How to write contains expression - Java Selenium

Question

I have two paths :

 driver.findElement(By.xpath("//tr[@id='"+variable+"']/td[5]/span")).click();
 driver.findElement(By.xpath("//tr[@id='"+variable+"']/td[5]")).click();

How can I handle both via contains so that the first or second version will be searched - with one constancy.

If you always click the `TD`, will it work in the case that a `SPAN` child exists? — JeffC, Mar 28 '18 at 16:45

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 28 '18 at 15:57

WebElement thingie = driver.findElement(By.xpath("//tr[contains(@id,'" + variable + "')]/td[5]"))

if (thingie.findElements(By.tagName("span")).size() != 0) {
    thingie.findElement(By.tagName("span")).click();
} else {
    thingie.click();
}

Create a starting point WebElement, then check to see if the <span> exists. If so, click on the span version, otherwise, click the td directly.

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 30 '18 at 20:08

You can use the pipeline sign |. The pipeline sign acts as a union of the elements that are returned from each part of the expression

driver.findElement(By.xpath("//tr[contains(@id,'"+variable+"')]/td[5] | //tr[contains(@id,'"+variable+"')]/td[5]/span")).click();

The contains looks not necessary, the expression could be:

driver.findElement(By.xpath("//tr[@id='"+variable+"']/td[5]/span | //tr[@id='"+variable+"']/td[5]")).click();

Reference: Two conditions using OR in XPATH

undetected Selenium · Answer 3 · 2018-03-28T15:00:32.017

0

To rewrite the xpaths including the contains keyword along with a variable expression you can use the following lines of code :

 driver.findElement(By.xpath("//tr[contains(@id,'" + variable + "')]/td[5]/span")).click();
 driver.findElement(By.xpath("//tr[contains(@id,'" + variable + "')]/td[5]")).click()

edited Mar 28 '18 at 15:00

answered Mar 28 '18 at 14:54

undetected Selenium

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You´ve updated it - but first there was only the first part as copy of his question - NM – LenglBoy Mar 28 '18 at 14:58
I need one contains expression so that the first and second version will be searched. One expression. – grandecalvo Mar 28 '18 at 15:00
How can you invoke `click()` on two distinct element at the same time? What is you exact use case? – undetected Selenium Mar 28 '18 at 15:03
the element have 1 or 2 path. Never 1 and 2. – grandecalvo Mar 28 '18 at 15:07
They are two separate elements and each element is having an unique _xpath_ – undetected Selenium Mar 28 '18 at 15:08
If your requirement have changed feel free to raise a new question as per your new requirement. So volunteers will be happy to help you out. – undetected Selenium Mar 28 '18 at 15:10
Yes, but the page appears either in version 1 or 2. I do not know which version will be after inserting the variable, therefore I am trying to find a way that allows me to find an element regardless of whether it will be in version 1 or 2. – grandecalvo Mar 28 '18 at 15:12

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 28 '18 at 14:55

0

You can use REGEX like this:

driver.findElement(By.xpath("[@value='<REGEX>']")).click();

So the REGEX for your xPath will be (as String):

"^[//tr\[@id='" + variable + "\]/td\[5\]][/span]?$"

So you need to paste this into and should work.

answered Mar 28 '18 at 14:55

LenglBoy

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this expression find second path?Without /span ? – grandecalvo Mar 28 '18 at 15:09
Yes it does. Because `[/span]?` does mean "/span" can be there 0 or 1 time. So it´s matching both. – LenglBoy Mar 28 '18 at 15:11
could you paste the path with correctly completed REGEX? – grandecalvo Mar 28 '18 at 15:18

How to write contains expression - Java Selenium

4 Answers4