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!

I'm using chromeDriver, I'm able to open a new tab but, I'm unable to pass the URL to newly opened tab.

This thing doesnot work for phantomjs. Any suggestions on how to close and open a new tab in phantomjs using shortcut keys and selenium? For chrome, it worked fine in my case.

Hi This is regarding selenium automation I am trying to switch between tabs using window handler could you tell me what am I doing wrong.

1. go to Gmail

2. open bing.com in next tab
   I am using browser.execute_script('''window.open("http://bings.com","_blank");''')
   to open new tab as Keys.COMMAND +’t’ is not working
   Also, for switching between windows I am trying to use window handler but could not get it work.Could you please let me know what am I doing wrong and what needs to be done thanks.
   browser = self.resource_handler.driver
   browser.set_page_load_timeout(60)
   browser.implicitly_wait(15)
   browser.get("http://google.com")
   main_window = browser.current_window_handle

   main_window = browser.getWindowHandle()

   print main_window

   time.sleep(5)

   browser.execute_script('''window.open("http://bings.com","_blank");''')

   time.sleep(2)

   second_window = browser.current_window_handle

   print browser.title

   ------------------------

   body = browser.find_element_by_tag_name("body").send_keys(Keys.COMMAND+Keys.TAB)

   browser.execute_script('''window.open("http://bings.com","_blank");''')

   browser.find_element_by_tag_name("body").send_keys(Keys.COMMAND + Keys.ENTER)

   time.sleep(5)
   print 'new oldtab opened'
   print browser.title
   browser.switch_to_window(main_window)
   print browser.switch_to_window(browser.window_handles[1])
   print 'newtab opened'
   time.sleep(5)

On OS X using Chromebrowser, I've been able to open new tabs using:

send_keys(Keys.COMMAND + Keys.RETURN + "2")

And then switch to that tab using:

for handle in self.driver.window_handles:
    print "Handle is:" + str(handle) #only one handle number
    self.driver.switch_to_window(handle)

Instead of trying to physically switch to the tab using key commands, which didn't work, I realized that I could extract data from a tab as long as its window handle was selected. With the handle switched to the last tab opened, I generically extract data like so:

summary = self.driver.find_element(By.XPATH, '//body/div/div/div/section/section/div/section/p')
print summary.text

Then I close the tab like so:

self.driver.close()

Then switch back to the current window using the handle loop code from above:

for handle in self.driver.window_handles:
    print "Handle is:" + str(handle) #only one handle number
    self.driver.switch_to_window(handle)

Currently this solution does not work for Firefox (tested on 47.0.1). Selenium does not see new Firefox tab as the new window and can't window_handle new tabs.
I was able to make it work by opening the link in a new window, not new tab. Following shortcut can be used for this:
Keys.SHIFT + Keys.RETURN

Here is modified code that I'm using:

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)
main_window = browser.current_window_handle

# Open the link in a new window by sending key strokes on the element
first_link.send_keys(Keys.SHIFT + Keys.RETURN)

# Get windows list and put focus on new window (which is on the 1st index in the list)
windows = browser.window_handles
browser.switch_to.window(windows[1])

# do whatever you have to do on this page, we will just got to sleep for now
sleep(2)

# Close current window
browser.find_element_by_tag_name('body').send_keys(Keys.CONTROL + 'w')

# Put focus back on main window
browser.switch_to.window(main_window)

This is great, thanks! However, I am having trouble reading the new tab's page source with browser.page_source. It keeps giving me the not-open tab on the left's source instead.

@roesler-stan
To read new TAB u must handle it first:
browser.switch_to.window(browser.window_handles[-1])

window_handles[-1]

It handles THE LAST tab opened in browser because window_handles give us LIST and -1 in list take the last element
Than u can use : browser.page_source :)

ui.WebDriverWait(browser, 15).until(lambda browser: browser.find_element_by_class_name('rc'))

What this do?

Thanks!!! I am able to switch to the new tab and read page contents.
But Not able to close the second tab.
I have nearly 100 links on the first tab which would open on new tab and I want to close them.

i am able to use some keys like tab
browser.find_element_by_tag_name('body').send_keys(Keys.TAB)
but not able to use like ctrl+p & ctrl+f
browser.find_element_by_tag_name('body').send_keys(Keys.CONTROL +'p')

This is great. Somehow I can't read the new tab page_source to get information . It give me the first tab page_source. how ca I solve this problem?

This is how I do it:

element.send_keys(Keys.CONTROL + Keys.RETURN)
driver.switch_to.window(self.driver.window_handles[1])
# do stuff
driver.close()
driver.switch_to.window(self.driver.window_handles[0])

Confirmed that these work on MacOS:

Open link in a new tab:
link_element.send_keys(Keys.COMMAND + Keys.RETURN)

Switch between tabs:
driver.switch_to.window(self.driver.window_handles[1])
driver.switch_to.window(self.driver.window_handles[0])

Very good!

current_handle=self.driver.current_window_handle
print current_handle
for i in self.driver.window_handles:
if (current_handle!=i):
self.driver.switch_to_window(i)
print self.driver.current_window_handle
It works on all browser for both win and mac

@xia-mu, thanks for your input it worked!

