Python Selenium - Open new tab / focus tab / close tab

python-selenium-open-tab.md

On a recent project, I ran into an issue with Python Selenium webdriver. There's no easy way to open a new tab, grab whatever you need and return to original window opener.

Here's a couple people who ran into the same complication:

• http://stackoverflow.com/questions/17547473/how-to-open-a-new-tab-using-selenium-webdriver
• http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6421988/webdriver-open-new-tab/9122450#9122450
• https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/selenium-users/kah4iEPRopc
• ... and many many more.

So, after many minutes (read about an hour) of searching, I decided to do find a quick solution to this problem.

First thing, I've broken down all the steps that were required to do by my program:

1. Open a new window/tab by simulating a click on a link
2. Add focus on this new tab
3. Wait for an element on the new page to be rendered (ui.WebDriverWait)
4. Do whatever I have to do on this new page
5. Close the tab
6. Return focus on original window opener

Easy solution

• First off, we import our packages:

  import selenium.webdriver as webdriver
  import selenium.webdriver.support.ui as ui
  from selenium.webdriver.common.keys import Keys
  from time import sleep    

• Let's do it:

  browser = webdriver.Firefox()
  browser.get('https://www.google.com?q=python#q=python')
  first_result = ui.WebDriverWait(browser, 15).until(lambda browser: browser.find_element_by_class_name('rc'))
  first_link = first_result.find_element_by_tag_name('a')
  
  # Save the window opener (current window, do not mistaken with tab... not the same)
  main_window = browser.current_window_handle
  
  # Open the link in a new tab by sending key strokes on the element
  # Use: Keys.CONTROL + Keys.SHIFT + Keys.RETURN to open tab on top of the stack 
  first_link.send_keys(Keys.CONTROL + Keys.RETURN)
  
  # Switch tab to the new tab, which we will assume is the next one on the right
  browser.find_element_by_tag_name('body').send_keys(Keys.CONTROL + Keys.TAB)
      
  # Put focus on current window which will, in fact, put focus on the current visible tab
  browser.switch_to_window(main_window)
  
  # do whatever you have to do on this page, we will just got to sleep for now
  sleep(2)
  
  # Close current tab
  browser.find_element_by_tag_name('body').send_keys(Keys.CONTROL + 'w')
  
  # Put focus on current window which will be the window opener
  browser.switch_to_window(main_window)

Simple!