Selenium IDE: Powerful Element Location with CSS Attribute Selectors

Master precise and robust web element location in Selenium IDE using CSS selectors with attributes. This tutorial demonstrates how to target elements based on attribute values, create highly specific locators, and build more resilient and maintainable automated tests that are less prone to breakage due to changes in webpage structure.

Selenium IDE Locating Strategies: CSS Selectors with Attributes

CSS selectors offer a flexible and efficient way to target elements in Selenium. Using attributes within your CSS selectors makes your locators more robust and less susceptible to breaking due to changes in the webpage’s structure. This is because your locator is not simply identifying the element's type but is using additional attributes to pinpoint the element more precisely.

CSS Selector Syntax (Attribute Selectors)

The syntax for CSS attribute selectors is:

CSS Selector Syntax (Attribute)

css=HTMLtag[attribute='value']

Where:

  • HTMLtag: The HTML tag name (e.g., input, div, button).
  • attribute: The attribute name (e.g., id, class, name, type).
  • value: The attribute value.

You can combine multiple attribute selectors within a single CSS selector to increase its specificity. For example, `css=input[type='text'][name='userName']` selects an input element with both `type='text'` and `name='userName'` attributes.

Example: Locating a Textbox on a Login Page

Let's create a simple login test on the TestandQuiz login page (https://www.testandquiz.com/user-login0). We'll locate the username textbox using a CSS selector that uses the element's `name` attribute.

  1. Open Selenium IDE: Launch Firefox and open Selenium IDE.
  2. Open Login Page: Add a command to open the login page. The `Command` is `open`, and the `Target` is `https://www.testandquiz.com/user-login0`.
  3. Inspect the Username Textbox: Right-click on the "Username" textbox, select "Inspect Element", and note the value of its `name` attribute. Let's assume the name attribute is 'email_id'.
  4. Create the CSS Selector: Construct your CSS selector. For example:
    5. CSS Selector for Username Textbox
    
css=input[name='email_id']
  5. Add Commands in Selenium IDE: Add commands to click the textbox and then type a username. The `Command` is `click`, and the `Target` is the CSS selector you just created. Then add a `type` command, using the same `Target`, and provide a `Value` (e.g., your username).
  6. Repeat for Password and Submit: Repeat for the password field and submit button, using appropriate CSS selectors.
  7. Run the Test: Click the "Run Current Test" button to execute your test.

Advantages of Using Attribute Selectors in CSS

  • Flexibility: CSS selectors offer a very flexible way to target elements based on various attributes and their values.
  • Specificity: Using attributes makes your selectors more precise, reducing the chance of accidentally selecting the wrong element.
  • Maintainability: Well-written CSS selectors tend to be more robust against changes in the page structure.
  • Performance: CSS selectors generally perform well.