Thank you @typedt

browser.execute_script('''window.open("about:blank", "_blank");''')

browser.execute_script('''window.open("about:blank", "_blank");''') ==> worked for me

browser.switch_to_window(browser.window_handles[1])

you saved my life thanks

    This works for me, on windows 10 and Firefox 70

        main_window= driver.current_window_handle
        #Open a new tab in blank
        driver.execute_script("window.open(''),'_blannk'")
        # Switch to the new window
        driver.switch_to.window(driver.window_handles[1])
        #Change the url in the .get
        driver.get("https://gist.github.com/lrhache/7686903")
        sleep(2)
        print("DO things")
        #Close Current Tab
        driver.close()
         #Focus to the main window
        driver.switch_to.window(main_window)

    This works for me, on windows 10 and Firefox 70

    main_window= driver.current_window_handle
    #Open a new tab in blank
    driver.execute_script("window.open(''),'_blannk'")
    # Switch to the new window
    driver.switch_to.window(driver.window_handles[1])
    **#Change the url in the .get**
    driver.get("https://gist.github.com/lrhache/7686903")
    sleep(2)
    print("DO things")
    #Close Current Tab
    driver.close()
     #Focus to the main window
    driver.switch_to.window(main_window)

Thanks a loot!!!

    This works for me, on windows 10 and Firefox 70

    main_window= driver.current_window_handle
    #Open a new tab in blank
    driver.execute_script("window.open(''),'_blannk'")
    # Switch to the new window
    driver.switch_to.window(driver.window_handles[1])
    **#Change the url in the .get**
    driver.get("https://gist.github.com/lrhache/7686903")
    sleep(2)
    print("DO things")
    #Close Current Tab
    driver.close()
     #Focus to the main window
    driver.switch_to.window(main_window)

THANK YOU!

I'm using Mac OSX with selenium with Chrome webdriver, tried to use
browser.find_element_by_tag_name('body').send_keys(Keys.COMMAND + Keys.NUMPAD2)
and
browser.find_element_by_tag_name('body').send_keys(Keys.COMMAND+ 't'),
but neither worked.
So I had to use
browser.execute_script('''window.open("about:blank", "_blank");''') which finally worked.

thanks!! This works on IE and Win7

driver.execute_script("window.open(''),'_blannk'")
driver.switch_to.window(driver.window_handles[1])
#do stuff
driver.switch_to.window(driver.window_handles[0])

    This works for me, on windows 10 and Firefox 70

    main_window= driver.current_window_handle
    #Open a new tab in blank
    driver.execute_script("window.open(''),'_blannk'")
    # Switch to the new window
    driver.switch_to.window(driver.window_handles[1])
    **#Change the url in the .get**
    driver.get("https://gist.github.com/lrhache/7686903")
    sleep(2)
    print("DO things")
    #Close Current Tab
    driver.close()
     #Focus to the main window
    driver.switch_to.window(main_window)

Wonderful!
I am using windows 10 and chrome brower. Changing my code from this driver.execute_script("window.open('')") to this driver.execute_script("window.open(''),'_blank'") solved the problem.

I'm using Mac OSX with selenium with Chrome webdriver, tried to use
browser.find_element_by_tag_name('body').send_keys(Keys.COMMAND + Keys.NUMPAD2)
and
browser.find_element_by_tag_name('body').send_keys(Keys.COMMAND+ 't'),
but neither worked.
So I had to use
browser.execute_script('''window.open("about:blank", "_blank");''') which finally worked.

Thanks, it worked for me

Thanks man! it helped a lot, you saved my day

    This works for me, on windows 10 and Firefox 70

        main_window= driver.current_window_handle
        #Open a new tab in blank
        driver.execute_script("window.open(''),'_blannk'")
        # Switch to the new window
        driver.switch_to.window(driver.window_handles[1])
        #Change the url in the .get
        driver.get("https://gist.github.com/lrhache/7686903")
        sleep(2)
        print("DO things")
        #Close Current Tab
        driver.close()
         #Focus to the main window
        driver.switch_to.window(main_window)

Thanks Bro!! <3

but

    This works for me, on windows 10 and Firefox 70

        main_window= driver.current_window_handle
        #Open a new tab in blank
        driver.execute_script("window.open(''),'_blannk'")
        # Switch to the new window
        driver.switch_to.window(driver.window_handles[1])
        #Change the url in the .get
        driver.get("https://gist.github.com/lrhache/7686903")
        sleep(2)
        print("DO things")
        #Close Current Tab
        driver.close()
         #Focus to the main window
        driver.switch_to.window(main_window)

But this opens in a new window, any idea how to open in new tab?

i want to do it in android what should i do ?????

Amazing boys!! This is exactly what I was looking for!
Works smoothly on Windows 10 using Chrome tkss

    This works for me, on windows 10 and Firefox 70

        main_window= driver.current_window_handle
        #Open a new tab in blank
        driver.execute_script("window.open(''),'_blannk'")
        # Switch to the new window
        driver.switch_to.window(driver.window_handles[1])
        #Change the url in the .get
        driver.get("https://gist.github.com/lrhache/7686903")
        sleep(2)
        print("DO things")
        #Close Current Tab
        driver.close()
         #Focus to the main window
        driver.switch_to.window(main_window)

Thanks Bro!! <3