for d in number:
if d in ['-', ' ']:
continue
digits[int(d)].touch()
vc.sleep(0.5)
dial.touch()
device, serialno = ViewClient.connectToDeviceOrExit()
device.startActivity(component='com.android.contacts/com.android.contacts.activities.DialtactsActivity')
vc = ViewClient(device, serialno, autodump=False)
vc.dump(window='-1')
back = vc.findViewWithContentDescriptionOrRaise('backspace')
one = vc.findViewWithContentDescriptionOrRaise('one')
two = vc.findViewWithContentDescriptionOrRaise('two')
three = vc.findViewWithContentDescriptionOrRaise('three')
four = vc.findViewWithContentDescriptionOrRaise('four')
five = vc.findViewWithContentDescriptionOrRaise('five')
six = vc.findViewWithContentDescriptionOrRaise('six')
seven = vc.findViewWithContentDescriptionOrRaise('seven')
eight = vc.findViewWithContentDescriptionOrRaise('eight')
nine = vc.findViewWithContentDescriptionOrRaise('nine')
star = vc.findViewWithContentDescriptionOrRaise('star')
zero = vc.findViewWithContentDescriptionOrRaise('zero')
pound = vc.findViewWithContentDescriptionOrRaise('pound')
dial = vc.findViewWithContentDescriptionOrRaise('dial')
search = vc.findViewWithContentDescriptionOrRaise('search')
moreOptions = vc.findViewWithContentDescriptionOrRaise('More options')
dialNumber("800-555-1234")