Send multiple tab key presses with Selenium

Question

How can I send multiple tabs with Selenium?

When I run:

uname = browser.find_element_by_name("text")
uname.send_keys(Keys.TAB)

the next element is selected. When executing uname.send_keys(Keys.TAB) again nothing happens - actually the next element from uname is selected → so it is the same as when running it once.

How can I jump forward multiple times - basically as I would press TAB manually multiple times?

Joinder

Answer 1

Use Action Chains:

from selenium.webdriver.common.keys import Keys
from selenium.webdriver.common.action_chains import ActionChains

N = 5  # number of times you want to press TAB

actions = ActionChains(browser) 
for _ in range(N):
    actions = actions.send_keys(Keys.TAB)
actions.perform()

Or, since this is Python, you can even do:

actions = ActionChains(browser) 
actions.send_keys(Keys.TAB * N)
actions.perform()

Homer

in my case I needed to import Keys: from selenium.webdriver.common.action_chains import Keys – Nectarine

for me it's from selenium.webdriver.common.keys import Keys – Rabato

I can move the cursor with the send_keys(Keys.TAB) to the OK button, but the send_keys(Keys.ENTER) doesn't do anything. The focus is not on the file download dialog. – Hiram

Answer 2

I think you can also write

uname.send_keys(Keys.TAB + Keys.TAB + Keys.TAB + ... )

It may be useful if you have only two or three commands to send.

Serif

Answer 3

uname.send_keys(Keys.TAB, Keys.TAB, Keys.TAB..)

worked for me.

Hectogram

Literally "Keys.TAB.."? – Rajewski

While this code may answer the question, providing additional context regarding how and/or why it solves the problem would improve the answer's long-term value. – Marauding

Answer 4

As the OP states: "actually the next element from uname is selected".

After the first <TAB> key you have moved off the element, so no further <TAB>s will be recognized by that element. You need to locate the parent element and send keys to it.

Rumilly

at least someone is aware... – Explication

Answer 5

sendkeys(Keys.Tab, Keys.Tab, Keys.Tab) is working fine.

Vexatious

Answer 6

This syntax saved me:

ActionChains(driver).send_keys(Keys.TAB * 2).perform()

---

I tried using this from the accepted answer:

actions = ActionChains(browser)
actions.send_keys(Keys.TAB * 2)
actions.perform()

But since I wanted to later use three TABs in the same script, I ran into problems. The thing is that actions.send_keys(Keys.TAB * 3) simply adds to the previous lines in actions in the same script. So after the second time I use this line, instead of desired three TAB keys pressed I get five (i.e. 2 + 3). Furthermore, ActionChains.reset_actions() does not seem to work.

Jumbo

Answer 7

Try to follow each send_keys with switchto like this -

for i in range(10):
    elem.send_keys(Keys.TAB)
    elem = driver.switchTo().activeElement()

Elbert

Answer 8

In truth, to understand why send_keys isn't working with your html, it would be useful to see the html that you've got rendered. Go to the page with the element that you're trying to test, and right-click on the element, then select 'Inspect', and copy/paste that into your question.

Luxor

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