From a745ec79387e443958c8f1e9efc6ca2f18666fbe Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: PJ <ipriyanshujain@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Jun 2026 11:46:09 +0530
Subject: [PATCH] fix(ioscompanion): retry describe past transient collapsed
 accessibility dumps

---
 internal/driver/ioscompanion/driver.go       | 49 ++++++++++++++++----
 internal/driver/ioscompanion/hierarchymap.go | 14 ++++++
 2 files changed, 53 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)

diff --git a/internal/driver/ioscompanion/driver.go b/internal/driver/ioscompanion/driver.go
index 57b0e1f..c61e84c 100644
--- a/internal/driver/ioscompanion/driver.go
+++ b/internal/driver/ioscompanion/driver.go
@@ -660,18 +660,47 @@ func (d *Driver) ForegroundApp(ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	return other, nil
 }
 
-// describeAll fetches the flat accessibility dump with one-restart recovery.
+// collapsedDumpRetries and collapsedDumpDelay bound how long describeAll waits
+// out a collapsed accessibility dump. The bridge briefly reports only the app
+// shell (no UI content) during cold start and screen transitions; it recovers
+// within a few hundred milliseconds. Re-fetching past the collapse keeps the
+// runner from acting on, and snapshotting, an empty tree.
+const collapsedDumpRetries = 6
+const collapsedDumpDelay = 150 * time.Millisecond
+
+// describeAll fetches the flat accessibility dump with one-restart recovery,
+// retrying past a transient collapsed dump so callers see real UI content.
 func (d *Driver) describeAll(ctx context.Context) ([]byte, error) {
-	var dump []byte
-	err := d.withRecovery(ctx, func() error {
-		info, infoErr := d.companion.AccessibilityInfo(ctx)
-		if infoErr != nil {
-			return infoErr
+	fetch := func() ([]byte, error) {
+		var dump []byte
+		err := d.withRecovery(ctx, func() error {
+			info, infoErr := d.companion.AccessibilityInfo(ctx)
+			if infoErr != nil {
+				return infoErr
+			}
+			dump = []byte(info)
+			return nil
+		})
+		return dump, err
+	}
+
+	dump, err := fetch()
+	if err != nil {
+		return dump, err
+	}
+	for attempt := 0; attempt < collapsedDumpRetries && dumpIsCollapsed(dump); attempt++ {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return dump, nil
+		case <-time.After(collapsedDumpDelay):
 		}
-		dump = []byte(info)
-		return nil
-	})
-	return dump, err
+		next, nextErr := fetch()
+		if nextErr != nil {
+			return dump, nil
+		}
+		dump = next
+	}
+	return dump, nil
 }
 
 // makeRunner builds the input runner backed by the current transport. The text
diff --git a/internal/driver/ioscompanion/hierarchymap.go b/internal/driver/ioscompanion/hierarchymap.go
index c87a822..8b0db9d 100644
--- a/internal/driver/ioscompanion/hierarchymap.go
+++ b/internal/driver/ioscompanion/hierarchymap.go
@@ -19,6 +19,20 @@ type rawFrame struct {
 // it maps to an empty value rather than surfacing as literal field text.
 const emptyFieldValueSentinel = "Invalid"
 
+// dumpIsCollapsed reports whether a flat describe-all dump carries no real UI
+// content: it is empty or holds only the application shell. The accessibility
+// bridge briefly returns this state during cold start and screen transitions
+// before the real tree reappears.
+func dumpIsCollapsed(dump []byte) bool {
+	elements := decodeDump(dump)
+	for _, element := range elements {
+		if element.Type != "" && element.Type != "Application" {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
 // rawElement is one entry in the flat describe-all dump returned by the
 // simulator companion. Only the fields the mapper consumes are declared;
 // unknown fields are ignored.