InvalidArgumentException: Message: binary is not a Firefox executable error using GeckoDriver Firefox Selenium and Python

Question

I am having trouble with a selenium error related to a FireFox binary.

I added C:/Users/Mack/AppData/Local/Programs/Python/ to PATH using backslashes and rebooted. I downloaded what I thought is the correct file here https://github.com/mozilla/geckodriver/releases I put the file in the directory connected to PATH.

To remedy this: I tried using two backslashes

binary = FirefoxBinary("C:\\Users\Mack\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38-32\geckodriver-v0.27.0-win64\geckodriver.exe")

which throws the same error

I tried using one backslash

binary = FirefoxBinary("C:\Users\Mack\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38-32\geckodriver-v0.27.0-win64\geckodriver.exe")

which throws:

SyntaxError: (unicode error) 'unicodeescape' codec can't decode bytes in position 2-3: truncated \UXXXXXXXX escape
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\Mack\Desktop\hacker-stories\Trends.py", line 32, in <module>
    browser = webdriver.Firefox(**firefox_binary=binary**)
  File "C:\Users\Mack\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38-32\lib\site-packages\selenium\webdriver\firefox\webdriver.py", line 170, in __init__
    RemoteWebDriver.__init__(
  File "C:\Users\Mack\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38-32\lib\site-packages\selenium\webdriver\remote\webdriver.py", line 157, in __init__
    self.start_session(capabilities, browser_profile)
  File "C:\Users\Mack\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38-32\lib\site-packages\selenium\webdriver\remote\webdriver.py", line 252, in start_session
    response = self.execute(Command.NEW_SESSION, parameters)
  File "C:\Users\Mack\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38-32\lib\site-packages\selenium\webdriver\remote\webdriver.py", line 321, in execute
    self.error_handler.check_response(response)
  File "C:\Users\Mack\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38-32\lib\site-packages\selenium\webdriver\remote\errorhandler.py", line 242, in check_response
    raise exception_class(message, screen, stacktrace)
selenium.common.exceptions.InvalidArgumentException: Message: binary is not a Firefox executable

Code Test.py

from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.firefox.options import Options
from selenium.webdriver.firefox.firefox_binary import FirefoxBinary

binary = FirefoxBinary("C:/Users/Mack/AppData/Local/Programs/Python/Python38-32/geckodriver-v0.27.0-win64/geckodriver.exe")
print(binary)
browser = webdriver.Firefox(firefox_binary=binary)

options = Options()
options.set_preference("browser.download.folderList",2)
options.set_preference("browser.download.manager.showWhenStarting", False)
options.set_preference("browser.download.dir","/Data")
options.set_preference("browser.helperApps.neverAsk.saveToDisk", "application/octet-stream,application/vnd.ms-excel")
driver = webdriver.Firefox(firefox_options=options)

Any help understanding this error is much appreciated.

As @arundeepchohan mentioned, your argument to FirefoxBinary looks off. Shouldn't that be a path to firefox.exe instead of the path to the geckodriver? — user5386938
– user5386938, Commented Sep 23, 2020 at 19:25
stackoverflow.com/questions/57528718/… Here's an example of the proper way to do it. — Arundeep Chohan
– Arundeep Chohan, Commented Sep 23, 2020 at 19:37

undetected Selenium · Accepted Answer · 2021-02-07 18:25:22Z

This error message...

selenium.common.exceptions.InvalidArgumentException: Message: binary is not a Firefox executable

...implies that the binary file which you have passed as an argument to FirefoxBinary() isn't a valid firefox executable.

You seem to have passed the absolute path of the geckodriver.exe as an argument to FirefoxBinary() which is causing the error.

Solution

Instead of the geckodriver.exe you need to pass the absolute path of the firefox.exe. Moreover, firefox_options is deprecated now and you have to use options and you can use the following solution:

from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.firefox.options import Options
from selenium.webdriver.firefox.firefox_binary import FirefoxBinary

options = Options()
options.binary = FirefoxBinary(r'C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe')
options.set_preference("browser.download.folderList",2)
options.set_preference("browser.download.manager.showWhenStarting", False)
options.set_preference("browser.download.dir","/Data")
options.set_preference("browser.helperApps.neverAsk.saveToDisk", "application/octet-stream,application/vnd.ms-excel")
driver = webdriver.Firefox(executable_path=r'C:/Users/Mack/AppData/Local/Programs/Python/Python38-32/geckodriver-v0.27.0-win64/geckodriver.exe', options=options)

References

You can find a couple of relevant detailed discussion in:

Ahtisham · Accepted Answer · 2024-01-28 07:49:52Z

4

This is how I solved it in 2024

Your selenium, firefox and geckodriver should all support each other and here are the compatible versions:

https://firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org/testing/geckodriver/Support.html

I downgraded the selenium from 4 to 3.11 and upgraded my firefox to version 120. My geckodriver was version 0.33.

edited Jan 28, 2024 at 7:49

answered Jan 20, 2024 at 17:51

Ahtisham

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Comments

Ardeshir Izadi · Accepted Answer · 2024-03-26 18:39:43Z

4

The problem for me was that I've installed firefox through snap on my Ubuntu and Selenium was unable to find it/work with it. I had to install Firefox through apt, which was not allowed by default on my Ubuntu. I had to follow this guide: https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2022/04/how-to-install-firefox-deb-apt-ubuntu-22-04 and then the problem was resolved ✅

My use case was I had to run Firefox in headless mode on an ubuntu server machine.

answered Mar 26, 2024 at 18:39

Ardeshir Izadi

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7 Comments

user2615588 Over a year ago

same problem for me, thank you

BertD Over a year ago

You can make firefox from the snap work with Selenium by setting the firefox binary to /snap/firefox/current/usr/lib/firefox/firefox. You can also use the geckodriver from the snap as /snap/firefox/current/usr/lib/firefox/geckodriver. Depending on your use case, this may be easier than installing a PPA.

pyCthon Over a year ago

the guide doesn't say what file to edit for step 5...

Ardeshir Izadi Over a year ago

It does @pyCthon. That whole section is a command, and the second part after pipe, specifies what file it is writing into: | sudo tee /etc/apt/preferences.d/mozilla. However I don't remember doing that step. It wasn't reuiqred for me.

nlawson Over a year ago

BertD, your comment saved me so much time. Thank you. /snap/firefox/current/usr/lib/firefox/firefox is the Firefox binary I needed to use.

|

Arundeep Chohan · Accepted Answer · 2020-09-23 19:39:52Z

2

Change the binary to whatever firefox.exe you get and your executable path to your geckodriver.

options = Options()
binary = r'C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe'
options.set_preference("browser.download.folderList",2)
options.set_preference("browser.download.manager.showWhenStarting", False)
options.set_preference("browser.download.dir","/Data")
options.set_preference("browser.helperApps.neverAsk.saveToDisk", "application/octet-stream,application/vnd.ms-excel")
options.binary = binary
driver = webdriver.Firefox(r'C:/Users/Mack/AppData/Local/Programs/Python/Python38-32/geckodriver-v0.27.0-win64/geckodriver.exe',options=options)

answered Sep 23, 2020 at 19:39

Arundeep Chohan

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Comments

zorro · Accepted Answer · 2021-01-25 13:32:48Z

2

It seems that when using Firefox Portable, the FirefoxPortable.exe file is not recognized, instead, when creating binary path, point to firefox.exe file found under "FirefoxPortable\App\firefox64" (in my case). The above is valid if your Gecko driver works - so the first few lines of output (before the exception) look something like this:

[RemoteTestNG] detected TestNG version 7.3.0
1611580278948   geckodriver INFO    Listening on 127.0.0.1:18391

This issue appeared for me after the problem described here: Cannot find firefox binary in PATH. Make sure firefox is installed thus, they are not the same issue - as presented in some stack comments.

good luck!

answered Jan 25, 2021 at 13:32

zorro

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Comments

Alberto Sanmartin Martinez · Accepted Answer · 2024-03-12 14:16:59Z

1

For Selenium 4 FirefoxBinaryis deprecated

from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.firefox.service import Service

driver_path = f"{settings.BASE_DIR}/geckodriver"

options = webdriver.FirefoxOptions()
options.binary_location = "/usr/lib/firefox"

driver = webdriver.Firefox(service=Service(executable_path=driver_path), options=options)

This code works well for me.

answered Mar 12, 2024 at 14:16

Alberto Sanmartin Martinez

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Comments

a coder · Accepted Answer · 2020-09-23 19:20:33Z

-1

Your path to the exe looks incorrect.

"/" (slash) is something used often in unix like systems to represent directory structures.

Window uses a backslash.

Change the string to use two backslashes instead of a forward slash.

answered Sep 23, 2020 at 19:20

a coder

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1 Comment

user3182966 Over a year ago

This does not work ... binary = FirefoxBinary("C:\\Users\Mack\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38-32\geckodriver-v0.27.0-win64\geckodriver.exe")

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