Read a hidden value in a div using Selenium Python binding

Question

Issue: How can you read a value in a nested <div>?

Situation: I am testing the registration on our web site. In order to complete the process, the user will need to enter the captcha. Using a helper class (on our dev server) we can display (hidden) the current captcha. I need to grab that and save it to be used by a .send_keys function (that part is the easy part). I have no code to share with what I am using, as I am not even sure where to jump in.

Well, I have this, but this is obviously not the answer:

driver.find_element_by_id("capchta").send_keys("foobar")

With above, I can send a key value (seen as "foobar"). I just need to replace "foobar" with a string that I read in the value=XXX

Here is the HTML code with the captcha, represented with the value=XXXX.

<div id="code_area">
     <p id="captcha_blurb">Please enter the security code below</p>
     <div id="capchta_area">
     <img id="secuity_icon" src="/img3/Secuity-Icon.png">
     <img id="security-image" src="data:image/png;==">
     <input id="current_captcha" type="hidden" value="XXXX">
     <input id="capchta" class="reg_form_input" value="" name="code" placeholder="Enter Security Code" title=" Please Enter These Characters." onblur="removeInputInfoBox('reg_box');" onfocus="addInputInfoBox('#capchta','#capchta_area', 'reg_box');">
</div>

Are you just trying to change the value of a hidden input?

Paul Nikonowicz
– Paul Nikonowicz

2013-08-29 01:03:25 +00:00
Commented Aug 29, 2013 at 1:03 — Paul Nikonowicz
– Paul Nikonowicz, Commented Aug 29, 2013 at 1:03
No. Just read it. So I can use it. (See below)

Dave
– Dave

2013-08-29 01:25:03 +00:00
Commented Aug 29, 2013 at 1:25 — Dave
– Dave, Commented Aug 29, 2013 at 1:25

Yi Zeng · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-29 01:24:37Z

7

I don't think you need to execute JS to get the hidden input's value.

You can use get_attribute to the value attribute

get_attribute(name)

So in your case, try:

captcha_value = driver.find_element_by_id("current_captcha").get_attribute("value")
driver.find_element_by_id("capchta").send_keys(captcha_value)

answered Aug 29, 2013 at 1:24

Yi Zeng

33.1k13 gold badges99 silver badges128 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 10:27:58Z

1

As explained here Selenium can't interact with hidden elements. You're going to need to execute javascript to change the value for you; which is still a perfectly valid and accepted way of using Selenium.

edited May 23, 2017 at 10:27

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered Aug 29, 2013 at 1:07

blakev

4,5392 gold badges39 silver badges56 bronze badges

1 Comment

Dave Over a year ago

It states, "Selenium WebDriver cannot interact with hidden elements, it can only find them" I am not trying to interact with it. Just find it. If I can find the value=XXXX, then I can capture it to a string and .send_keys(XXXX), exactly what I want.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Read a hidden value in a div using Selenium Python binding

2 Answers 2

Comments

1 Comment

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

Comments

1 Comment

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related