21 May 2024 Leave a comment Tech-Help
Opening a new tab in a browser using Selenium WebDriver can be a challenging task. In this guide, we will provide a comprehensive solution to help you achieve this using a cross-browser approach. Follow these steps to ensure you can open new tabs and switch between them seamlessly.
Step-by-Step Guide to Open a New Tab
1. Injecting an Anchor Tag to Open a New Tab
The first step involves using WebDriver to inject an anchor tag into the page that opens the desired URL in a new tab. Here’s a sample implementation in Java:
/**
* Executes a script on an element
* @param script The script to execute
* @param element The target of the script, referenced as arguments[0]
*/
public void trigger(String script, WebElement element) {
((JavascriptExecutor)driver).executeScript(script, element);
}
/** Executes a script
* @param script The script to execute
*/
public Object trigger(String script) {
return ((JavascriptExecutor)driver).executeScript(script);
}
/**
* Opens a new tab for the given URL
* @param url The URL to open
* @throws JavaScriptException If unable to open tab
*/
public void openTab(String url) {
String script = "var d=document,a=d.createElement('a');a.target='_blank';a.href='%s';a.innerHTML='.';d.body.appendChild(a);return a";
Object element = trigger(String.format(script, url));
if (element instanceof WebElement) {
WebElement anchor = (WebElement) element;
anchor.click();
trigger("var a=arguments[0];a.parentNode.removeChild(a);", anchor);
} else {
throw new JavaScriptException(element, "Unable to open tab", 1);
}
}
2. Switching to the New Tab
After opening the new tab, you need to switch WebDriver’s current window handle to the new tab. Here is an example of how to achieve this:
/**
* Switches to the non-current window
*/
public void switchWindow() throws NoSuchWindowException {
Set handles = driver.getWindowHandles();
String current = driver.getWindowHandle();
handles.remove(current);
String newTab = handles.iterator().next();
driver.switchTo().window(newTab);
}
Practical Usage Scenario
Consider a scenario where you need to open a new tab to perform specific actions and then switch back to the original tab. This method allows you to automate such tasks seamlessly. Once you finish interacting with the new tab, you can return to the default window context by using a similar mechanism to the switchWindow function detailed above.
Additional Resources
For more advanced techniques and configurations, consider visiting our documentation:
Automate Testing with Repeato
While handling multiple tabs and windows can be intricate, tools like Repeato simplify the process. Repeato is a no-code test automation tool for iOS and Android that helps you create, run, and maintain automated tests for your apps. It offers a no-code interface and an intuitive test recorder, making it particularly fast to edit and run tests. Repeato also supports website testing inside an Android emulator or device, with explicit web testing support coming soon. To learn more about how Repeato can help streamline your testing process, visit our documentation or download the tool today.
