Unable to take screenshots using Xamarin.UITest

Question

I'm running Xamarin.UITest tests on Windows 7, using an Andorid emulator and Android device. In both cases I'm unable to take screenshots.

I'm initialising things like this:

ConfigureApp
    .Android
    .ApkFile(apkPath)
    .EnableLocalScreenshots()
    .StartApp();

And taking a screenshot like this:

App.Screenshot("App Started");

However, when calling App.Screenshot I get this exception:

System.Exception : Error while performing Screenshot("App Started")
  ----> System.Exception : Failed to create C:\Users\USERNAME\.nuget\packages\xamarin.uitest\3.0.3\lib\net45\screenshot-1.png. You may need to set the working directory, which can be done using System.IO.Directory.SetCurrentDirectory().
   at Xamarin.UITest.Utils.ErrorReporting.With[T](Func`1 func, Object[] args, String memberName)
   at Xamarin.UITest.Android.AndroidApp.Screenshot(String title)
   at ACME.App.UITest.BaseUITest.BeforeEachTest() in C:\ACME\ACME.Application.UITest\BaseUITest.cs:line 29
   at NUnit.Framework.Internal.TaskAwaitAdapter.GenericAdapter`1.GetResult() in D:\a\1\s\src\NUnitFramework\framework\Internal\TaskAwaitAdapter.cs:line 99
   at NUnit.Framework.Internal.AsyncToSyncAdapter.Await(Func`1 invoke) in D:\a\1\s\src\NUnitFramework\framework\Internal\AsyncToSyncAdapter.cs:line 60
   at NUnit.Framework.Internal.Commands.SetUpTearDownItem.RunSetUpOrTearDownMethod(TestExecutionContext context, MethodInfo method) in D:\a\1\s\src\NUnitFramework\framework\Internal\Commands\SetUpTearDownItem.cs:line 111
   at NUnit.Framework.Internal.Commands.SetUpTearDownItem.RunSetUp(TestExecutionContext context) in D:\a\1\s\src\NUnitFramework\framework\Internal\Commands\SetUpTearDownItem.cs:line 68
   at NUnit.Framework.Internal.Commands.SetUpTearDownCommand.<>c__DisplayClass0_0.<.ctor>b__0(TestExecutionContext context) in D:\a\1\s\src\NUnitFramework\framework\Internal\Commands\SetUpTearDownCommand.cs:line 48
   at NUnit.Framework.Internal.Commands.BeforeAndAfterTestCommand.<>c__DisplayClass1_0.<Execute>b__0() in D:\a\1\s\src\NUnitFramework\framework\Internal\Commands\BeforeAndAfterTestCommand.cs:line 58
   at NUnit.Framework.Internal.Commands.BeforeAndAfterTestCommand.RunTestMethodInThreadAbortSafeZone(TestExecutionContext context, Action action) in D:\a\1\s\src\NUnitFramework\framework\Internal\Commands\BeforeAndAfterTestCommand.cs:line 73
--Exception
   at Xamarin.UITest.Android.JavaScreenshotTaker.Screenshot(String title)
   at Xamarin.UITest.Android.AndroidApp.<>c__DisplayClass84_0.<Screenshot>b__0()
   at Xamarin.UITest.Utils.ErrorReporting.With[T](Func`1 func, Object[] args, String memberName)

Looking at the log file that's generated, I see:

Could not take screenshot
java.io.IOException: EOF
    at com.android.ddmlib.AdbHelper.read(AdbHelper.java:874)
    at com.android.ddmlib.AdbHelper.getFrameBuffer(AdbHelper.java:333)
    at com.android.ddmlib.CalabashAdbHelper.getFrameBuffer(Unknown Source)
    at com.android.ddmlib.CalabashDevice.getScreenshot(Unknown Source)
    at sh.calaba.screenshot.ScreenshotTaker.takeScreenshot(Unknown Source)
    at sh.calaba.screenshot.ScreenshotTaker.main(Unknown Source)

What I've tried:

• Setting a different directory using Directory.SetCurrentDirectory() - this seems to be ignored, as I see the same path in the Exception regardless (C:\Users\USERNAME\.nuget\packages\xamarin.uitest\...)
• Giving the Everyone group access to the path C:\Users\USERNAME\.nuget\packages\xamarin.uitest\3.0.3\lib\net45\ - no effect
• Ensuring that tests can write files to the path above - they can, so it shouldn't be a permissions issue
• Updating to the latest dev build of Xamarin.UITest, 3.0.4-dev1 - same result

Answer 1

I have had the same problem this week, and it was related to a security improvement to avoid taking screenshots on the app. If you did this (https://forums.xamarin.com/discussion/96818/disable-the-screenshot-functionality-in-xamarin-forms-application) probably that is the problem. With just a #if !DEBUG you could fix it.

Hope to help someone.