SET_ANIMATION_SCALE PERMISSION For UI Test On Android

As you know, Espresso requires animations to be disabled. Through years I've tried different solutions to do that:

• Pre setup Device/Emulator image so animations are disabled already. HARD TO DO AND MAINTAIN.
• Use UiAutomator to go to Device/Emulator developer options and disable animations there (wth…). VERY UGLY and system-dependent.
• Run pm grant package.com android.permission.SET_ANIMATION_SCALE after installation of the app but before test run and then disable/enable animations in the test code. YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH BUILD SYSTEM AND ADB.

Today I've figured out much easier way to do that:

1. Use UiAutomator to grant permission right in the tests (in Test Runner for example)
2. Disable/enable animations from tests.

UiDevice
  .getInstance(instrumentation)
  .executeShellCommand(
    "pm grant " 
    + instrumentation.getTargetContext().getPackageName()           
    + " android.permission.SET_ANIMATION_SCALE"
  )

And something like this to control animations:

• https://gist.github.com/xrigau/11284124
• https://gist.github.com/danielgomezrico/9371a79a7222a156ddad

(You will need only animation enable/disable code, no Gradle/etc scripts are required.)

UiAutomator client library is part of support-libs.

😿 Took so long to realize that it was that easy 😿