iPhone simulator - how to detect when app is running on simulator (so can setup test data)?

Question

Any sample code that would show me how to, in my iPhone application code:

1. How to detect if the application has just been DEPLOYED to be run to a simulator (and not a device) [if "Deployed" isn't available, then just detecting when the app is being run on the simulator as opposed to a device)
2. Where about in my iPhone app code would I put the lines that setup my test data in the simulator - this is noting I wanted the test data to be effectively wiped clean/re-instated each time I recompile and push to the simulator (however I didn't really want this code to be run during my usage of the application in the simulator - e.g. should be able to swap apps in the simulator & then when I start my app again in the simulator it should not run the data setup code

Any other better suggestions re how to cover off managing this test data on the simulator would be good. Background here is that I'm talking about test data in the Calendar (e.g. using Event Kit), so I don't want to have the app putting calendar items into my iPhone when I deploy to my device (sorry - only have 1 personal iPhone here).

Answer 1

I obviously do use something like this ...

#import <TargetConditionals.h>

#if TARGET_IPHONE_SIMULATOR

// Simulator specific code

#else // TARGET_IPHONE_SIMULATOR

// Device specific code

#endif // TARGET_IPHONE_SIMULATOR

And to your second question ... Something like this should help you. In your app delegate:

- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:(NSDictionary *)launchOptions {
  if ( ! [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] boolForKey:@"initialized"] ) {
    // Setup stuff
    [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] setBool:YES forKey:@"initialized"];
  }

  ... your code ...
}

Answer 2

The code block that worked for me:

#if defined(__i386__)  || defined(__x86_64__)
    /* Run code if in Simulator */
#else
    /* Run code if in device */
#end

I noticed __i386__ does not work for iPhone 6 simulators, so I added x86_64

Answer 3

If you'd like to check on runtime (instead compile time with the # compiler macro) use this code:

UIDevice *currentDevice = [UIDevice currentDevice];
if ([currentDevice.model rangeOfString:@"Simulator"].location == NSNotFound) {
    //running on device
} else { 
    // running in Simulator
}

see also this question: How can I programmatically determine if my app is running in the iphone simulator?

Answer 4

Swift 5:

TARGET_OS_SIMULATOR does not work in Swift 5. targetEnvironment(simulator) works, like below:

#if targetEnvironment(simulator)
// code to run if running on simulator
#else
// code to run if not running on simulator
#endif

Reference