Python Selenium: Handling Multiple Windows

Handling multiple windows or browser tabs is a common scenario in web automation. Python Selenium offers ways to switch between windows seamlessly, making it easier to control different tabs during your automation tasks.

Why Handle Multiple Windows in Selenium?

Web applications often open new tabs or windows for specific actions, like logging in or opening links. To interact with elements in these new windows, Selenium needs to switch control between them.

Switching Between Windows

Selenium provides methods to handle multiple windows. Each window or tab has a unique identifier, referred to as a "window handle." By using these window handles, you can switch between different windows.

from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By
from selenium.webdriver.chrome.service import Service
from webdriver_manager.chrome import ChromeDriverManager

# Initialize the driver
driver = webdriver.Chrome(service=Service(ChromeDriverManager().install()))

# Open a website
driver.get('https://example.com')

# Click a link that opens a new window
driver.find_element(By.LINK_TEXT, 'Open New Window').click()

# Get the handle of the main window
main_window = driver.current_window_handle

# Get the handles of all windows
all_windows = driver.window_handles

# Switch to the new window
for window in all_windows:
    if window != main_window:
        driver.switch_to.window(window)
        break

# Perform actions on the new window
print(driver.title)

# Switch back to the main window
driver.switch_to.window(main_window)

# Close the driver
driver.quit()

In this example, Selenium switches between two windows. After clicking a link, the code retrieves all window handles, identifies the new window, and switches to it for further interaction.

Using window_handles to Manage Multiple Windows

The window_handles attribute returns a list of all open windows or tabs. You can loop through these handles to switch between them, as demonstrated in the example above.

Best Practices for Handling Multiple Windows

• Always save the main window's handle to switch back later.
• Use window_handles to keep track of all open windows or tabs.
• Handle possible exceptions, like NoSuchWindowException, when switching windows.

Handling Dynamic Pop-Up Windows

Some web applications open dynamic pop-up windows. To handle these, you may need to wait until the new window appears. Consider using explicit waits to ensure the new window is fully loaded before switching to it.

from selenium.webdriver.support.ui import WebDriverWait
from selenium.webdriver.support import expected_conditions as EC

# Wait for the new window to appear
WebDriverWait(driver, 10).until(EC.new_window_is_opened(driver.window_handles))

# Switch to the new window
driver.switch_to.window(driver.window_handles[1])

Closing Windows

To close a specific window, use the close() method after switching to the desired window. Always ensure that you switch back to the main window or another valid window before continuing the automation.

# Close the current window
driver.close()

# Switch back to the main window
driver.switch_to.window(main_window)

Conclusion

Handling multiple windows in Python Selenium is crucial for navigating complex web applications. By using window_handles and properly switching between windows, you can control multiple tabs or pop-up windows effectively.

For more details on interacting with other elements, check out our guide on handling dropdowns.