Variable in xpath in Python Selenium when calling Class and Function

Question

I have the following class:

class Sections(BasePage):

    CHOOSE_SECTION_SEL = (By.XPATH, "//*[@class='select2-result-label' and (text() = '" + state + "')]")

    def choose_section(self, state):
        self.click_on_element("choose section", self.CHOOSE_SECTION_SEL)

Then I want to call it like this so I can change the variable 'state' whatever I want but it is not working obviously:

section = Sections(driver=self.driver)
section.choose_section(state="CALENDAR")

I know I can do it like this and it is working:

class Sections:

    def section(self, state):
        driver.find_element_by_xpath("//*[@class='select2-result-label' and (text() = '" + state + "')]").click()

...

choose = Sections()
choose.section(state="CALENDAR")

However I have to do it like the first example. Any ideas what I have to change?

undetected Selenium · Accepted Answer · 2020-09-18T09:21:04.767

1

You can change the xpath notation to either of the following forms:

Using variable:

CHOOSE_SECTION_SEL = (By.XPATH, "//*[@class='select2-result-label' and text()='" + state + "']")

Using %s

CHOOSE_SECTION_SEL = (By.XPATH, "//*[@class='select2-result-label' and text()='%s']"% str(state))

Using {}

CHOOSE_SECTION_SEL = (By.XPATH, "//*[@class='select2-result-label' and text()='{}']".format(str(state)))

You can implement it like:

class Sections(BasePage):

    def choose_section(self, state):
        self.CHOOSE_SECTION_SEL = (By.XPATH, "//*[@class='select2-result-label' and (text() = '" + state + "')]")
        self.click_on_element("choose section", self.CHOOSE_SECTION_SEL)

edited Sep 18 '20 at 09:21

answered Sep 18 '20 at 09:00

undetected Selenium

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Yes, I am using variable but I get the error message: ```CHOOSE_SECTION_SEL = (By.XPATH, "//*[@class='select2-result-label' and (text() = '" + state + "')]") NameError: name 'state' is not defined``` – bbfl Sep 18 '20 at 09:10
@bbfl Checkout the answer update and let me know the status. – undetected Selenium Sep 18 '20 at 09:21
Thanks, it works but basically it is almost the same as my second example which also works. However is there a another way ```CHOOSE_SECTION_SEL = (By.XPATH, "//*[@class='select2-result-label' and text()='" + state + "']")``` not be inside a function? – bbfl Sep 18 '20 at 10:07
1

@bbfl Then the variable `state` needs to have global scope which you may like to avoid. – undetected Selenium Sep 18 '20 at 10:12
1

thanks a lot. Yes, it worked as you suggested and seems this is the most optimal way to do it! – bbfl Sep 18 '20 at 11:23
@bbfl Feel free to visit [Selenium Chat Room](https://chat.stackoverflow.com/rooms/223360/selenium) and help other users. – undetected Selenium Oct 20 '20 at 18:27

Variable in xpath in Python Selenium when calling Class and Function

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