Xcode 27 beta: UI automation still fails because bundled AXe looks for SimulatorKit under PrivateFrameworks

[judiazm]

Summary

This is a fresh reproduction of the Xcode 27 beta SimulatorKit.framework path issue discussed in #446. I am opening a new issue because #446 is closed as not planned, but the current released XcodeBuildMCP still reports UI automation as available while snapshot_ui / AXe-backed UI automation fails at runtime.

Build, install, launch, and screenshots still work. The broken part is semantic UI automation / accessibility hierarchy capture / element-ref tapping.

Environment

• XcodeBuildMCP: 2.6.2
• AXe reported by doctor: 1.7.1
• Xcode: Xcode 27.0, build 27A5194q
• Active developer dir: /Applications/Xcode-beta.app/Contents/Developer
• macOS/Darwin: 27.0.0
• Host arch: arm64
• Client: Codex Desktop using XcodeBuildMCP tools

What works

These XcodeBuildMCP simulator actions worked against the same app/simulator:

• build_run_sim after passing IPHONEOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=16.4
• install_app_sim
• launch_app_sim
• screenshot

What fails

mcp__xcodebuildmcp.snapshot_ui fails after the app is launched:

Failed to get accessibility hierarchy.
CLIError(errorDescription: "Failed to load essential private frameworks: Attempting to load a file at path '/Applications/Xcode-beta.app/Contents/Developer/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SimulatorKit.framework', but it does not exist")

The framework exists in the Xcode 27 beta bundle at the new location:

/Applications/Xcode-beta.app/Contents/SharedFrameworks/SimulatorKit.framework

The old path does not exist:

/Applications/Xcode-beta.app/Contents/Developer/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SimulatorKit.framework

Steps to reproduce

1. Use Xcode 27 beta as the active Xcode:

xcode-select -p
# /Applications/Xcode-beta.app/Contents/Developer

2. Launch an iOS simulator app through XcodeBuildMCP.
3. Call snapshot_ui or another AXe-backed UI automation command.
4. Observe the missing SimulatorKit.framework path error above.

Expected behavior

One of these would be useful:

1. XcodeBuildMCP / bundled AXe supports both Xcode 26 and Xcode 27 framework locations.
2. XcodeBuildMCP doctor detects this specific Xcode 27 beta mismatch and reports UI automation as unsupported instead of available.
3. The docs explicitly say that Xcode 27 beta UI automation is unsupported for now, with a recommended workaround.

Actual behavior

Doctor reports UI automation as available, and build/run/screenshot tools work, but UI hierarchy/tap automation fails when the bundled AXe path loader tries the old Xcode 26 private-framework path.

Why this matters

For Codex/XcodeBuildMCP workflows, this failure makes the tool look partially healthy: agents can build, install, launch, and capture screenshots, but cannot use the intended semantic UI automation APIs. That causes agents to fall back to less reliable visual or desktop-level control even though the simulator is otherwise working.