How do I test a camera in the iPhone simulator?

Question

Is there any way to test the iPhone camera in the simulator without having to deploy on a device? This seems awfully tedious.

Solution 1

There are a number of device specific features that you have to test on the device, but it's no harder than using the simulator. Just build a debug target for the device and leave it attached to the computer.

List of actions that require an actual device:

• the actual phone
• the camera
• the accelerometer
• real GPS data
• the compass
• vibration
• push notifications...

Solution 2

I needed to test some custom overlays for photos. The overlays needed to be adjusted based on the size/resolution of the image.

I approached this in a way that was similar to the suggestion from Stefan, I decided to code up a "dummy" camera response.

When the simulator is running I execute this dummy code instead of the standard "captureStillImageAsynchronouslyFromConnection".

In this dummy code, I build up a "black photo" of the necessary resolution and then send it through the pipelined to be treated like a normal photo. Essentially providing the feel of a very fast camera.

CGSize sz = UIDeviceOrientationIsPortrait([[UIDevice currentDevice] orientation]) ? CGSizeMake(2448, 3264) : CGSizeMake(3264, 2448);
UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions(sz, YES, 1);
[[UIColor blackColor] setFill];
UIRectFill(CGRectMake(0, 0, sz.width, sz.height));
UIImage *image = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext();
UIGraphicsEndImageContext();

NSData *imageData = UIImageJPEGRepresentation(image, 1.0);

The image above is equivalent to a 8MP photos that most of the current day devices send out. Obviously to test other resolutions you would change the size.

Solution 3

I never tried it, but you can give it a try! iCimulator

Solution 4

Nope (unless they've added a way to do it in 3.2, haven't checked yet).

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Comments

[marchinram]

That kinda sucks, what if you need to test on an earlier version of the OS set in your deployment target, guess you'd be screwed then.

[Admin]

And, you could make it to return an image from the iSight Camera :)

[19h]

Downgrade? That's the reason Xcode includes a one-click restore.

[knagode]

Here are instructions how to downgrade your device: iclarified.com/31004/how-to-downgrade-from-ios-7-beta-to-ios‌​-6

[mgarciaisaia]

Weren't push notifications a device-only feature, too?

[dudewad]

Yay for downgrading to test the camera functionality...? there's gotta be a better answer than "roll back"...

[Moose]

That's the point of the question... There is no camera in the simulator.

[Raphael]

Why would you need a camera to take screenshots?

[Rodrigo Juarez]

my camera don't work in my ipod touch ios 10.2.1, would be nice if I can test the functionality with the simulator

[Moose]

Why would you need to take screenshots of the camera you mean? To upload screenshots of your camera application in action on the Store, at different screen sizes.

[Luca]

I don't own an ios device. If I want to test on a real device I need to ask to someone.. That sucks..

[pete]

wtf, not everyone has an iOS device just because they're developing for iOS

[Moose]

Smart @Craig - I've done something similar ( not so smart I guess ) in a recent project, but used a picture stored in resources. This way it is possible to automate screenshots with fastlane to send on iTunesConnect

[Ben Butterworth]

10 years on, we still don't have this functionality.

[Andres Paladines]

I was about to answer with the same repo XD. Best regards.

[cd3k]

Question: "Can I use the camera on the IOS sim and not a physical device" Answer: "Use a physical device" Outcome: "Thanks for that"

[kot331107]

RN developers have android or ios actual device quite often. So the Q is ok to me. What is not ok is the fact that in 2021 there's still no any option to emulate a camera neither a virtual scene (e.g. for testing QR codes scanning) in ios emumator out-of-the-box. Sorry guys but comparing to android emulator, the ios one looks fast and memory-friendly but quite poor in it's dev tools and options