Simctl error running 'create': Invalid runtime

pchye · June 12, 2017, 8:44am

Hi all,

I encountered this error while running what was once a successful test automation.

Error: Could not create simulator with name 'appiumTest-c609fc4a-c383-47c7-9d1f-dbc6949321ab', device type id 'iPhone 6' and runtime id '10.3'. Reason: 'simctl error running 'create': Invalid runtime: 10.3'

My search on the web was fruitless as it referred more to device issues than the above.

Has anyone encountered this problem?

Venkatesh · June 12, 2017, 8:47am

what is the version of Xcode you are using?

pchye · June 12, 2017, 8:50am

Xcode is Version 8.3.3

Venkatesh · June 12, 2017, 9:14am

do you get the same error with other simulator and platform versions, post the complete Appium console log.

pchye · June 12, 2017, 9:51am

I did not use the test on other simulators or platforms.

Here is my log from Appium desktop

[Appium] Welcome to Appium v1.6.4
[Appium] Appium REST http interface listener started on 0.0.0.0:4723
[HTTP] → POST /wd/hub/session {“desiredCapabilities”:{“app”:“/Users/xxxx/Documents/Work/Experiments/_appiumApps/testAppiumApp.app”,“automationName”:“XCUITest”,“deviceName”:“iPhone Simulator”,“platformName”:“iOS”,“newCommandTimeout”:0,“connectHardwareKeyboard”:true}}
[MJSONWP] Calling AppiumDriver.createSession() with args: [{“app”:“/Users/xxxx/Documents/Work/Experiments/_appiumApps/testAppiumApp.app”,“automationName”:“XCUITest”,“deviceName”:“iPhone Simulator”,“platformName”:“iOS”,“newCommandTimeout”:0,“connectHardwareKeyboard”:true},null,null,null,null]
[BaseDriver] Event ‘newSessionRequested’ logged at 1497256836062 (16:40:36 GMT+0800 (+08))
[Appium] Creating new XCUITestDriver (v2.27.2) session
[Appium] Capabilities:
[Appium] app: ‘/Users/xxxx/Documents/Work/Experiments/_appiumApps/testAppiumApp.app’
[Appium] automationName: ‘XCUITest’
[Appium] deviceName: ‘iPhone Simulator’
[Appium] platformName: ‘iOS’
[Appium] newCommandTimeout: 0
[Appium] connectHardwareKeyboard: true
[XCUITest] XCUITestDriver version: 2.27.2
[BaseDriver] Session created with session id: c609fc4a-c383-47c7-9d1f-dbc6949321ab
[XCUITest] Xcode version set to ‘8.3.3’ (tools v8.3.2.0.1.1492020469)
[XCUITest] iOS SDK Version set to ‘10.3’
[BaseDriver] Event ‘xcodeDetailsRetrieved’ logged at 1497256836301 (16:40:36 GMT+0800 (+08))
[XCUITest] Changing deviceName from ‘iPhone Simulator’ to ‘iPhone 6’
[XCUITest] Simulator udid not provided, using desired caps to create a new simulator
[XCUITest] No platformVersion specified. Using latest version Xcode supports: ‘10.3’ This may cause problems if a simulator does not exist for this platform version.
[simctl] Error: simctl error running ‘create’: Invalid runtime: 10.3
at Object.wrappedLogger.errorAndThrow (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/appium-support/lib/logging.js:63:13)
at simCommand$ (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/node-simctl/lib/simctl.js:26:11)
at tryCatch (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/babel-runtime/regenerator/runtime.js:67:40)
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.invoke as _invoke
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.prototype.(anonymous function) as throw
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.invoke (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/babel-runtime/regenerator/runtime.js:136:37)
at process._tickCallback (internal/process/next_tick.js:103:7)
Error: simctl error running ‘create’: Invalid runtime: 10.3
at Object.wrappedLogger.errorAndThrow (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/appium-support/lib/logging.js:63:13)
at simCommand$ (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/node-simctl/lib/simctl.js:26:11)
at tryCatch (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/babel-runtime/regenerator/runtime.js:67:40)
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.invoke as _invoke
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.prototype.(anonymous function) as throw
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.invoke (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/babel-runtime/regenerator/runtime.js:136:37)
at process._tickCallback (internal/process/next_tick.js:103:7)
[simctl] Error: Could not create simulator with name ‘appiumTest-c609fc4a-c383-47c7-9d1f-dbc6949321ab’, device type id ‘iPhone 6’ and runtime id ‘10.3’. Reason: ‘simctl error running ‘create’: Invalid runtime: 10.3’
at Object.wrappedLogger.errorAndThrow (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/appium-support/lib/logging.js:63:13)
