Set the location in iPhone Simulator

Question

As of iOS 5, the simulator has a configurable location.

Under the Debug menu, the last entry is "Location"; this gives you a sub menu with:

• None
• Custom Location
• Apple Stores
• Apple
• City Bicycle Ride
• City Run
• Freeway Drive

Custom Location lets you enter a Lat/Long value. Bicycle ride, City Run, and Freeway Drive are simulation of a moving location (in Cupertino, of course).

Of course, this does nothing to help with debugging for iOS 4 (or earlier); but it's a definite improvement!

1. Run project in iPhone Simulator

2. Create in TextEdit file following file, call it MyOffice for example. Make extension as .gpx

   <?xml version="1.0"?> <gpx version="1.0" creator="MyName"> <wpt lat="53.936166" lon="27.565370"> <name>MyOffice</name> </wpt> </gpx>

3. Select in Xcode at the Simulate area Add GPX File to Project...

4. Add created file from menu to project.
5. Now you can see your location in Simulate area:

XCode 11.3 and prior:

Debug -> Location -> Custom Location

XCode 11.4+:

Features -> Location -> Custom Location

To find out which XCode version you have

$ /usr/bin/xcodebuild -version

in iOS Simulator menu, go to Debug -> Location -> Custom Location. There you can set the latitude and longitude and test the app accordingly. This works with mapkit and also with CLLocationManager.

In my delegate callback, I check to see if I'm running in a simulator (#if TARGET_ IPHONE_SIMULATOR) and if so, I supply my own, pre-looked-up, Lat/Long. To my knowledge, there's no other way.

Pre iOS 5 you could do it in code:

I use this snippet just before the @implementation of the class where I need my fake heading and location data.

#if (TARGET_IPHONE_SIMULATOR)
@interface MyHeading : CLHeading
    -(CLLocationDirection) magneticHeading;
    -(CLLocationDirection) trueHeading;
@end

@implementation MyHeading
    -(CLLocationDirection) magneticHeading { return 90; }
    -(CLLocationDirection) trueHeading { return 91; }
@end

@implementation CLLocationManager (TemporaryLocationFix)
- (void)locationFix {
    CLLocation *location = [[CLLocation alloc] initWithLatitude:55.932 longitude:12.321];
    [[self delegate] locationManager:self didUpdateToLocation:location fromLocation:nil];

    id heading  = [[MyHeading alloc] init];
    [[self delegate] locationManager:self didUpdateHeading: heading];
}

-(void)startUpdatingHeading {
    [self performSelector:@selector(locationFix) withObject:nil afterDelay:0.1];
}

- (void)startUpdatingLocation {
    [self performSelector:@selector(locationFix) withObject:nil afterDelay:0.1];
}
@end
#endif

