Appium crashes giving the error "Error getting source, can't continue finding element by XPath" - crash

Question

My appium version is 1.4.13. Xcode version is 7, iOS simulator version is 8.4.
Appium server crashes while trying to execute a command.
The same test used to work perfectly fine. Not sure why it is not working now.
I have also added the following command in my capabilities.
capabilities.setCapability("newCommandTimeout" , 60);
Appium log is pasted here.
info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Jan 13 16:17:37 clones-MacBook-Pro-6.local DTMobileIS[7664]: Could not create service named com.apple.instruments.server.services.processcontrol.posixspawn
info: [debug] Cleaning sim data files
info: node-simctl: Executing: xcrun with args: simctl erase 3C31DBE5-A0FD-4C5A-BAEC-C02DF76BFB36 and timeout: 2000
error: Error getting source, can't continue finding element by XPath
info: [debug] Cleaning app data files
warn: Applications directory /Users/Bindu/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/3C31DBE5-A0FD-4C5A-BAEC-C02DF76BFB36/data/Containers/Data/Application doesn't exist. Have you run this simulator before?
warn: Applications directory /Users/Bindu/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/3C31DBE5-A0FD-4C5A-BAEC-C02DF76BFB36/data/Containers/Bundle/Application doesn't exist. Have you run this simulator before?
info: Couldn't find app directories to delete. Probably it's not installed
info: [debug] We were in the middle of processing a command when instruments died; responding with a generic error
info: [debug] Cleaning up appium session
info: [debug] Condition unmet after 2355ms. Timing out.
info: [debug] Responding to client with error: {"status":13,"value":{"message":"Instruments died while responding to command, please check appium logs","name":"UnknownError","origValue":"Instruments died while responding to command, please check appium logs"},"sessionId":null}
info: <-- POST /wd/hub/session/07d24536-708f-4515-af69-a35d5695119e/element 500 2356.834 ms
Here is the code for running my tests:
public void completeSignUpForm() throws InterruptedException {
elementUtils.sendValueToElement(FIRSTNAME, "TestName");
elementUtils.sendValueToElement(LASTNAME, "TestSurname");
elementUtils.sendValueToElement(PASSWORD, "Drayson123");
elementUtils.clickElementByXpath(AGE);
elementUtils.enterDataIntoPickerWheel(AGE_PICKER_WHEEL, "26-35", 0);
elementUtils.clickElementByXpath(PICKER_WHEEL_DONE_BUTTON);
elementUtils.clickElementByXpath(GENDER);
elementUtils.enterDataIntoPickerWheel(GENDER_PICKER_WHEEL, "Female", 0);
elementUtils.clickElementByXpath(PICKER_WHEEL_DONE_BUTTON);
elementUtils.clickElementByXpath("//UIAApplication[1]/UIAWindow[1]/UIATableView[1]/UIATableCell[9]/UIASwitch[1]");
Thread.sleep(3000);
elementUtils.clickElementByXpath(JOIN_US_BUTTON);
}
Support code for the methods from ElementUtils class are below:
public void sendValueToElement(String xpathSelector, String inputvalue) {
MobileElement element = (MobileElement) driver.findElementByXPath(xpathSelector);
element.setValue(inputvalue);
}
public void clickElementByXpath(String XpathSelector) {
WebDriverWait wait = new WebDriverWait(driver, 30);
wait.until(ExpectedConditions.visibilityOfElementLocated(By.xpath(XpathSelector)));
driver.findElement(By.xpath(XpathSelector)).click();
}
public void enterDataIntoPickerWheel(String xpathSelector, String text, int index) {
waitForElement(By.xpath(xpathSelector));
List<WebElement> we = driver.findElements(By.xpath(xpathSelector));
we.get(index).sendKeys(text);
}

Answer 1

Is the app working well without Appium in place. I meant install the App in Simulator and launch it and check if the app works fine.
If you see any issue then you have to fix it at that level. otherwise can you add full appium log.
To do so , you can do like below Link
To get the list of Simulators available in your system , you can type below command.Open Terminal and type below command
$ xcrun instruments -s
To launch Simulator using command line , you can type below command and provide same of simulator as you got from step 1 above
$ xcrun instruments -w "iPhone 6 (9.2)” // replace with your Simulator name
To install app on Simulator using command line once Simulator is up and running, you can type below command
$ xcrun simctl install booted <app path>
e.g.
$ xcrun simctl install booted /Users/macuser/Desktop/UIKitCatalog.app