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Evidence capture is one of visor’s core capabilities. It turns app state into files and structured metadata that an LLM or human can inspect.

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Screenshot capture

The screenshot action captures the current screen and writes a PNG file. Returned metadata includes:
  • label
  • file
  • path
  • width
  • height
Behavior details:
  • if a path is provided directly, visor writes to that path
  • if no path is provided, visor writes <label>.png
  • parent directories are created automatically
  • real runtime uses Appium screenshot persistence
  • mock runtime writes a valid 1x1 transparent PNG

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UI source capture

The source action captures the current UI hierarchy and writes an XML file. Returned metadata includes:
  • label
  • file
  • path
  • format, which is xml
  • bytes
Behavior details:
  • if a path is provided directly, visor writes to that path
  • if no path is provided, visor writes <label>.xml
  • parent directories are created automatically
  • real runtime writes the current Appium page_source
  • mock runtime writes a minimal XML hierarchy

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Automatic paths during scenario runs

When screenshot and source are executed inside a scenario run, visor injects deterministic per-run paths before the adapter call. Injected directories:
  • screenshots go under <output>/<run-id>/screenshots/
  • UI sources go under <output>/<run-id>/sources/
The file name is based on the step label. Examples:
  • <output>/<run-id>/screenshots/app-opened.png
  • <output>/<run-id>/sources/counter-after-increment-ui.xml

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Artifact collection

During a scenario run, visor records screenshot and source paths as run artifacts. Later, the report writer copies these artifacts into the final report structure and renames them with an ordered numeric prefix. Example final names:
  • 001-app-opened.png
  • 002-counter-after-increment-ui.xml

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Why both screenshot and source matter

The two capture types answer different questions.
Evidence typeBest for
ScreenshotVisual layout, styling, and state visible on screen
UI sourceStructure, text values, identifiers, and machine comparison
For reliable verification, many scenarios should collect both. Labels are not required in every case, but they are strongly recommended. Good labels make artifacts easier to compare over time. Examples of useful labels:
  • before-login
  • after-login
  • cart-opened
  • checkout-form
  • confirmation-screen
In scenario validation, missing screenshot labels trigger a determinism warning.