Appstore Screenshot Pipeline

App Store Screenshot Pipeline

Before invoking Apple-only binaries, confirm the execution context is macOS. From Windows or Linux, run those steps in a Mac SSH project or through an already configured remote transport; do not retry missing Apple binaries locally.

Build/run the app, capture deterministic screenshots, frame them, review them, then upload through asc.

Defaults: settings .asc/screenshot.settings.json, plan .asc/screenshots.json, raw ./screenshots/raw, framed ./screenshots/framed, frame device iphone-air, Koubou 0.18.1.

Workflow

1. Verify the current CLI surface with asc screenshots --help, subcommand help, and axe --version. If axe is missing, install it with brew install cameroncooke/axe/axe or run ./scripts/install-deps.sh --profile screenshots.

2. Create/update settings with bundle id, project/scheme, UDID, paths, frame_enabled, upload_enabled, and upload target.

3. Build/install/launch:

   xcrun simctl boot "$UDID" || true
   xcodebuild -project "App.xcodeproj" -scheme "App" -configuration Debug \
     -destination "platform=iOS Simulator,id=$UDID" -derivedDataPath ".build/DerivedData" build
   xcrun simctl install "$UDID" ".build/DerivedData/Build/Products/Debug-iphonesimulator/App.app"
   xcrun simctl launch "$UDID" "com.example.app"
   

   Use xcodebuild -showBuildSettings if the bundle path differs.

4. Capture with plan:

   asc screenshots run --plan ".asc/screenshots.json" --udid "$UDID" --output json
   

   During plan authoring use AXe primitives: axe describe-ui, axe tap, axe type, axe screenshot.

5. Frame with pinned Koubou:

   pip install koubou==0.18.1
   kou --version
   asc screenshots list-frame-devices --output json
   asc screenshots frame --input "./screenshots/raw/home.png" --output-dir "./screenshots/framed" --device "iphone-air" --output json
   

   If frames are missing, run kou setup-frames once with network access.

6. Review:

   asc screenshots review-generate --framed-dir "./screenshots/framed" --output-dir "./screenshots/review"
   asc screenshots review-open --output-dir "./screenshots/review"
   asc screenshots review-approve --all-ready --output-dir "./screenshots/review"
   

7. Prefer plan/apply for reviewed batches so existing remote screenshots are considered:

   asc screenshots plan --app "APP_ID" --version "1.2.3" --review-output-dir "./screenshots/review" --output json
   asc screenshots apply --app "APP_ID" --version "1.2.3" --review-output-dir "./screenshots/review" --confirm --output json
   

   Direct upload:

   asc screenshots upload --version-localization "LOC_ID" --path "./screenshots/framed" --device-type "IPHONE_69" --output json
   

Locale Capture

Do not rely on xcrun simctl launch ... -e AppleLanguages; it does not reliably switch app language. Prefer one simulator UDID per locale, set simulator-wide defaults, then capture:

set_simulator_locale() {
  UDID="$1"; LOCALE="$2"; LANG="${LOCALE%%-*}"; APPLE_LOCALE="${LOCALE/-/_}"
  xcrun simctl boot "$UDID" || true
  xcrun simctl spawn "$UDID" defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleLanguages -array "$LANG"
  xcrun simctl spawn "$UDID" defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleLocale -string "$APPLE_LOCALE"
}

set_simulator_locale "$UDID" "de-DE"
xcrun simctl terminate "$UDID" "com.example.app" || true
asc screenshots capture --bundle-id "com.example.app" --name "home" --udid "$UDID" --output-dir "./screenshots/raw/de-DE" --output json

For manual launches: xcrun simctl launch "$UDID" "com.example.app" -AppleLanguages "(de)" -AppleLocale "de_DE". Parallelize locales with distinct UDIDs and frame/review after wait.

Rules

Use explicit long flags and JSON for machine steps. Ensure files exist before upload. Treat local screenshot automation as experimental in user-facing notes. Use plan/apply for append-limit guardrails. If framing checks fail, reinstall koubou==0.18.1. Validate with asc screenshots sizes --output table and asc screenshots list --version-localization "LOC_ID" --output table.