Build and Run an xcode project via AppleScript - iphone

Question

I'm trying to build an xcode project and run it through the iPhone Simulator via applescript. I'm aware of xcodebuild but it doesn't let you run the app in the simulator. I've gotten pretty close with the script below...
tell application "Xcode"
set targetProject to project of active project document
tell targetProject
set active build configuration type to build configuration type "Debug"
set active SDK to "iphonesimulator3.0"
end tell
if (build targetProject) is equal to "Build succeeded" then
launch targetProject
end if
end tell
... but the build command doesn't seem to obey the active SDK property, it always defaults to the project's base SDK setting (such as the iPhoneOS3.0 instead of iPhonesimulator3.0)
Is there a way to tell the build command to use a specific SDK? I'm using xcode 3.2 on snow leopard.

Answer 1

Here is the trick... you have to set the SDKROOT build setting. Here is a zsh script I use to find the xcode project within the current hierarchy, build it, and run it via xcode.
#!/bin/zsh
BUILD_PATH=$(dirname $0)
while [[ -z $BUILD_FILE && $BUILD_PATH != "/" ]]; do
BUILD_FILE=$(find $BUILD_PATH -name '*.xcodeproj' -maxdepth 1)
BUILD_PATH=$(dirname $BUILD_PATH)
done
if [[ -z $BUILD_FILE ]]; then
echo "Couldn't find an xcode project file in directory"
exit 1
fi
# Applescript likes's : instead of / (because it's insane)
BUILD_FILE=${BUILD_FILE//\//:}
# Find the latest Simulator SDK
SIMULATOR_SDKS=( /Developer/Platforms/iPhoneSimulator.platform/Developer/SDKs/*.sdk )
SIMULATOR_SDK=${SIMULATOR_SDKS[-1]}
SIMULATOR_SDK_STRING=$(basename ${(L)SIMULATOR_SDK%.[a-z]*})
if [[ -z $SIMULATOR_SDK ]]; then
echo "Couldn't find a simulator SDK"
exit 1
fi
osascript <<SCRIPT
application "iPhone Simulator" quit
application "iPhone Simulator" activate
tell application "Xcode"
open "$BUILD_FILE"
set targetProject to project of active project document
tell targetProject
set active build configuration type to build configuration type "Debug"
set active SDK to "$SIMULATOR_SDK_STRING"
set value of build setting "SDKROOT" of build configuration "Debug" of active target to "$SIMULATOR_SDK"
if (build targetProject) is equal to "Build succeeded" then
launch targetProject
else
application "iPhone Simulator" quit
end if
end tell
end tell
SCRIPT

Answer 2

Another option to consider is to use Applescript to launch a shell script that executes the xcodebuild program. xcodebuild allows you to specify things like a specific target, configuration, sdk, etc. I use this all the time when I have to SSH into a build server and rebuild a project.

Answer 3

The iphonesim project gives you a command-line launcher for the iPhone simulator.

Answer 4

If the set active SDK command does not work as expected, a workaround would be to create another build configuration named "Debug-Simulator" (in Xcode in the project settings), and to set the base SDK in the new configuration to iphonesimulator3.0. This would allow you to select the SDK by selecting the build configuration (if that works in AppleScript).