After iOS 5 simply include a GPX file in your project like this to have the location updated continuously Hillerød.gpx:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<gpx version="1.1" creator="Xcode"> 
    <wpt lat="55.93619760" lon="12.29131930"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93625770" lon="12.29108330"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93631780" lon="12.29078290"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93642600" lon="12.29041810"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93653420" lon="12.28998890"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93660630" lon="12.28966710"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93670240" lon="12.28936670"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93677450" lon="12.28921650"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93709900" lon="12.28945250"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93747160" lon="12.28949540"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93770000" lon="12.28966710"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93785620" lon="12.28977440"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93809660" lon="12.28988170"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93832490" lon="12.28994600"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93845710" lon="12.28996750"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93856530" lon="12.29007480"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93872150" lon="12.29013910"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93886570" lon="12.28975290"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93898590" lon="12.28955980"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93910610" lon="12.28919500"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93861330" lon="12.28883020"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93845710" lon="12.28868000"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93827680" lon="12.28850840"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93809660" lon="12.28842250"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93796440" lon="12.28831520"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93780810" lon="12.28810070"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93755570" lon="12.28790760"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93739950" lon="12.28775730"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93726730" lon="12.28767150"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93707500" lon="12.28760710"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93690670" lon="12.28734970"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93675050" lon="12.28726380"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93649810" lon="12.28713510"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93625770" lon="12.28687760"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93596930" lon="12.28679180"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93587310" lon="12.28719940"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93575290" lon="12.28752130"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93564480" lon="12.28797190"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93554860" lon="12.28833670"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93550050" lon="12.28868000"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93535630" lon="12.28900190"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93515200" lon="12.28936670"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93505580" lon="12.28958120"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93481550" lon="12.29001040"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93468320" lon="12.29033230"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93452700" lon="12.29063270"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93438280" lon="12.29095450"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93425050" lon="12.29121200"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93413040" lon="12.29140520"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93401020" lon="12.29168410"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93389000" lon="12.29189870"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93372170" lon="12.29239220"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93385390" lon="12.29258530"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93409430" lon="12.29295010"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93421450" lon="12.29320760"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93433470" lon="12.29333630"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93445490" lon="12.29350800"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93463520" lon="12.29374400"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93479140" lon="12.29410880"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93491160" lon="12.29419460"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93515200" lon="12.29458090"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93545250" lon="12.29494570"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93571690" lon="12.29505300"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93593320" lon="12.29513880"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93617360" lon="12.29522460"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93622170" lon="12.29537480"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93713510" lon="12.29505300"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93776000" lon="12.29378700"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93904600" lon="12.29531040"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94004350" lon="12.29552500"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94023570" lon="12.29561090"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94019970" lon="12.29591130"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94017560" lon="12.29629750"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94017560" lon="12.29670520"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94017560" lon="12.29713430"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94019970" lon="12.29754200"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94024780" lon="12.29816430"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94051210" lon="12.29842180"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94084860" lon="12.29820720"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94105290" lon="12.29799270"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94123320" lon="12.29777810"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94140140" lon="12.29749910"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94142550" lon="12.29726310"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94147350" lon="12.29687690"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94155760" lon="12.29619020"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94161770" lon="12.29576110"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94148550" lon="12.29531040"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94093270" lon="12.29522460"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94041600" lon="12.29518170"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94056020" lon="12.29398010"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94024780" lon="12.29352950"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94001940" lon="12.29335780"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93992330" lon="12.29325050"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93969490" lon="12.29299300"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93952670" lon="12.29277840"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93928630" lon="12.29260680"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93915410" lon="12.29232780"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93928630" lon="12.29202740"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93933440" lon="12.29174850"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93947860" lon="12.29116910"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.93965890" lon="12.29095450"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94001940" lon="12.29061120"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94041600" lon="12.29084730"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94076450" lon="12.29101890"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94080060" lon="12.29065410"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94086060" lon="12.29031080"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94092070" lon="12.28990310"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94099280" lon="12.28975290"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94119710" lon="12.28986020"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94134130" lon="12.28998890"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94147350" lon="12.29007480"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94166580" lon="12.29003190"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94176190" lon="12.28938810"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94183400" lon="12.28893750"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94194220" lon="12.28850840"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94199030" lon="12.28835820"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94215850" lon="12.28859420"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94250700" lon="12.28883020"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94267520" lon="12.28893750"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94284350" lon="12.28902330"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94304770" lon="12.28915210"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94325200" lon="12.28925940"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94348030" lon="12.28953830"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94366060" lon="12.28966710"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94388890" lon="12.28975290"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94399700" lon="12.28994600"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94379280" lon="12.29065410"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94364860" lon="12.29095450"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94350440" lon="12.29127640"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94340820" lon="12.29155540"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94331210" lon="12.29198450"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94315590" lon="12.29269260"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94310780" lon="12.29318610"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94301170" lon="12.29361530"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94292760" lon="12.29408740"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94290350" lon="12.29436630"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94287950" lon="12.29453800"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94283140" lon="12.29533190"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94274730" lon="12.29606150"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94278340" lon="12.29621170"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94280740" lon="12.29649060"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94284350" lon="12.29679100"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94284350" lon="12.29734890"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94308380" lon="12.29837890"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94315590" lon="12.29852910"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94263920" lon="12.29906550"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94237480" lon="12.29910850"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94220660" lon="12.29915140"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94208640" lon="12.29902260"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94196620" lon="12.29887240"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94176190" lon="12.29794970"></wpt>
    <wpt lat="55.94156970" lon="12.29760640"></wpt>
</gpx>

I use GPSies.com to create the base file for the gpx data. A bit of cleanup is required though.

Activate by running the simulator and choosing your file

_{(source: castleandersen.dk)}

You can easily share any desired location from the macOS Maps application to the Xcode simulator.

1. From Xcode run the application in the simulator as you usually do.
2. Open the maps application on macOS (for convenience I usually make a new Desktop where I have both the simulator and the map application).
3. Inside the maps (macOS), long click on any point on the map, or search for a place to let the map draw a pin where you need it.
4. Click on the pin, then on the information (i) icon (see image).
5. In the up right of the information view click on the share icon.
6. Share the location with the simulator (see image).
7. Confirm and enjoy :)

This let you test some locations quickly, having an understanding on where geographically the location is (e.g. for testing geofencing), and deciding at runtime where to go next (e.g. for debugging and fine-tuning stuff).

Tested this on MacOS Catalina 10.15.4 and Xcode 11.4.