Locating html elements through xpath in Selenium Python

Question

I am new to Selenium and trying to access and click 'Image' link on Google page, once it has searched some string. But I am unable to do this. Following is in Selenium Python:

driver = webdriver.Firefox()
driver.get ('http://google.com')
q = driver.find_element_by_xpath ("id('gbqfq')")     # Search text box
q.send_keys ('Apple')
driver.find_element_by_name ('btnG').click()

# I am now going to access the 'Image' link through following comamnd
driver.find_element_by_xpath ("id('hdtb_msb')/x:div[2]/x:a").click()

Error is below:

selenium.common.exceptions.InvalidSelectorException: Message: u'The given selector id(\'hdtb_msb\')/x:div[2]/x:a is either invalid or does not result in a WebElement. The following error occurred:\nInvalidSelectorError: Unable to locate an element with the xpath expression id(\'hdtb_msb\')/x:div[2]/x:a because of the following error:\n[Exception... "An attempt was made to create or change an object in a way which is incorrect with regard to namespaces"

My questions: 1. Why is this error coming (I am using xpath Checker to get the xpath)? 2. What are other possible ways to access this link?

Thanks already!

After my research:

It looks like I have to catch the handle of the current page loaded ? Please help me, I am totally new.

I will take a detail lesson there. But here I am using "XPath Checker" and which is able to find the particular element (I am able to test it). I don't understand why is this happening then ? — selenium_user
– selenium_user, Commented Jan 17, 2014 at 22:03
@user1177636 - It would be more helpful if you told him what was wrong. — Wayne
– Wayne, Commented Jan 17, 2014 at 22:10
Hah, looks like I already left a snarky comment on one of his other questions. Fair enough. — Wayne
– Wayne, Commented Jan 17, 2014 at 22:12

Robbie Wareham · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-18 09:25:14Z

2

Try removing the namespaces (ie. The x:)

answered Jan 18, 2014 at 9:25

Robbie Wareham

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1 Comment

yaobin Over a year ago

I believe this is the solution, because I also encountered the same issue today, and it is resolved by simply removing the namespace "x:". However, I don't know why the XPath given by XPath Checker has this "x" thing.

Carlo 1585 · Accepted Answer · 2016-05-16 15:55:20Z

0

I believe that you are trying to search for xpath but maybe you are not passing a valid value; generally the syntax of the xpath is this one: .//*[@id='hdtb-msb']/div[2]/a

I went to google page and I check the image for example and this is its xpath: .//*[@id='hplogo']

In any case I advice you to download firebug and firepath for firefox and via this tools you retrieve the xpath that you need

answered May 16, 2016 at 15:55

Carlo 1585

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