[2026-10-12] eagle: personal/tech/legacy-xctest-runner.md

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+---
+title: Legacy XCTest runner (run new-Xcode UI tests on macOS 12)
+namespace: personal
+updated: '2026-10-12'
+tags:
+  - xctest
+  - ui-tests
+  - macos
+  - duckduckgo
+  - virfield
+---
+# Legacy XCTest runner
+
+Runs DDG macOS UI tests built with the current Xcode (27.x) on a Mac that can only
+run an old Xcode, e.g. the MBP 2014 node (Monterey 12.6.8, Intel, Xcode 13.4.1).
+
+Location: `~/Developer/legacy-xctest-runner/` (not committed anywhere).
+
+## Why it is needed
+
+- New Xcode's `XCTest.framework` and `UI Tests-Runner.app` require macOS 14+.
+- The test bundle itself targets the app's deployment target (12.3), so it can run
+  if hosted by the old Xcode's runner.
+- The bundle imports 2 Swift symbols missing from Xcode 13 XCTest:
+  `XCUIElement.typeKey(_:modifierFlags:)` (mangled under `XCUIAutomation`) and
+  `XCTIssue.init(…severity:)`. `XCTestCompat.swift` forwards them.
+
+## How it works
+
+- `package.sh <derived-data> <out.tgz>` — collects `DuckDuckGo Review.app`,
+  `tests-server`, `UI Tests.xctest` + runner files.
+- `run.sh [--gui] <TestClass[/testMethod]> [result-name]` on the target Mac:
+  - builds `XCTestCompat.framework` (re-exports old XCTest + libXCTestSwiftSupport, adds forwarders);
+  - hosts the bundle in Xcode 13's `XCTRunner.app`, `install_name_tool` repoints the
+    bundle's XCTest/libXCTestSwiftSupport imports at XCTestCompat;
+  - repeats `macOS UI Tests CI` scheme pre-actions (clean-app review, suppress
+    Move-to-Applications, start tests-server);
+  - `xcodebuild test-without-building` with `UITests.xctestrun` (FormatVersion 1),
+    then kills tests-server and the app (old XCTest doesn't terminate it).
+  - `--gui`: over SSH xcodebuild can't reach the runner; relaunches itself via a
+    Terminal `.command` in the console session, waits, closes finished windows.
+
+Build on the host (spell flags out — zsh doesn't word-split `$var`):
+
+```bash
+xcodebuild build-for-testing -workspace DuckDuckGo.xcworkspace -scheme "macOS UI Tests CI" -destination "platform=macOS,arch=x86_64" -derivedDataPath <dd> ONLY_ACTIVE_ARCH=YES -skipPackagePluginValidation -skipMacroValidation
+xcodebuild build -workspace DuckDuckGo.xcworkspace -scheme "macOS Browser" -configuration Review -destination "platform=macOS,arch=x86_64" -derivedDataPath <dd> ONLY_ACTIVE_ARCH=YES -skipPackagePluginValidation -skipMacroValidation
+```
+
+## Target Mac prerequisites (once per boot volume, needs sudo)
+
+```bash
+sudo DevToolsSecurity -enable
+sudo automationmodetool enable-automationmode-without-authentication
+```
+
+Without them testmanagerd shows an admin-password prompt on the display
+("Timed out while enabling automation mode"). Virfield's node probe now reports
+`ui_testing` (`ready` / `devtools_disabled` / `automation_mode_requires_auth` /
+`no_console_session`); setup script `virfield-v3/deploy/node-ui-testing.sh`.
+
+## Gotchas found
+
+- Repo `Logger` (`macOS/UITests/Common/UITests.swift`) calls private
+  `-[XCTContext _recordActivityMessageWithFormat:]`; old XCTest lacks it → guard
+  with `responds(to:)` (done on branch `alex/fix-save-credentials-tooltip-crash-macos12`).
+- Remote shell is zsh: `log` is a builtin — use `/usr/bin/log show`.
+- MBP has a different SSH host key per boot volume; use the Virfield lease's
+  generated `ssh-config` (pins the booted volume's key).
+- Hover tracking in the app uses `.activeInKeyWindow`; popovers that open without
+  focus don't get hover events.
+
+First used: 2026-10-12, reproducing Sentry crash
+`NSInternalInconsistencyException SaveCredentialsViewController.loadView`
+(`isfinite(newOrigin.x)` on macOS 12) — reproduced before fix on the MBP.
+See also [[virfield]].