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Selenium Webdriver - Handle Special Keys

Selenium Webdriver can be used to handle special keys while creating the automation tests. This is done using the Actions class and sendKeys() method in Selenium. The operations like key up/down using the keyUp() and keyDown() methods are mostly used to work with special keys. In case we are using sendKeys() method we would need to pass Key.chord as a parameter to this method.

Please note that, while using the methods of Actions class, we would need to add the below import statement in our test −

import org.openqa.selenium.interactions.Actions.

Copy and Paste Example With Actions Class

Let us now discuss the identification of elements where the copy and paste operations are to be performed on a web page as shown in the below image. First, we would need to right click on the web page, and then click on the Inspect button in the Chrome browser. Then, the corresponding HTML code for the whole page would be visible. For investigating both the source and destination elements on that web page, we would need to click on the left upward arrow, available to the top of the visible HTML code as highlighted below.

Selenium Handle Special Keys 1

Let us take an example on the below page, where we would first enter the text - Selenium beside the Full Name: in the first input box(highlighted) then copy and paste the same text in another input box (highlighted) beside the Last Name:.

Selenium Handle Special Keys 2

Example

package org.example;

import org.openqa.selenium.*;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.interactions.Actions;
import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;

public class CopyPasteAction {
   public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException {

      // Initiate the Webdriver
      WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();

      // adding implicit wait of 15 secs
      driver.manage().timeouts().implicitlyWait(15, TimeUnit.SECONDS);


      // Opening the webpage where we will identify an element
      driver.get("https://www.tutorialspoint.com/selenium/practice/register.php");

      // Identify the first input box with xpath locator
      WebElement e = driver.findElement(By.xpath("//*[@id='firstname']"));

      // enter some text
      e.sendKeys("Selenium");

      // chose the key as per platform
      Keys k = Platform.getCurrent().is(Platform.MAC) ? Keys.COMMAND : Keys.CONTROL;

      // object of Actions class to copy then paste
      Actions a = new Actions(driver);
      a.keyDown(k);
      a.sendKeys("a");
      a.keyUp(k);
      a.build().perform();

      // Actions class methods to copy text
      a.keyDown(k);
      a.sendKeys("c");
      a.keyUp(k);
      a.build().perform();

      // Action class methods to tab and reach to next input box
      a.sendKeys(Keys.TAB);
      a.build().perform();

      // Actions class methods to paste text
      a.keyDown(k);
      a.sendKeys("v");
      a.keyUp(k);
      a.build().perform();

      // Identify the second input box with xpath locator
      WebElement s = driver.findElement(By.xpath("//*[@id='lastname']"));

      // Getting text in the second input box
      String text = s.getAttribute("value");
      System.out.println("Value copied and pasted: " + text);

      // Closing browser
      driver.quit();
   }
}

Output

Value copied and pasted: Selenium

Process finished with exit code 0

In the above example, we had first entered the text Selenium in the first input box and then copied and pasted the same text in the second input box using the methods of the Actions class. Finally, we had obtained the entered text in the second input box as a message in the console - Value copied and pasted: Selenium.

Finally, the message Process finished with exit code 0 was received, signifying successful execution of the code.

Copy and Paste Example Without Actions Class

Let us take the same above example, and implement the same without using the Actions class.

package org.example;

import org.openqa.selenium.*;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;

public class CopyPaste {
   public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException {

      // Initiate the Webdriver
      WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();

      // adding implicit wait of 15 secs
      driver.manage().timeouts().implicitlyWait(15, TimeUnit.SECONDS);

      // Opening the webpage where we will identify an element
      driver.get("https://www.tutorialspoint.com/selenium/practice/register.php");


      // Identify the first input box with xpath locator
      WebElement e = driver.findElement(By.xpath("//*[@id='firstname']"));

      // Identify the second input box with xpath locator
      WebElement s = driver.findElement(By.xpath("//*[@id='lastname']"));

      // chose the key as per platform
      Keys k = Platform.getCurrent().is(Platform.MAC) ? Keys.COMMAND :  Keys.CONTROL;

      // enter some text
      e.sendKeys("Selenium");

      // select the whole entered text
      e.sendKeys(Keys.chord(k, "a"));

      // copy the whole entered text
      e.sendKeys(Keys.chord(k, "c"));

      // tab and reach to next input box
      e.sendKeys(Keys.TAB);

      // paste the whole entered text
      s.sendKeys(Keys.chord(k, "v"));

      // Getting text in the second input box
      String text = s.getAttribute("value");
      System.out.println("Value copied and pasted: " + text);
      // Closing browser

      driver.quit();
   }
}

Output

Value copied and pasted: Selenium

Process finished with exit code 0

In the above example, we had first entered the text Selenium in the first input box and then copied and pasted the same text in the second input box using the sendKeys() and Key.chord() methods. Finally, we had obtained the entered text in the second input box as a message in the console - Value copied and pasted: Selenium.

Finally, the message Process finished with exit code 0 was received, signifying successful execution of the code.

Input Text in Upper Case

Let us take another example, where we would enter text SELENIUM in an input box in capital letters using the Key Up Key Down features of Actions class. Please note that, while sending the value to the sendKeys() method, we would pass selenium along with pressing SHIFT keys. Hence, we would get the output entered in the input box as SELENIUM.

Example

package org.example;

import org.openqa.selenium.By;
import org.openqa.selenium.Keys;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebElement;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.interactions.Actions;
import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;

public class KeyAction {
   public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException {
      // Initiate the Webdriver
      WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();

      // adding implicit wait of 15 secs
      driver.manage().timeouts().implicitlyWait(15, TimeUnit.SECONDS);

      // Opening the webpage where we will identify an element
      driver.get("https://www.tutorialspoint.com/selenium/practice/text-box.php");

      // Identify the first input box with xpath locator
      WebElement e = driver.findElement(By.xpath("//*[@id='fullname']"));

      // Actions class
      Actions a = new Actions(driver);

      // moving to an input box and clicking on it
      a.moveToElement(e).click();

      // key UP and DOWN action for SHIFT
      a.keyDown(Keys.SHIFT);
      a.sendKeys("Selenium").keyUp(Keys.SHIFT).build().perform();

      // get value entered
      System.out.println("Text entered: " + e.getAttribute("value"));

      // Closing browser
      driver.quit();
   }
}

Output

Text entered: SELENIUM

Process finished with exit code 0

In the above example, we had entered the text selenium along with pressing SHIFT key in the input box and also obtained the entered text in upper case with the message in the console - Text entered: SELENIUM.

Finally, the message Process finished with exit code 0 was received, signifying successful execution of the code.

This concludes our comprehensive take on the tutorial on Selenium Webdriver- Handle Special Keys. We’ve started with describing an example of copying and pasting text taking help of special keys like CONTROL, SHIFT, TAB, CONTROL + A, CONTROL + V, CONTROL + C, and so on along with and without the Actions class, and illustrating how to input text in upper case with Selenium. This equips you with in-depth knowledge of handling special keys in Selenium Webdriver. It is wise to keep practicing what you’ve learned and exploring others relevant to Selenium to deepen your understanding and expand your horizons.

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