add a pre-launch mode that doesn't listen until sim is running

app/appium.js

@@ -39,6 +39,21 @@ Appium.prototype.attachTo = function(rest, cb) {
   }
 };
 
+Appium.prototype.preLaunch = function(cb) {
+  logger.info("Pre-launching app");
+  if (!this.args.app) {
+    logger.error("Cannot pre-launch app if it isn't passed in via --app");
+    process.exit();
+  } else {
+    var me = this;
+    this.start({}, function(err, device) {
+      me.stop(function(err, res) {
+        cb(me);
+      });
+    });
+  }
+};
+
 Appium.prototype.start = function(desiredCaps, cb) {
   this.origApp = this.args.app;
   this.configure(desiredCaps, _.bind(function(err) {

app/parser.js

@@ -32,5 +32,9 @@ module.exports = function() {
     , { defaultValue: true, required: false, help: 'remove Instruments trace directories'
   });
 
+  parser.addArgument([ '-l', '--launch' ]
+    , { defaultValue: false, required: false, help: 'pre-launch the ios-sim'
+  });
+
   return parser;
 };

server.js

@@ -48,13 +48,21 @@ var main = function(args, readyCb, doneCb) {
   // Hook up REST http interface
   appiumServer.attachTo(rest);
   // Start the web server that receives all the commands
-  server.listen(args.port, args.address, function() {
-    var logMessage = "Appium REST http interface listener started on "+args.address+":"+args.port;
-    logger.info(logMessage.cyan);
+  var next = function(appiumServer) {
+    server.listen(args.port, args.address, function() {
+      var logMessage = "Appium REST http interface listener started on "+args.address+":"+args.port;
+      logger.info(logMessage.cyan);
+    });
     if (readyCb) {
       readyCb(appiumServer);
     }
-  });
+  };
+  if (args.launch) {
+    logger.info("Starting Appium in pre-launch mode".cyan);
+    appiumServer.preLaunch(next);
+  } else {
+    next(appiumServer);
+  }
   server.on('close', doneCb);
   return server;
 };

test/functional/appium/appiumutils.js

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ describe("appiumutils", function() {
       app: path.resolve(__dirname, "../../../sample-code/apps/UICatalog/build/Release-iphonesimulator/UICatalog.app")
       , verbose: false
       , udid: null
+      , launch: true
       , port: 4723
       , address: '127.0.0.1'
       , remove: true }