MavsterDocs
Getting Started

Connecting a simulator or device

Pick a target in the Preview Connection panel — always visible inside a project. iOS Simulator, physical iPhone, or Android emulator. Covers the picker and the most common connection issues.

Before you can author or run a test, point Mavster at the device you want to drive. Pick the platform first, then choose a specific simulator, physical device, or emulator from the picker.

The Preview Connection panel

Open any project and the Preview Connection panel is on screen — Platform picker (iOS / Android) at the top, device options for the selected platform below.

A Mavster project window with the Preview Connection panel visible. Platform picker showing iOS selected, Physical Device toggle off, simulator picker open with one running and two available simulators.

iOS — Simulator

This is the default. With Physical Device off:

  1. Mavster lists all iPhone simulators it can find. iPad simulators are not supported yet.
  2. Running simulators appear at the top, then available (stopped) ones below. The picker also shows which simulators are in use by other Mavster windows.
  3. Pick one. Mavster reserves it for this window, boots it if necessary, and brings the Simulator app to the foreground.

If you don't see any simulators, see Simulators for downloading runtimes and creating an iPhone simulator.

iOS — Physical device

Toggle Physical Device on, then pick your device from the picker. See Physical devices for the details.

Android

Switch the Platform picker to Android. Mavster shows your Android emulators and connected devices. The Android path uses standard Android tooling, so requirements are: a working Android SDK with adb on your PATH.

Common connection problems

  • "Simulator is already in use by Window N." Another Mavster window has it. Either close that window or pick a different simulator. Refresh the picker to see the latest snapshot of who's using what.
  • "No bound simulator" error during a test run. Mavster lost track of which simulator this window is bound to. Reselect from the Preview Connection picker.
  • Picker shows Booted (No Window). The simulator is booted but the Simulator app is closed. Click refresh in the picker, or open the Simulator app from Spotlight.
  • Simulator picker is empty or simulator discovery fails. Verify your active Xcode and Command Line Tools setup. See iOS tools.
  • Android: "ADB not found". Install the Android SDK and ensure adb is on your PATH.