Selenium Webdriver - click on hidden elements

Question

I am trying to automate upload file functionality in Google Drive.

The element used to pass parameters is hidden with height - 0px.

None of the user actions would make this element visible. So I need a work around to click on the element while it is not visible.

<input type="file" style="height: 0px; visibility: hidden; position: absolute; width: 340px; font-size: inherit;" multiple=""/>

The xpath for the above element is -

//*[@class='goog-menu goog-menu-vertical uploadmenu density-tiny']/input

I am using

WebDriver.findElement(By.xpath(<xpath>).sendKeys(<uploadFile>)

Exception -

org.openqa.selenium.ElementNotVisibleException

Element is not currently visible and so may not be interacted with.

I have tried using JavascriptExecutor. But unable to find the exact syntax.

Take a look at the HTML, is Google Drive just a form? If so, don't use Selenium, just write a script to post a form with data you specify. — jasop
– jasop, Commented Sep 11, 2012 at 5:06

Vince Bowdren · Accepted Answer · 2015-04-14 15:09:47Z

23

Try this:

WebElement elem = yourWebDriverInstance.findElement(By.xpath("//*[@class='goog-menu goog-menu-vertical uploadmenu density-tiny']/input"));
String js = "arguments[0].style.height='auto'; arguments[0].style.visibility='visible';";

((JavascriptExecutor) yourWebDriverInstance).executeScript(js, elem);

The above bunch would change the visibility of your file input control. You can then proceed with the usual steps for file upload like:

elem.sendKeys("<LOCAL FILE PATH>");

Be aware, by changing the visibility of an input field you are meddling with the application under test. Injecting scripts to alter behavior is intrusive and not recommended in tests.

edited Apr 14, 2015 at 15:09

Vince Bowdren

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answered Sep 11, 2012 at 6:50

Ashwin Prabhu

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1 Comment

Ashok kumar Ganesan Over a year ago

Does this work for the hidden element available in Appium Android platform too?

TheodorosPloumis · Accepted Answer · 2018-10-17 08:37:47Z

14

Simple solution:

WebElement tmpElement = driver.finElement(ElementLocator);
JavascriptExecutor executor = (JavascriptExecutor)driver;
executor.executeScript("arguments[0].click();", tmpElement);

edited Oct 17, 2018 at 8:37

TheodorosPloumis

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answered May 28, 2014 at 2:53

Karthikeyan

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Comments

testing · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-31 08:57:00Z

2

Try this sample code:

JavascriptExecutor executor= (JavascriptExecutor)driver;
executor.executeScript("document.getElementById('ID').style.display='block';");
Select select = new Select(driver.findElement(By.id("ID")));
select.selectByVisibleText("value");
Thread.sleep(6000);

By using java script executor and make the element visible then click on the element through ID. Hope it hepls..

answered Jan 31, 2014 at 8:57

testing

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1 Comment

riccardo.tasso Over a year ago

Why do you need thread sleep? executeScript should be synchronous

Andrew Barber · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-18 14:48:04Z

1

Try this:

WebElement elem = yourWebDriverInstance.findElement(
   By.cssSelector(".uploadmenu > input"));
String js = 
  "arguments[0].style.height='auto'; arguments[0].style.visibility='visible';";
((JavascriptExecutor) yourWebDriverInstance).executeScript(js, elem);

Here I have replaced XPath by CSS Selector. Let me know Is the above scripting is working or not.

edited Apr 18, 2014 at 14:48

Andrew Barber

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answered Apr 9, 2014 at 9:47

user3487861

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Comments

Benjamin Loison · Accepted Answer · 2023-06-22 18:43:38Z

1

You can give the following a try:

((JavascriptExecutor)driver).executeScript("$('.goog-menu.uploadmenu > input').click();");

edited Jun 22, 2023 at 18:43

Benjamin Loison

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answered Apr 9, 2014 at 10:16

Amith

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