StaleElementReferenceException error using Selenium in python 2.7

Question

I used this code for Clearing Text Field by Id (using Selenium with python 2.7):

from selenium.webdriver.common.keys import Keys

browser = webdriver.Chrome():
browser.get('https://www.google.com')
search = browser.find_element_by_id('lst-ib')
search.send_keys('Python 2')
search.send_keys(Keys.RETURN)
time.sleep(6)
search.clear()
time.sleep(2)
browser.close()

It gave me the error:

StaleElementReferenceException Traceback (most recent call last) in () StaleElementReferenceException: Message: stale element reference: element is not attached to the page document (Session info: chrome=65.0.3325.181) (Driver info: chromedriver=2.37.544315 (730aa6a5fdba159ac9f4c1e8cbc59bf1b5ce12b7),platform=Windows NT 10.0.16299 x86_64)

Does anyone know how to fix this

Possible duplicate of [StaleElementReference Exception in PageFactory](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/44838538/staleelementreference-exception-in-pagefactory) — undetected Selenium, Apr 13 '18 at 10:24

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 13 '18 at 10:18

3

Once you do search.send_keys(Keys.RETURN) new page is loaded and search is no more accessible. You just need to re-define this variable

from selenium.webdriver.common.keys import Keys

browser = webdriver.Chrome():
browser.get('https://www.google.com')
search = browser.find_element_by_id('lst-ib')
search.send_keys('Python 2')
search.send_keys(Keys.RETURN)
time.sleep(6)
search = browser.find_element_by_id('lst-ib')
search.clear()
time.sleep(2)
browser.close()

Also note that using time.sleep() is a bad practice. You should look towards Implicit/Explicit waits

answered Apr 13 '18 at 10:18

Andersson

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1

Or a better way would be clicking on the element inside a loop. http://darrellgrainger.blogspot.in/2012/06/staleelementexception.html – cruisepandey Apr 13 '18 at 10:25
*clicking on the element*? Do you see any clicking in code? – Andersson Apr 13 '18 at 10:27
Keys.Enter (passing the keyboard keys ) is an alternative of finding an element and clicking on it ! – cruisepandey Apr 13 '18 at 10:30
The problem is that OP calls input field object after DOM updated. Can you elaborate how loop can solve this issue? – Andersson Apr 13 '18 at 10:33
you can go through the provided website. That was my understanding. – cruisepandey Apr 13 '18 at 10:34

StaleElementReferenceException error using Selenium in python 2.7

It gave me the error:

1 Answers1