How to simulate location in Xcode and Simulator

When developing a feature that requires access to location, it can be tricky to debug on an actual device. Your best bet might be Run on wireless device feature, which isn't that reliable, and you can't physically move too far from your machine. So, it is easier to debug a location feature on a simulator.

We can simulate location from both Xcode and Simulator. Both of them can simulate location, but they serve different purposes.

The Simulator provided a quick and easy way to simulate location and movement. On the other hand, Xcode provides more customization.

Let's see how to simulate location using those tools. In the end, you will be able to pick the right tool for your needs.

How to simulate location in Simulator

To simulate location on a Simulator, select Features menu > Location, then you will see a list of location and movement options you can simulate.

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Type of location that you can simulate in Simulator

There are many predefined options of location that you simulate in a Simulator which can be categorized into three groups.

1. Predefined static location.
2. Custom static location.
3. Predefined movement.

Predefined static location

A Simulator has one predefined location, Apple, which will simulate the Apple campus location.

Custom static location

You also have an option to specify a custom location by selecting "Custom Location..." option, which will present a dialog asking for latitude and longitude for the location you would like to simulate.

Predefined movement

If you develop an app that needs to test a movement, such as a fitness app or navigator, you can use either of these three options that the Simulator provided.

1. City Run
2. City Bicycle Ride
3. Freeway Drive

These three options will simulate a movement for running, riding, and driving (vary by speed). This is great for quick debugging based on real-world scenarios.

This is suitable for a quick test since you don't have control over the route of movement. If you want to have better control, you have to simulate movement in Xcode with a GPX file.

Caveat

Location simulated in Simulator will only last for a specific debugging session. It won't survive if you re-run the app. You have to simulate it every time. The only way to make simulated location persist for every run is using Xcode schemes.

How to simulate location in Xcode

Xcode offers three ways to simulate location.
Menu bar.
Debug bar.
Xcode schemes.

Menu bar

Select Debug menu > Simulate Location, then you will see a list of location options you can simulate.

Debug bar

You can simulate location by clicking on the location icon on a debug bar.

Clicking it will present a list of a location you can simulate.

Xcode schemes

All methods that we use to simulate location so far are simulated temporarily. That's means you have to enable it every time you re-run your app. This easily gets tiresome if you need to test it all day long. Luckily, Xcode offers a way to simulate location on every run.

To simulate location on every run, we set a location in an Xcode scheme option.

1. Select Product Menu > Scheme > Edit Scheme... or Click on scheme name and select Edit Scheme.
   
2. Select Run on the left panel, then select Options tab. Make sure "Allow Location Simulation" is checked.
   
3. Under Default Location, select a location that you want to simulate on every run.
   

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Type of location that you can simulate in Xcode

You have a larger set of predefined static locations in Xcode than the one in Simulator, but we don't have a quick way to set a custom location or movement as we did in Simulator.

We have two ways to simulate location and movement in Xcode.

1. Predefined static location.
2. Custom static location and movement using GPX file.

Predefined static location

Xcode has twelve pre-defines locations to choose from.

What is a GPX file

The way Xcode allows us to simulate custom location and movement is via a GPX file. GPX (GPS Exchange Format) is an XML schema designed as a common GPS data format.

We provide one or more waypoints (<wpt>) containing a latitude/longitude pair in this file.
If you provide one waypoint, Xcode will simulate that specific location.
If you provide multiple waypoints, Xcode will simulate a movement visiting each waypoint.

How to create a GPX file

To simulate location and movement, you need to create a GPX file to represent the location and movement.

To create a new GPX file:

1. Select File menu > New > File... (⌘ - command + N).
2. Select GPX File under Resource section, then click Next.
   
3. Specify the file name and click Create. This name will show up in a location selection. I named it "Sarunw Waypoints" in this case which show as follow.
   

Xcode will create a GPX file with template content. It will look something like this.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<gpx version="1.1" creator="Xcode">
    <wpt lat="37.331705" lon="-122.030237">
        <name>Cupertino</name>
        <time>2014-09-24T14:55:37Z</time>
    </wpt>
    
</gpx>

To use this GPX location, you select it from a Simulate Location menu. It will sit alongside other predefined ones.

The default GPX file is the location of Apple Campus.

Custom static location using GPX file

To create a static location using a GPX file, you create a GPX file with one waypoint (<wpt>) with a coordinate you want to simulate.

By default, Xcode created a waypoint with name and time, but that isn't mandatory property.

This is a valid GPX file to simulate a specific location.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<gpx version="1.1" creator="Xcode">
    <wpt lat="37.331705" lon="-122.030237" />    
</gpx>

Custom movement using GPX file

To create a movement, you create a GPX file with multiple waypoints. Time (<time>) is needed in this case to simulate realistic movement. Xcode will interpolate movement at a rate of speed based on the time elapsed between each waypoint. If you do not provide a time element, then Xcode will use a fixed rate of speed.

This is an example of a GPX file that simulate movement between two waypoints.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<gpx version="1.1" creator="Xcode">
    <wpt lat="13.756764561640793" lon="100.5016561347755">
        <name>Point 1</name>
        <time>2014-09-24T14:55:37Z</time>
    </wpt>
    <wpt lat="13.756605174138276" lon="100.48294934831506">
        <name>Point 2</name>
        <time>2014-09-24T14:56:00Z</time>
    </wpt>
</gpx>

As you can see, time doesn't have to be the current date. Xcode calculates elapsed time between each waypoint.