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I use Selenium WebDriver on Ubuntu Desktop 16.04, and I can't open browser. I get the following error after Firefox update (before this, it all worked):

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "test.py", line 6, in <module>
    driver = webdriver.Firefox()
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/selenium/webdriver/firefox/webdriver.py", line 81, in __init__
    self.binary, timeout)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/selenium/webdriver/firefox/extension_connection.py", line 51, in __init__
    self.binary.launch_browser(self.profile, timeout=timeout)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/selenium/webdriver/firefox/firefox_binary.py", line 68, in launch_browser
    self._wait_until_connectable(timeout=timeout)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/selenium/webdriver/firefox/firefox_binary.py", line 98, in _wait_until_connectable
    raise WebDriverException("The browser appears to have exited "
selenium.common.exceptions.WebDriverException: Message: The browser appears to have exited before we could connect. If you specified a log_file in the FirefoxBinary constructor, check it for details.
Anthony Geoghegan
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Alexa Iulian
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7 Answers7

62

As of Firefox version 47.0 (which came out a little while a go), a new driver must be used (created by mozilla instead of selenium) to connect to Firefox, because of a bug introduces in this version. As of Firefox version 48.0 the old driver will be deprecated completely and only Marionette can be used so it is better to switch now. See: Marionette Webdriver for Firefox

Download the driver (in OSX just use brew install geckodriver), rename the executable to wires.exe on windows, or wires on *nix systems, and make sure the executable is present in your system path, then use this driver in your program instead of the old driver by using the following:

When using a local webdriver:

Python:

firefox_capabilities = DesiredCapabilities.FIREFOX
firefox_capabilities['marionette'] = True

driver = webdriver.Firefox(capabilities=firefox_capabilities)

Ruby:

driver = Selenium::WebDriver.for :firefox, marionette: true

Javascript:

var capabilities = Capabilities.firefox();
capabilities.set('marionette', true);

var driver = new webdriver.Builder().withCapabilities(capabilities).build();

Java:

DesiredCapabilities capabilities = DesiredCapabilities.firefox();
capabilities.setCapability("marionette", true);
Webdriver driver = new FirefoxDriver(capabilities);

C#:

var driver = new FirefoxDriver(new FirefoxOptions());

When using selenium grid:

When using a selenium grid the driver should be present in the path for all machines in your grid.

Python:

firefox_capabilities = DesiredCapabilities.FIREFOX
firefox_capabilities['marionette'] = True
driver = webdriver.Firefox(capabilities=firefox_capabilities)

Ruby:

caps = Selenium::WebDriver::Remote::Capabilities.firefox marionette: true
driver = Selenium::WebDriver.for :firefox, desired_capabilities: caps

Java:

DesiredCapabilities capabilities = DesiredCapabilities.firefox();
// Set Marionette on so the Grid will use this instead of normal FirefoxDriver
capabilities.setCapability("marionette", true);

WebDriver driver = new RemoteWebDriver(capabilities);

C#:

DesiredCapabilities capabilities = DesiredCapabilities.Firefox();
// Set Marionette on so the Grid will use this instead of normal FirefoxDriver
capabilities.SetCapability("marionette", true);

