Error: Command failed: *adb.exe -s emulator-5554 shell “ps ‘uiautomator'””

Especially when working with Appium (1.4.16), Android Studio (2.2.3 and above) and with Android N (7.0) version, execution of test automation script encounters the below error:

Error: Command failed: C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe /s /c “C:\Users\{user}\AppData\Local\Android\sdk\platform-tools\adb.exe -s emulator-5554 shell “ps ‘uiautomator'””

Error you see in Appium server:

Error in Android studio run console:

Solution for this error is to append and replace the code in adb.js file present at location

C:\Program Files (x86)\Appium\node_modules\appium\node_modules\appium-adb\lib

Code changes to be done goes as below:

1. Go to adb.js in the path ‘node_modules//appium/node_modules/appium-adb/lib/adb.js’
   ***Find the below**
   
   ADB.prototype.shell = function (cmd, cb) { if (cmd.indexOf('"') === -1) { cmd = '"' + cmd + '"'; } var execCmd = 'shell ' + cmd; this.exec(execCmd, cb); };

   1 2 3 4 5 6 7

   ADB.prototype.shell = function (cmd, cb) { if (cmd.indexOf('"') === -1) { cmd = '"' + cmd + '"'; } var execCmd = 'shell ' + cmd; this.exec(execCmd, cb); };

   
   Append the below
   
   ADB.prototype.shell_grep = function (cmd, grep, cb) { if (cmd.indexOf('"') === -1) { cmd = '"' + cmd + '"'; } var execCmd = 'shell ' + cmd + '| grep ' + grep; this.exec(execCmd, cb); };

   1 2 3 4 5 6 7

   ADB.prototype.shell_grep = function (cmd, grep, cb) { if (cmd.indexOf('"') === -1) { cmd = '"' + cmd + '"'; } var execCmd = 'shell ' + cmd + '| grep ' + grep; this.exec(execCmd, cb); };

2. Find the ‘ADB.prototype.getPIDsByName ‘ and replace the whole section
   
   ADB.prototype.getPIDsByName = function (name, cb) { logger.debug("Getting all processes with '" + name + "'"); this.shell_grep("ps", name, function (err, stdout) { if (err) { logger.debug("No matching processes found"); return cb(null, []); } var pids = []; _.each(procs, function (proc) { var match = /[^\t ]+[\t ]+([0-9]+)/.exec(proc); if (match) { pids.push(parseInt(match[1], 10)); } }); if (pids.length !== procs.length) { var msg = "Could not extract PIDs from ps output. PIDS: " + JSON.stringify(pids) + ", Procs: " + JSON.stringify(procs); return cb(new Error(msg)); } cb(null, pids); }); };

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   ADB.prototype.getPIDsByName = function (name, cb) { logger.debug("Getting all processes with '" + name + "'"); this.shell_grep("ps", name, function (err, stdout) { if (err) { logger.debug("No matching processes found"); return cb(null, []); } var pids = []; _.each(procs, function (proc) { var match = /[^\t ]+[\t ]+([0-9]+)/.exec(proc); if (match) { pids.push(parseInt(match[1], 10)); } }); if (pids.length !== procs.length) { var msg = "Could not extract PIDs from ps output. PIDS: " + JSON.stringify(pids) + ", Procs: " + JSON.stringify(procs); return cb(new Error(msg)); } cb(null, pids); }); };

Performing above changes you are good to go ahead, for more detail you can refer to the actual discussion at appium support website

Srinivas P

Founder of TestingTools.co, constantly shares knowledge on different test automation tools. Has experience in building proof of concepts, solutions, frameworks, platforms  & implementation of test automation projects.

In pursuit of building a platform with inbuilt framework and reusable components for Oracle Cloud applications ( Oracle HCM, CX, SCM, Financials clouds, Salesforce and other cloud applications )

Major accomplishments in his career:

• Product architect and development manager for test  automation  platforms
  • Oracle Flow Builder @ Oracle
  • CloudTestr @ Suneratech
• 2 times to oracle open world
• More than 20 successful POCs ( Proof of concepts )
• 100 demos
• Designed pricing models.
• Trained more than 50 members.
• Built more than 100 re-usable functions.

Worked with tools:

• OATS – Oracle applications testing suite
• Selenium + Java / C#
• Protractor
• NightwatchJS
• CodedUI
• PyWinAuto