python selenium can't clear input field

Question

I try to select my input with selenium but when I use this it doesn't work:

driver = self.driver
password = driver.find_element_by_xpath("//input[@name='password']")
password.clear()
password.send_keys(password)
password.send_keys(Keys.RETURN)

# the sentence below doesn't work
password.send_keys(Keys.COMMAND, 'a')
password.send_keys(Keys.DELETE)

I am using Mac so Keys.CONTROL doesn't work, can anyone help me how to select the input or how to clear it?

Thanks

Answer 1

You have to induce WebDriverWait for the element_to_be_clickable() and you can use either of the following Locator Strategies:

• Using CSS_SELECTOR:

  password = WebDriverWait(driver, 20).until(EC.element_to_be_clickable((By.CSS_SELECTOR, "input[name='password']")))
  password.click()        
  password.clear()
  password.send_keys("Tijmen")
  

• Using XPATH:

  password = WebDriverWait(driver, 20).until(EC.element_to_be_clickable((By.XPATH, "//input[@name='password']")))
  password.click()
  password.clear()
  password.send_keys("Tijmen")
  

• Note : You have to add the following imports :

  from selenium.webdriver.support.ui import WebDriverWait
  from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By
  from selenium.webdriver.support import expected_conditions as EC
  

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Reference

You can find a couple of relevant discussions in:

• How to clear text field before sending keys selenium c#
• clear() does not clear the textbox with selenium and python and firefox
• InvalidElementStateException when attempting to clear text through Selenium

Answer 2

Mac cannot use COMMAND you need Keys.BACKSPACE Try:

driver = self.driver
password = driver.find_element_by_xpath("//input[@name='password']")
password.clear()
password.send_keys(password)
password.send_keys(Keys.RETURN)
#password = WebDriverWait(driver, 20).until(EC.element_to_be_clickable((By.XPATH, "//input[@name='password']")))
#or
#time.sleep(1)
for i in range(len(password)):
    password.send_keys(Keys.BACKSPACE)