isSelected() method for checkbox always returns false

Question

There is a check box which is displaying as checked already, now when I inspect it shows with image src. in HTML. When I click on the checkbox, it is getting unchecked or checked.

To verify its state, I have written this code, which always brings false even though the checkbox is selected.

WebElement chBox = driver.findElement(By.xpath
     ("/html/body/div[3]/div[2]/form/fieldset/div[1]/table/tbody/tr[10]/td/img"));

        if (chBox.isSelected()) {
            System.out.println("User active check box is already checked");
        } else
            System.out.println("User active check box is not checked");
        }

Why?

Alda

Please post html of the element – Anabal

Html of element isnt need the java is wrong – Gumbotil

@mfsi_sitamj Below are the html: <img src="/ABC30/Content/Images/TriStateCheckbox/checked.gif"> – Alda

Nevermind i see you're gathering the element and prechecking it. It should always return false is what you're getting at but its returning true? – Gumbotil

@Gumbotil exactly what its reason? – Alda

Thanks for putting the html markup. Can you see whether there is a change in the html before and after selecting the check-box. If yes, can you please the corresponding mark ups (Before selecting and after selecting) here? – Anabal

Pardon! There was a typo in the above line : If yes, can you please post the corresponding mark ups (Before selecting and after selecting) here? – Anabal

@mfsi_sitamj in the html it change the code inplace of "Checked.gif" or "Unchecked.gif". – Alda

Answer 1

Check the class attribute is getting changed on Check/ Uncheck the check box. If so, then the selection state is stored as part of the class

    String Class=chk.getAttribute("class");

    if(Class.contains("class name when it is checked"))
     {
        System.out.println("Status: "+chk.getAttribute("checked"));
        //This will return Null, since it is not a real check box(type=checkbox), 
        //so there is no checked attribute in it
     }
    else
     {

        System.out.println("Not Checked");
     }

The isSelected() method will not handle this type of checkbox, that's why it always returns false or not checked(from your point of view) Refer: here

Karlkarla

Below are the html of that checkbox and in these its not displaying any classes at tht time of inspecting a check box: <td align="left" colspan="2"> <input id="chkIsActive" type="checkbox" name="IsActive" style="display: none;"> <img src="/ABC30/Content/Images/TriStateCheckbox/checked.gif"> <input type="hidden" name="IsActive" value="checked"> <label for="chkIsActive">User is active</label> </td> </tr> – Alda

Does the value="checked" getting changed to value="unchecked"(or some other) while toggling the checkbox? – Karlkarla

in the html it change the code inplace of "Checked.gif" or "Unchecked.gif". – Alda

So, with the img src you can check whether it is selected or no, based on that you can click the checkbox – Karlkarla

Answer 2

WebElement chBox = driver.findElement(By.id("chkIsActive"));

if (chBox.isSelected())
{
   System.out.println("User active check box is already checked");
} 

else
{
   System.out.println("User active check box is not checked");
}

Hope this helps!

Anabal

It shows the null point exception at the place of if() condition and I manage it via try catch but I think its not a good practice. So, can you please let me know what I do for this?? – Alda

There is no id given in the HTML for check box, only image src is there which written in the tag <td>--- </td> – Alda

I think this is the element I am pointing to: <input id="chkIsActive" type="checkbox" name="IsActive" style="display: none;">. Anyways, can you please run the following code and paste the output here: WebElement chBox = driver.findElement(By.xpath("/html/body/div[3]/div[2]/form/fieldset/div[1]/table/tbody/tr[10]/td/img")); System.out.println(chBox.getAttribute("src")); Please run it twice before and after selecting the checkbox and paste the output here. – Anabal

When I run it before and after selecting the checkbox then its out come "Null". – Alda

When I check it via some logic in the console it show three checkbox but there are only two checkboxes one for checked.gif and second for unchecked.gif.... I don't understand how to proceed now can you please suggest? – Alda

Please post the HTML for the full page and also if possible post two screenshots pre and post selection of the check-box. – Anabal

I dont post the full html code here but posted a code for that particular checkbox and hope it would be helpful. <td align="left" colspan="2"> <input id="chkIsActive" type="checkbox" name="IsActive" style="display: none;"> <img src="/A30/Content/Images/Checkbox/checked.gif"> <input type="hidden" name="IsActive" value="checked"> <label for="chkIsActive">User is active</label> </td> – Alda

Answer 3

       WebElement chck = driver.findElement(By.id("chkRemeberMe"));

        if(!chck.isSelected())
        {                 
                System.out.println(" CheckBox Not Selected");
        }
        else
        {
            System.out.println("CheckBox Already Selected");
        }

Instinctive

Please add some explanation to answer it will help to understand it better. – Calycle

Answer 4

What I have found that if your checkbox has tagname='input' and type='checkbox', then only isSelected() will return a boolean value.

Otherwise, we have to look for another attribute that is getting changed on the check and uncheck.

Pencil

Answer 5

If all else fails, try the is isDisplayed()

driver.findElement(By.xpath(xpath).isDisplayed()

Righteousness

Answer 6

In my view, isSelected() returns true only if it is a default selection. It may not work when we select an element and try to check if it is selected or not. Correct me if I am mistaken. Ankit

Monegasque

Answer 7

The problem might be with the xcode you are writing. Check if you can get a more unique xcode for the checkbox only something like

"/html/body/div[3]/div[2]/form/fieldset/div[1]/table/tbody/tr[10]/td/img[@type='checkbox']"

A checkbox xtype should mostly end with type=checkbox for isSelected to work

Sandfly

Answer 8

boolean select = driver.findElementByXPath("xpath").isSelected();
Assert.assertEquals(select, "true");

If is selected the checkbox then this case will not get fail.

Mccracken

Answer 9

When isselect() Always Returns False do this

 WebElement chkbox =  sc.findElement(By.xpath("(//*[name()='circle'])[5]"));
      
      
      if(!chkbox.isSelected())
      {
          chkbox.click();
          
          System.out.println("True");
      }
      else {
          System.out.println("false");
      }
        

Karns

Answer 10

On python using image of element to find if it is checked.

import PIL
import io

chBox= driver.find_elements(by=By.XPATH,value="/html/body/div[3]/div[2]/form/fieldset/div[1]/table/tbody/tr[10]/td/img")#find checkbox
image_binary = chBox .screenshot_as_png#get raw image of checkbox
img = PIL.Image.open(io.BytesIO(image_binary))#get pil image from raw image
colors=img.getcolors()#list pixels count an color
for color in colors:
    if color[1]==(40, 97, 205, 255):#find blue
        print("checkbox blue")
        break

Meaty

Answer 11

Your findElement() call is missing .click to check or select the check box or radio

WebElement we  = findElement(By.xpath("some path));
we.click();
we.isSelected() => true

Gumbotil

This answer is not relevant to the question. – Karlkarla