at createDevice$ (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/node-simctl/lib/simctl.js:95:9)
at tryCatch (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/babel-runtime/regenerator/runtime.js:67:40)
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.invoke as _invoke
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.prototype.(anonymous function) as throw
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.invoke (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/babel-runtime/regenerator/runtime.js:136:37)
at process._tickCallback (internal/process/next_tick.js:103:7)
Error: Could not create simulator with name ‘appiumTest-c609fc4a-c383-47c7-9d1f-dbc6949321ab’, device type id ‘iPhone 6’ and runtime id ‘10.3’. Reason: ‘simctl error running ‘create’: Invalid runtime: 10.3’
at Object.wrappedLogger.errorAndThrow (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/appium-support/lib/logging.js:63:13)
at createDevice$ (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/node-simctl/lib/simctl.js:95:9)
at tryCatch (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/babel-runtime/regenerator/runtime.js:67:40)
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.invoke as _invoke
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.prototype.(anonymous function) as throw
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.invoke (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/babel-runtime/regenerator/runtime.js:136:37)
at process._tickCallback (internal/process/next_tick.js:103:7)
[XCUITest] Error: Could not create simulator with name ‘appiumTest-c609fc4a-c383-47c7-9d1f-dbc6949321ab’, device type id ‘iPhone 6’ and runtime id ‘10.3’. Reason: ‘simctl error running ‘create’: Invalid runtime: 10.3’
at Object.wrappedLogger.errorAndThrow (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/appium-support/lib/logging.js:63:13)
at createDevice$ (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/node-simctl/lib/simctl.js:95:9)
at tryCatch (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/babel-runtime/regenerator/runtime.js:67:40)
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.invoke as _invoke
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.prototype.(anonymous function) as throw
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.invoke (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/babel-runtime/regenerator/runtime.js:136:37)
at process._tickCallback (internal/process/next_tick.js:103:7)
Error: Could not create simulator with name ‘appiumTest-c609fc4a-c383-47c7-9d1f-dbc6949321ab’, device type id ‘iPhone 6’ and runtime id ‘10.3’. Reason: ‘simctl error running ‘create’: Invalid runtime: 10.3’
at Object.wrappedLogger.errorAndThrow (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/appium-support/lib/logging.js:63:13)
at createDevice$ (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/node-simctl/lib/simctl.js:95:9)
at tryCatch (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/babel-runtime/regenerator/runtime.js:67:40)
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.invoke as _invoke
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.prototype.(anonymous function) as throw
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.invoke
at process._tickCallback (internal/process/next_tick.js:103:7)
[XCUITest] Not clearing log files. Use clearSystemFiles capability to turn on.
[MJSONWP] Encountered internal error running command: Error: Could not create simulator with name ‘appiumTest-c609fc4a-c383-47c7-9d1f-dbc6949321ab’, device type id ‘iPhone 6’ and runtime id ‘10.3’. Reason: ‘simctl error running ‘create’: Invalid runtime: 10.3’
at Object.wrappedLogger.errorAndThrow (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/appium-support/lib/logging.js:63:13)
at createDevice$ (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/node-simctl/lib/simctl.js:95:9)
at tryCatch (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/babel-runtime/regenerator/runtime.js:67:40)
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.invoke as _invoke
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.prototype.(anonymous function) as throw
at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.invoke (/Applications/Appium.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/appium/node_modules/babel-runtime/regenerator/runtime.js:136:37)
at process._tickCallback (internal/process/next_tick.js:103:7)
[HTTP] ← POST /wd/hub/session 500 492 ms - 336

