Example command reference

Example command reference

Overview

I find the project main page lacking in documenting the API / user interface of this PHP binding for Web Driver. It needs more examples. Perhaps my understanding of the JSONWireProtocol is not in depth enough, but then most Web Driver & Selenium users might not be either just like me. So here is my attempt at helping others learn to use this binding. Others out there who are more experienced with this PHP binding, please add to this page as you get to it please.

Working with elements

NOTE: the examples here are done shorthand, in single line chained calls, though we could save the WebElement into a variable and then make subsequent calls from that element rather from the web driver browser session object. Some of us just prefer concise coding.

Getting text of an element

$result = $session->element('id','signin')->text();

Clicking an element (link, checkbox, etc.)

$session->element('id','signin')->click(""); //POST w/ empty data to click command, as session & element already passed w/ object. Using just click() won't work, I guess POST requires "" where GET can be null.

Typing into text field

Maybe something like this?: $session->element('id','searchText')->value(array("blah")); //didn't work for me. Wrong syntax?

Values must be sent as an array of key presses.

I ended up using a function from another webdriver php project (https://github.com/chibimagic/WebDriver-PHP):

function send_keys($toSend){ $payload = array("value" => preg_split("//u", $toSend, -1, PREG_SPLIT_NO_EMPTY)); return $payload; }

This can be used:

$session->element("id", "element id")->value(send_keys("I want to send this"));

There may be a better/different way of generating the array, but this 'just worked' and I've not had any problems, so far.

Get attribute of an element

$attr = $session->element('id','signin')->attribute('maxlength');

More commands to come...