Selenium using Python in 2019 on mac

Question

I'm a non-programmer trying to use Automate the Boring Stuff with Python to do exactly that. I watched all the videos and thought I was ready, but as I tried to get going I'm stuck on square zero.

I'm on a Mac OSx Mojave Version 10.14.2

Successfully installed Python 3.7.2

I'm trying to follow this chapter: http://automatetheboringstuff.com/chapter11/

Successfully installed Selenium because:

import selenium

does not give an error.

but when I run this:

from selenium import webdriver
browser = webdriver.Firefox()

I get this error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.7/lib/python3.7/site-packages/selenium/webdriver/common/service.py", line 76, in start
    stdin=PIPE)
  File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.7/lib/python3.7/subprocess.py", line 775, in __init__
    restore_signals, start_new_session)
  File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.7/lib/python3.7/subprocess.py", line 1522, in _execute_child
    raise child_exception_type(errno_num, err_msg, err_filename)
FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'your\\path\\geckodriver.exe': 'your\\path\\geckodriver.exe'

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<pyshell#3>", line 1, in <module>
    driver = webdriver.Firefox(executable_path=r'your\path\geckodriver.exe')
  File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.7/lib/python3.7/site-packages/selenium/webdriver/firefox/webdriver.py", line 164, in __init__
    self.service.start()
  File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.7/lib/python3.7/site-packages/selenium/webdriver/common/service.py", line 83, in start
    os.path.basename(self.path), self.start_error_message)
selenium.common.exceptions.WebDriverException: Message: 'your\path\geckodriver.exe' executable needs to be in PATH. 

>>> driver = webdriver.Firefox(executable_path=r'your\path\geckodriver.exe')
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.7/lib/python3.7/site-packages/selenium/webdriver/common/service.py", line 76, in start
    stdin=PIPE)
  File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.7/lib/python3.7/subprocess.py", line 775, in __init__
    restore_signals, start_new_session)
  File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.7/lib/python3.7/subprocess.py", line 1522, in _execute_child
    raise child_exception_type(errno_num, err_msg, err_filename)
FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'your\\path\\geckodriver.exe': 'your\\path\\geckodriver.exe'

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<pyshell#4>", line 1, in <module>
    driver = webdriver.Firefox(executable_path=r'your\path\geckodriver.exe')
  File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.7/lib/python3.7/site-packages/selenium/webdriver/firefox/webdriver.py", line 164, in __init__
    self.service.start()
  File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.7/lib/python3.7/site-packages/selenium/webdriver/common/service.py", line 83, in start
    os.path.basename(self.path), self.start_error_message)
selenium.common.exceptions.WebDriverException: Message: 'your\path\geckodriver.exe' executable needs to be in PATH.

I've tried everything in this: Selenium using Python - Geckodriver executable needs to be in PATH and I don't think it works anymore.

I've installed geckodriver and tried appending it to PATH but nothing seems to work. geckodriver is installed in /usr/local/bin/ and I've appended it to path by running export PATH=$PATH:/path/to/geckodriver and export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/bin/geckodriver but I keep getting the same error

I've tried having both the newest Firefox and Firefox v46 installed because I read somewhere that it doesn't work after that version.

Any help is much appreciated.

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 12 '20 at 08:43

I suggest to install with pip

pip install geckodriver-autoinstaller

and then add this code

import geckodriver_autoinstaller

# Check if the current version of geckodriver exists
# and if it doesn't exist, download it automatically,
# then add geckodriver to path
geckodriver_autoinstaller.install()

0x78f1935 · Answer 2 · 2019-02-09T23:07:23.283

0

Set your executable_path

from selenium import webdriver
webdriver.Firefox(executable_path=r'path\to\geckdriver\geckodriver.exe')

executable_path – Full path to override which geckodriver binary to use for Firefox 47.0.1 and greater, which defaults to picking up the binary from the system path.

from documentation

Edit: also works on lower versions firefox

Edit 2:

Perhaps you could verify the executable can be found by python itself.

import os.path
os.path.exists(file_path)

edited Feb 09 '19 at 23:07

answered Feb 09 '19 at 22:46

0x78f1935

465
6
10

I ran it EXACTLY as you posted, didn't actually change the path or anything and I get the same error. – Tony Canas Feb 09 '19 at 22:54
Oh I see in your traceback indeed. Your example code is not matching your traceback. Are you sure your executable is in your folder? Edit: Updated answer. – 0x78f1935 Feb 09 '19 at 23:04

Selenium using Python in 2019 on mac

2 Answers2