Selenium WebDriver - Action Class

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Selenium Webdriver can be used to perform keyboard and mouse operations. This includes actions like drag and drop, click, double click, right click, working with control keys, other key operations, and so on. All these actions are carried out with designated user exchange APIs, known as the Actions class in Selenium Webdriver.

Action Class Methods

Some of the methods available in the Actions class are listed below −

• click() − This method is used to perform click at the present location of the mouse.

• build() − This method is used to create a combination of actions having all the actions to be carried on.

• perform() − This method is used to perform actions without invoking the build() first.

• release() − This method is used to release mouse action at the present location of the mouse.

• release(WebElement e) − This method is used to release mouse action at the middle of the webElement e passed as a parameter.

• doubleClick(WebElement e) − This method is used to perform double click at the middle of the webElement e passed as a parameter.

• click(WebElement e) − This method is used to perform click at the middle of the webElement e passed as a parameter.

• doubleClick() − This method is used to perform double click at the present location of the mouse.

• doubleClick(WebElement e) − This method is used to perform double click at the middle of the webElement e passed as a parameter.

• contextClick() − This method is used to perform a right click at the present location of the mouse.

• contextClick(WebElement e) − This method is used to perform a right click at the middle of the webElement e passed as a parameter.

• moveToElement(WebElement e) − This method is used to move the mouse to the middle of the webElement e passed as a parameter.

• moveToElement(WebElement e, int x-offset, int y-offset) − This method is used to move the mouse to an offset from the element in view point. The webelement e, x, and y offset values are passed as parameters.

• clickAndHold() − This method is used to perform click(without releasing) at the present location of the mouse.

• clickAndHold(WebElement e) − This method is used to perform click(without releasing) at the middle of the webElement e passed as a parameter.

• keyDown(CharSequence key) − This method is used to perform a modifier key press, passed as a parameter.

• keyDown(WebElement e, CharSequence key) − This method is used to perform a modifier key press post focusing an element. The webElement e, and key to be pressed are passed as parameters.

• keyUp(CharSequence key) − This method is used to perform a modifier key release, passed as a parameter.

• keyUp(WebElement e, CharSequence key) − This method is used to perform a modifier key release post focusing an element. The webElement e, and key to be released are passed as parameters.

• sendKeys(CharSequence key) − This method is used to send keys to elements in focus. The key to be sent is passed as a parameter.

• sendKeys(WebElement e, CharSequence key) − This method is used to send keys to the webElement passed as parameter.

• build() − This method is used to create a combination of actions having all the actions to be carried on.

• perform() − This method is used to perform actions without invoking the build() first.

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

import org.openqa.selenium.interactions.Actions in our tests.

Example 1 - Click, Right & Double Clicks

Let us take an example of the below page, where we would perform click, right click, and double click by clicking on the Click Me, Right Click Me, and Double Click Me buttons respectively on the web page.

On performing the Click Me, Right Click Me, and Double Click Me buttons respectively, we would get a message You have a dynamic click and You have double clicked messages on the page respectively.

Code Implementation

package org.example;

import org.openqa.selenium.By;
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 ActionsMouse {
   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
      driver.get("https://www.tutorialspoint.com/selenium/practice/buttons.php");

      // identify element with xpath for click
      WebElement m = driver.findElement
         (By.xpath("/html/body/main/div/div/div[2]/button[1]"));

      // object of Actions class to move then click
      Actions a = new Actions(driver);
      a.moveToElement(m).click().build().perform();

      // get text after click
      WebElement t = driver.findElement(By.xpath("//*[@id='welcomeDiv']"));
      System.out.println("Text after click: " + t.getText());

      // identify element with xpath for double click
      WebElement n = driver.findElement
         (By.xpath("/html/body/main/div/div/div[2]/button[3]"));

      // double click
      a.moveToElement(n).doubleClick().build().perform();

      // get text after double click
      WebElement x = driver.findElement(By.xpath("//*[@id='doublec']"));
      System.out.println("Text after double click: " + x.getText());

      // identify element with xpath for right click
      WebElement y = driver.findElement
         (By.xpath("/html/body/main/div/div/div[2]/button[2]"));

      // right click
      a.moveToElement(y).contextClick().build().perform();

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

Output

Text after click: You have done a dynamic click
Text after double click: You have Double clicked

Process finished with exit code 0

In the above example, we had performed click, double click, and right click and then received the messages in the console - Text after click: You have done a dynamic click and Text after double click: You have Double clicked.

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

Example 2 - Mouse Hover

Let us take another example, where initially the menu Navbar has a black color.

However, on hovering and holding on it, the menu Navbar changes color from black to green as shown in the below image.

Code Implementation

package org.example;

import org.openqa.selenium.By;
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 ActionsClickandHold {
   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
      driver.get("https://www.tutorialspoint.com/selenium/practice/menu.php#");

      // identify element with xpath for click and hold
      WebElement m = driver.findElement
         (By.xpath("/html/body/main/div/div/div[2]/nav/div/a"));

      // get element color in rgba format
      String s = m.getCssValue("color");
      System.out.println("rgba code for color element: " + s );

      // object of Actions class to click and hold
      Actions a = new Actions(driver);
      a.clickAndHold(m).build().perform();

      // get element color in rgba format
      String c = m.getCssValue("color");
      System.out.println("rgba code for color for element after click and hold: " + c);

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

Output

rgba code for color element: rgba(51, 51, 51, 1)
rgba code for color for element after click and hold: rgba(64, 169, 68, 1)

Process finished with exit code 0

Example 3 - Drag and Drop

Let us take an example of the above page, where we would drag the source box with the text - Drag me to my target to the destination box having the text - Drop here. Once the entire action has been completed, we would get the text - Dropped! on the web page as highlighted on the below image.

Code Implementation

package org.example;

import org.openqa.selenium.By;
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 DragAndDrp {
   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);

      // URL launch for accessing drag and drop elements
      driver.get("https://www.tutorialspoint.com/selenium/practice/droppable.php");

      // identify source and target elements for drag and drop
      WebElement sourceElement= driver.findElement(By.id("draggable"));
      WebElement targetElement= driver.findElement(By.id("droppable"));

      // drag and drop operations without build and perform methods
      Actions a = new Actions(driver);
      a.dragAndDrop(sourceElement, targetElement).build().perform();

      // identify text after element is dropped
      WebElement text = driver.findElement(By.xpath("//*[@id='droppable']/p"));
      System.out.println("Text is : " + text.getText());

      // quitting browser after drag and drop operations completed
      driver.quit();
   }
}

Output

Text is after dragging: Dropped!

Process finished with exit code 0

In the above example, we had first performed a drag and drop operation from the source to the destination locator, and also received the message in the console - Text is : Dropped!(which is received after drag and drop operation has been completed in this application).

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

Example 4 - Key Operation

Let us take another example, where we would enter text SELENIUM in an input box in capital letters using the Key Up Key Down methods of Action 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.

Code Implementation

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 hence 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 - Action Class. We’ve started with describing an Action class and walked through various methods of Action class, and examples illustrating how to perform click, right click, double click, mouse hovering, drag and drop, and key operation along with Selenium. This equips you with in-depth knowledge of the Action Class. It is wise to keep practicing what you’ve learned and exploring others relevant to Selenium to deepen your understanding and expand your horizons.