This article is to advise you on how to complete some basic actions within an iOS mobile device that you may come across while working with Rainforest jobs.
Please keep in mind that these are virtual devices, so they have a few things you need to know:
- There is no call functionality to them.
- If you're asked to test out sending a text message, DO NOT use your real phone number.
- If instructed to do so you can download apps within the app store for specific jobs.
iOS VM Buttons
We’ve added the following new buttons to our iOS mobile VMs:
- Home
- Keyboard
- Rotate Right
- Rotate Left
The purpose of these new buttons is two-fold:
- To make your lives easier, so you don’t have to access the Hardware menu for common actions like rotating the device or going to the home screen
- To make clients’ lives easier by removing the need for them to specify how to access the Hardware menu in instructions for such common tasks
Important note: In order for the button to work (to send the key commands to the simulator), the simulator needs to be the "active" application i.e. the last click you made before using one of these buttons needs to be made inside the simulator. For example, when you load the VM you can see in the top left of the navigation bar that "Simulator" is the active application. If you click outside of the iPhone (but still in the VM) you'll notice it changes to "Finder". If "Finder" is active and you hit one of these buttons, the command won’t execute correctly (it will go to Finder instead of the Simulator, and we don’t want that).
Please note that this update applies to iOS VMs only because the Android emulators come with an action menu bar included. We will consider adding more buttons for iOS simulators in the future if they’re needed (and have keyboard shortcuts).
How to the use dropdown menu
The dropdown menu will appear at the bottom of the screen. The choice you want to select should be between the bars you see below. Once you’ve made your selection click “done” in order to move on.
How to go back in mobile internet browser
If you drag up or down on the screen with your mouse, the back button bar should appear when you’re in an internet browser on the iPhone.
Once the menu appears you’ll see the following icons:
Left facing arrow: use this to go back
Right facing arrow: use this to go forward (this is only activated if you’ve used the back button)
Square with arrow up: share this link
Book: Bookmarks
Stacked Squares: shows all open internet tabs
Opening a new tab
- Tap and hold on any link.
- On an iPhone, select "Open in Background" or “Open in new tab”.
How to download and save images to your Photos app
- Navigate to the page that contains the image that you want to save.
- Click and hold on the image until the pop-up selection menu appears, then click either “Download Image” OR “Save Image” (Save Image will typically be when you’re within a web browser)
- Find the saved image within Photos app.
How to take a photo
- Launch the Camera app from the Home screen. The icon looks like a camera icon.
- Frame and focus the scene you want to take, just like normal.
- Click the large, greyish-white circle in the bottom of the screen to take the photo.
- (Optional) see the photo you just took by tapping the thumbnail in the bottom corner.
In the VM the camera will only take pictures of a black screen. You may also see a moving box that changes colors when the camera app is open.
Changing the Wallpaper
- Launch the Settings app from your iPhone or iPad Home screen.
- Tap on Wallpaper.
- Tap on Choose a New Wallpaper. You can choose from Apple's stock images, or the photo library.
- Select your new wallpaper to enter Preview mode.
- Tap Set.
-
Tap the option of your choice:
- Set Lock Screen
- Set Home Screen
- Both
If the instructions ask you to use a downloaded image, you'll select the Photo Library option to access the downloaded image.
If you do not see a wallpaper option within settings follow these steps to set a new wallpaper image:
- Navigate to the photo library
- Select the photo you'd like as the new wallpaper
- In the bottom menu you'll see the share option - it is a square shape with an arrow coming from the top
- Use your mouse to "swipe" through the menu and find the Use as wallpaper option. Click this option.
- You'll see the test screen with the image, select the option to "set".
- Tap the option of your choice:
- Set Lock Screen
- Set Home Screen
- Both
Zooming in and out
In order to zoom in within the iPhone VM, you’ll need to double click any area of the phone screen
To reset, double click again.
You can also use the screen tool.
To activate:
- Hold alt/option key on your keyboard
- Click in the phone screen with your mouse
- Move the circles to zoom in, just as you would pinch a phone screen
Within a map, you may be able to move the map with just your mouse and clicking. However if this does not work you'll need to activate the touch tool. This can be done following the instructions above or by clicking the control (CTRL) button on your keyboard. Instead of two grey circles you'll see one appear. This will allow you to move the map as needed.
To zoom out, hold the alt/option key on your keyboard, and with your mouse click and drag outwards.
Swipe gestures
Click your mouse, and drag it in the direction you wish to swipe.
If you see the allow location pop up and aren’t specifically instructed on what to do, you may select either option.
VM Menu
You can navigate home by selecting “Hardware” then the “Home” option.
The hardware menu can also be used to rotate the device and change it's orientation. This is where you can check if you need to perform an action that you'd do physically (like turn the phone to rotate). It is the iOS version of the side toolbar that you see in Android VM's.
You'll also find the option to slow animations in the top menu. In case you're asked by clients to do this it is located in the "Debug" menu
System settings
You'll first need to click the Hardware menu (pictured above) and then the "Home" option.
Note that the Settings menu has a search bar, which you can see if you drag the screen down slightly.
Within the system settings, you'll be able to find the option to change the time and date if needed.
Force Closing an App
- On an iPhone X or later or an iPad with iOS 12, from the Home screen, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause slightly in the middle of the screen. On an iPhone 8 or earlier, double-click the Home button to show your most recently used apps
- Swipe right or left to find the app that you want to close.
- Swipe up on the app's preview to close the app.
Touch-Assist
You may be asked to turn on assistive touch within an iOS test. You'll find the option to turn this setting on under the Accessibility section of the settings app. Keep in mind, to get to the settings menu, you can Click the "Hardware" option in the top most menu, and then click "Home". There you should see the Settings app on the home screen.
Mobile Browser URL
If you need to view the browser on a mobile device, you can click on the URL bar to expand it if needed. You'll be able to click through the URL using the right and left arrow keys on your keyboard. To close out of the URL bar, click 'Cancel'.