var driver = new RemoteWebDriver(capabilities);
Michael Ohlrogge
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Mobrockers
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  • Once we download the driver, where are we suppose to put it? – No Sssweat Jun 15 '16 at 05:47
  • Put it wherever you want, then set the location to the driver in your system path. – Mobrockers Jun 15 '16 at 06:43
  • According to the documentation of `MarionetteDriver` in the Java version of Selenium it is deprecated (https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/blob/master/java/client/src/org/openqa/selenium/firefox/MarionetteDriver.java). `FirefoxDriver` should be used instead and `marionette` should be enabled in the `DesiredCapabilities` (much like you did in the `RemoteWebDriver` example. – RemcoW Jun 16 '16 at 14:06
  • Marionette does solve the problem. It comes with some problems of its own, though. First, if you're using execute_script() to read the values of JavaScript variables, you'll need to prefix the variable name with window.wrappedJSObject. (https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=825858). Second, some action chain functions aren't supported, such as move_to_element (https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/selenium-users/g8IK9AR7EIA). – Steve Saporta Jun 16 '16 at 18:45
  • Mobrockers, can you explain what mean by rename the executables to 'wires'. All I see is a file named geckodriver-0.8.0-OSX. But I still get the same error: "Message: 'wires' executable needs to be in PATH. " after I run the command export PATH=$PATH:/path/to/directory/of/executable/downloaded/in/previous/step – Ted Petrou Jun 19 '16 at 05:28
  • Rename geckodriver-0.8.0-osx to wires – Mobrockers Jun 20 '16 at 06:00
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    For the lazy OSX users: `brew install geckodriver` – Stan Jul 26 '16 at 12:27
  • FWIW I had to use `geckodriver` instead of `wires` – bgusach Aug 23 '16 at 11:30
  • So the fix is to download a project that is still in beta? – 8protons Aug 31 '16 at 20:42
  • Mozillas decision.. Don't ask me why, I don't know. – Mobrockers Aug 31 '16 at 20:44
  • where to import 'DesiredCapabilities' ? > from selenium.webdriver.common.desired_capabilities import DesiredCapabilities – oxidworks Nov 01 '16 at 14:05
  • Looks like capabilities are already deprecated: "WARNING: Support for Legacy Capabilities is deprecated; You are sending the following invalid capabilities: [marionette]; Please update to W3C Syntax: https://www.selenium.dev/blog/2022/legacy-protocol-support/" – l0b0 Feb 03 '23 at 09:40
  • @l0b0 this answer is from 2016, it doesn't surprise me it's no longer valid in 2023.. – Mobrockers Feb 10 '23 at 12:33
11

FIXED: Solution at this time is to downgrade Firefox! run this command to get a list of available Firefox versions.

apt-cache show firefox | grep Version

My Result:

Version: 47.0+build3-0ubuntu0.16.04.1
Version: 45.0.2+build1-0ubuntu1

Install:

sudo apt-get install firefox=45.0.2+build1-0ubuntu1

To keep this version and disallow updates:

sudo apt-mark hold firefox

If you want to unhold firefox version and allow updates:

sudo apt-mark unhold firefox
sudo apt-get upgrade
Alexa Iulian
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  • About the version 45, I am getting the error: `E: Version '45.0.2+build1-0ubuntu1' for 'firefox' was not found` any hints? – silviomoreto Jun 21 '16 at 21:26
  • Try to add Firefox repository before: `sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-mozilla-daily/ppa` – Alexa Iulian Jun 23 '16 at 20:14
  • I tried this, restarted Firefox after then when I ran grep Version again it was still telling me I was on the latest version (49) but then when I run the install part again it tells me 45 is already installed. Do I have a conflict now? – easy_c0mpany80 Nov 07 '16 at 10:53
10

Solution : Upgrade Firefox to 47.0.1 and Selenium to 2.53.1.

This combination worked for me.

For more details refer to https://stackoverflow.com/a/37728659/6469532

Community
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Mohit Tater
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4

Some people have the problem that some buttons or select boxes cannot be selected inmarionette modus.

An alternative is using older firefox version:

You can download the binary here and use it here:

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

binary = FirefoxBinary('path/to/binary')
driver = webdriver.Firefox(firefox_binary=binary)
trantu
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3

SOLUTION downgrade to 45 version:

firefox --version
    Mozilla Firefox 47.0
apt-get remove firefox
wget https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/45.0/linux-x86_64/en-US/firefox-45.0.tar.bz2
tar -xjf firefox-45.0.tar.bz2
mv firefox /opt/firefox45
ln -s /opt/firefox45/firefox /usr/bin/firefox
firefox --version
    Mozilla Firefox 45.0
user1412586
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1

1) Download geckodriver 0.6.2, unzip, rename to "wires" not "wires.exe" https://github.com/mozilla/geckodriver/releases

2) Add the wires executable location to PATH (I put this in my python folder C:Program Files\Python...) Select Start, select Control Panel. double click System, and select the Advanced tab. Click Environment Variables. ... In the Edit System Variable (or New System Variable) window, specify the value of the PATH environment variable. ... (Use ';' to separate paths i.e. [C:Users\Reuben;C:Program Files\Python]

3) Downgrade to Firefox 45 https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/45.0.2/win64/en-US/

Reuben
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No need to downgrade Firefox. I have faced issue with Windows and Firefox 49 version. I was using geckodrvier 64 bit version. I changed it to geckodrvier 32 bit version and it solved the issue. Now browser is opening properly without any issue.

Sachin Nikam
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