setClipboardText() is not working with Appium 1.21.0 + iOS 14.6

DanK · June 10, 2021, 8:07am

I’ve updated to Appium 1.21.0 and clipboard is not working anymore, I’m using real iOS devices with iOS 14.6

[HTTP] --> POST /wd/hub/session/649aaa25-bdbe-4adf-bae3-7cc94255746f/appium/device/set_clipboard
[HTTP] {“content”:“dGVzdA==”,“contentType”:“plaintext”}
[debug] [W3C (649aaa25)] Calling AppiumDriver.setClipboard() with args: [“dGVzdA==”,“plaintext”,null,null,null,“649aaa25-bdbe-4adf-bae3-7cc94255746f”]
[debug] [XCUITest] Executing command ‘setClipboard’
[XCUITest] Proxying to WDA with an unknown route: POST /wda/setPasteboard
[debug] [WD Proxy] Proxying [POST /wda/setPasteboard] to [POST http://127.0.0.1:8102/session/B29494F1-7949-47D8-85FD-8956D5901246/wda/setPasteboard] with body: {“content”:“dGVzdA==”,“contentType”:“plaintext”}
[debug] [WD Proxy] Got response with status 200: {“value”:null,“sessionId”:“B29494F1-7949-47D8-85FD-8956D5901246”}
[debug] [W3C (649aaa25)] Responding to client with driver.setClipboard() result: null
[HTTP] <-- POST /wd/hub/session/649aaa25-bdbe-4adf-bae3-7cc94255746f/appium/device/set_clipboard 200 37 ms - 14
[HTTP]
[HTTP] --> POST /wd/hub/session/649aaa25-bdbe-4adf-bae3-7cc94255746f/appium/device/get_clipboard
[HTTP] {“contentType”:“plaintext”}
[debug] [W3C (649aaa25)] Calling AppiumDriver.getClipboard() with args: [“plaintext”,“649aaa25-bdbe-4adf-bae3-7cc94255746f”]
[debug] [XCUITest] Executing command ‘getClipboard’
[XCUITest] Proxying to WDA with an unknown route: POST /wda/getPasteboard
[debug] [WD Proxy] Proxying [POST /wda/getPasteboard] to [POST http://127.0.0.1:8102/session/B29494F1-7949-47D8-85FD-8956D5901246/wda/getPasteboard] with body: {“contentType”:“plaintext”}
[debug] [WD Proxy] Got response with status 200: {“value”:"",“sessionId”:“B29494F1-7949-47D8-85FD-8956D5901246”}
[debug] [W3C (649aaa25)] Responding to client with driver.getClipboard() result: “”
[HTTP] <-- POST /wd/hub/session/649aaa25-bdbe-4adf-bae3-7cc94255746f/appium/device/get_clipboard 200 23 ms - 12

wreed · June 10, 2021, 6:03pm

(For iOS real devices) Apple security preferences require the WebDriverAgentRunner application to be in foreground in order to be able to receive the system clipboard content. Otherwise an empty string is always returned. Consider using Activate App and Background App to change the foreground application.

https://appium.io/docs/en/commands/device/clipboard/get-clipboard/#description

The log doesn’t indicate that you’ve put WDA into the foreground. So I’m forced to guess that this is the problem. More here:

github.com/appium/WebDriverAgent

The 'value' of 'getPasteboard' is always empty

opened 02:02AM - 07 May 20 UTC

closed 03:30AM - 07 May 20 UTC

electricbubble

```http Method: POST URL: http://localhost:8100/session/885C63E2-6F66-4DB8-921…B-72B34D254099/wda/setPasteboard Body: {"content":"SGkgYWdhaW4=","contentType":"plaintext"} Method: POST URL: http://localhost:8100/session/885C63E2-6F66-4DB8-921B-72B34D254099/wda/getPasteboard Body: {"contentType":"plaintext"} ``` ```obj-c + (NSData *)dataForType:(NSString *)type error:(NSError **)error { UIPasteboard *pb = UIPasteboard.generalPasteboard; NSLog(@"### %@", pb.hasStrings ? @"YES" : @"NO"); NSLog(@"### %@", pb.hasImages ? @"YES" : @"NO"); NSLog(@"### %@", pb.hasURLs ? @"YES" : @"NO"); if ([type.lowercaseString isEqualToString:@"plaintext"]) { if (pb.hasStrings) { return [[pb.strings componentsJoinedByString:@"\n"] dataUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding]; } } else if ([type.lowercaseString isEqualToString:@"image"]) { if (pb.hasImages) { return UIImagePNGRepresentation((UIImage *)pb.image); } } else if ([type.lowercaseString isEqualToString:@"url"]) { if (pb.hasURLs) { NSMutableArray<NSString *> *urls = [NSMutableArray array]; for (NSURL *url in pb.URLs) { if (nil != url.absoluteString) { [urls addObject:(id)url.absoluteString]; } } return [[urls componentsJoinedByString:@"\n"] dataUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding]; } } else { NSString *description = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"Unsupported content type: %@", type]; if (error) { *error = [[FBErrorBuilder.builder withDescription:description] build]; } return nil; } return [@"" dataUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding]; } ``` ```bash 2020-05-07 09:42:10.674052+0800 WebDriverAgentRunner-Runner[2168:590313] Getting the most recent active application (out of 1 total items) t = 17.33s Find the Application 'com.apple.mobilenotes' t = 17.33s Requesting snapshot of accessibility hierarchy for app with pid 2133 2020-05-07 09:42:10.844680+0800 WebDriverAgentRunner-Runner[2168:590313] Returning local object of class NSString 2020-05-07 09:42:10.866392+0800 WebDriverAgentRunner-Runner[2168:590313] ### NO 2020-05-07 09:42:10.867659+0800 WebDriverAgentRunner-Runner[2168:590313] ### NO 2020-05-07 09:42:10.868586+0800 WebDriverAgentRunner-Runner[2168:590313] ### NO ``` I don't understand, is it a problem with my iOS device and system? -|Version -|- iPhone 6s | 11.4.1 iPhone X | 13.4.1 Xcode | 11.4.1

DanK · June 11, 2021, 5:20am

Thanks for your answer, but I do not need to get clipboard content, I need to set clipboard content and then paste it elsewhere, and it had worked before update. Are these Apple security preferences came with iOS 14.6 ?

Aleksei · June 11, 2021, 5:46am

i guess it same. WDA app just does not have access to clipboard while in background. no matter get or set.

DanK · June 11, 2021, 12:09pm

@wreed you and @Aleksei were totally right. I’ve tried to put WDA to foreground before set clipboard and now it works. Strange that it worked before, but anyway thank you both for your advice.

nikoskyr · June 24, 2021, 12:29pm

I have the exact same issue with iOS 14.6 and Appium 1.21.0. Previously the command ((IOSDriver) driver.setClipboardText(“test”); worked without activating the WDA, even thought the documentation advised for the opposite. Now, after the upgrade to 14.6 the “problem” or maybe the fix appeared and requires to open the WDA