Capabilites are set as below

{
“automationName”: “XCUITest”,
“deviceName”: “iPhone Simulator”,
“platformName”: “iOS”,
“app”: “/Users/xxxx/Documents/Work/Experiments/_appiumApps/testAppiumApp.app”
}

This one below is from the IntelliJ Debugger
> org.openqa.selenium.SessionNotCreatedException: Unable to create new remote session. desired capabilities = Capabilities [{app=/Users/xxxx/Documents/Work/Experiments/_appiumApps/testAppiumApp.app, automationName=XCuiTest, platfomName=iOS, platformName=iOS, deviceName=iPhone 6}], required capabilities = Capabilities [{}]

Build info: version: '3.4.0', revision: 'unknown', time: 'unknown'
System info: host: 'wssin2mac149', ip: 'fe80:0:0:0:1c29:2558:cf56:8571%en0', os.name: 'Mac OS X', os.arch: 'x86_64', os.version: '10.12.4', java.version: '1.8.0_131'
Driver info: driver.version: IOSDriver
at io.appium.java_client.remote.AppiumProtocolHandShake.lambda$1(AppiumProtocolHandShake.java:96)
at java.util.Optional.orElseThrow(Optional.java:290)
at io.appium.java_client.remote.AppiumProtocolHandShake.createSession(AppiumProtocolHandShake.java:96)
at io.appium.java_client.remote.AppiumCommandExecutor.doExecute(AppiumCommandExecutor.java:111)
at io.appium.java_client.remote.AppiumCommandExecutor.execute(AppiumCommandExecutor.java:162)
at org.openqa.selenium.remote.RemoteWebDriver.execute(RemoteWebDriver.java:637)
at io.appium.java_client.DefaultGenericMobileDriver.execute(DefaultGenericMobileDriver.java:42)
at io.appium.java_client.AppiumDriver.execute(AppiumDriver.java:1)
at io.appium.java_client.ios.IOSDriver.execute(IOSDriver.java:1)
at org.openqa.selenium.remote.RemoteWebDriver.startSession(RemoteWebDriver.java:250)
at org.openqa.selenium.remote.RemoteWebDriver.startSession(RemoteWebDriver.java:236)
at org.openqa.selenium.remote.RemoteWebDriver.(RemoteWebDriver.java:137)
at io.appium.java_client.DefaultGenericMobileDriver.(DefaultGenericMobileDriver.java:38)
at io.appium.java_client.AppiumDriver.(AppiumDriver.java:88)
at io.appium.java_client.AppiumDriver.(AppiumDriver.java:112)
at io.appium.java_client.ios.IOSDriver.(IOSDriver.java:78)
at FirstTest.setUpTest(FirstTest.java:26)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod$1.runReflectiveCall(FrameworkMethod.java:47)
at org.junit.internal.runners.model.ReflectiveCallable.run(ReflectiveCallable.java:12)
at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod.invokeExplosively(FrameworkMethod.java:44)
at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.InvokeMethod.evaluate(InvokeMethod.java:17)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runLeaf(ParentRunner.java:271)
at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:70)
at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:50)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$3.run(ParentRunner.java:238)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$1.schedule(ParentRunner.java:63)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runChildren(ParentRunner.java:236)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.access$000(ParentRunner.java:53)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$2.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:229)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.run(ParentRunner.java:309)
at org.junit.runner.JUnitCore.run(JUnitCore.java:160)
at com.intellij.junit4.JUnit4IdeaTestRunner.startRunnerWithArgs(JUnit4IdeaTestRunner.java:68)
at com.intellij.rt.execution.junit.IdeaTestRunner$Repeater.startRunnerWithArgs(IdeaTestRunner.java:51)
at com.intellij.rt.execution.junit.JUnitStarter.prepareStreamsAndStart(JUnitStarter.java:242)
at com.intellij.rt.execution.junit.JUnitStarter.main(JUnitStarter.java:70)

The capabilities are as below

DesiredCapabilities capabilities = new DesiredCapabilities();
capabilities.setCapability(“platfomName”, “iOS”);
capabilities.setCapability(“automationName”, “XCuiTest”);
capabilities.setCapability(“deviceName”, “iPhone 6”);
capabilities.setCapability(“app”, “/xxxx/_appiumApps/testAppiumApp.app”);
IOSDriver driver = new IOSDriver(new URL(“http://localhost:4723/wd/hub”), capabilities);

Venkatesh · June 14, 2017, 2:05pm

looks similar, set the platform version capability.

pchye · June 15, 2017, 2:12am

Yep yep, turns out to be that. It’s weird how it went through previously…

Thanks Venkatesh

prat3ik · May 28, 2020, 7:06am

Sometimes just checking the simulator type and setting the correct one helps:

Using instruments -s devices it will give you list of simulators
Get the simulator name you want
Set below desired capabilities(Python):

import unittest
from appium import webdriver

desired_caps = {}
desired_caps['platformName'] = 'iOS'
desired_caps['platformVersion'] = '13.4.1'
desired_caps['automationName'] = 'XCUITest'
desired_caps['deviceName'] = 'iPhone 11'
desired_caps['app'] = '/path/to/test.app' #Path to .app file
desired_caps['noReset'] = 'true'
desired_caps['ensureFreshSimulatorCreation'] = 'true'

driver = webdriver.Remote('http://localhost:4723/wd/hub', desired_caps)

Sometimes it gives like below result when you hit: driver = webdriver.Remote('http://localhost:4723/wd/hub', desired_caps):

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.7/site-packages/appium/webdriver/webdriver.py", line 151, in __init__
    proxy
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.7/site-packages/selenium/webdriver/remote/webdriver.py", line 157, in __init__
    self.start_session(capabilities, browser_profile)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.7/site-packages/appium/webdriver/webdriver.py", line 227, in start_session
    response = self.execute(RemoteCommand.NEW_SESSION, parameters)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.7/site-packages/selenium/webdriver/remote/webdriver.py", line 321, in execute
    self.error_handler.check_response(response)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.7/site-packages/selenium/webdriver/remote/errorhandler.py", line 242, in check_response
    raise exception_class(message, screen, stacktrace)
selenium.common.exceptions.WebDriverException: Message: An unknown server-side error occurred while processing the command. Original error: '13.4.1' does not exist in the list of simctl SDKs. Only the following Simulator SDK versions are available on your system: 13.4, 13.3, 6.1, 13.5, 6.2

So you can pick any platform version from the given list: 13.4, 13.3, 6.1, 13.5, 6.2

desired_caps['platformVersion'] = '13.4'

And that’s it.!