How can I click an element with a changing ID using Puppeteer?

I’m attempting to click a checkbox associated with a person’s name through Puppeteer, but the ID associated with that person’s name is unique and differs with each access.

  1. I’ve formulated this approach:
const elementSelector = '#id^="/^[A-Za-z0-9_]+-[0-9]+/g"';
await page.click(elementSelector);

However, Puppeteer returns the following error:

DOMException: Failed to execute 'querySelector' on 'Document': '#id^="/^[A-Za-z0-9_]+-[0-9]+/g"' is not a valid selector.

I suspected that my regular expression might be incorrect, so I verified it:

const uniqueId = '9538-0';
const pattern = /^[A-Za-z0-9_]+-[0-9]+/g;
const result = uniqueId.match(pattern);
console.log(result); // [ '9538-0' ]
  1. Below is the HTML snippet for the checkbox:
<span class="recipient-item-desktop">MIKE CHASE (12345086)</span>
<span class="recipient-item-desktop">AGO</span>
<span class="recipient-item-desktop">$0.00</span>
  1. I’ve attached a snapshot for reference.

  2. My software environment includes:

  • Language: JavaScript
  • Node.js: v20.16.0 (node -v)
  • Puppeteer: [email protected] (npm list --depth=0)

Could you guide me on why I cannot click the checkbox using ID (id=“9538-0”)? I would also appreciate any best practices for achieving this. Thank you!

Hey Harry47!

Using regular expressions directly in a CSS selector won't work. For elements with changing IDs, try a broader approach to finding the element. If IDs are dynamic, leverage XPath to locate elements related by other attributes:

const [checkbox] = await page.$x("//span[contains(text(), 'MIKE CHASE')]/..//input[@type='checkbox']");
if (checkbox) {
  await checkbox.click();
}

This snippet searches the checkbox next to the specific text. Adapt the text in contains(text(), 'MIKE CHASE') as needed.

Cheers!

Hi Harry47,

Dealing with dynamic IDs in Puppeteer can be tricky, but with the right approach, you can still interact with the elements efficiently. Here's a solution focused on identifying elements through stable attributes, such as surrounding text or class names, and implementing XPath:

const name = 'MIKE CHASE'; // Adjust this to match the dynamic name you need
const [checkbox] = await page.$x(`//span[contains(text(), '${name}')]/following-sibling::span/../preceding-sibling::input[@type='checkbox']`);
if (checkbox) {
  await checkbox.click();
} else {
  console.error('Checkbox not found for the specified name!');
}

Here's what the script does:

  • Uses XPath to locate the checkbox by leveraging the text MIKE CHASE as a stable point in the DOM.
  • Finds the checkbox relative to the <span> containing the target name via sibling navigation.

Best practices for dynamic elements in Puppeteer:

  • Identify consistent, stable attributes or surrounding text to use in selectors.
  • Encapsulate your selector logic within checks to manage scenarios where elements are not found.
  • Ensure the page is fully rendered before executing these actions using Puppeteer’s page.waitFor methods where necessary.

By sticking to these principles, you’ll manage dynamic elements effectively. Feel free to tweak the XPath path based on your HTML structure.

Hey Harry47,

Dynamic IDs require smart approaches to target elements effectively. You can't use regex in CSS selectors, but XPath is perfect for this:

const name = 'MIKE CHASE'; // Adjust as needed
const [checkbox] = await page.$x(`//span[contains(text(), '${name}')]/ancestor::div//input[@type='checkbox']`);
if (checkbox) {
  await checkbox.click();
}

This targets the checkbox relative to the text using XPath. Adapt ancestor::div based on your HTML structure.

Consider ensuring the page fully loads with Puppeteer's waitFor methods before interacting.

Puppeteer is a great tool for web automation, but handling dynamic IDs requires focusing on elements other than IDs, especially when they change with each page load. Using XPath is the recommended path here, as it's less dependent on the IDs and more on the structure and content of the DOM.

Here's an approach you can take to locate and click on the checkbox without relying on its ID:

const name = 'MIKE CHASE'; // Modify as needed to match the target name

// Use XPath to find the related checkbox
const [checkbox] = await page.$x(`//span[contains(text(), '${name}')]/following-sibling::span/../../../..//input[@type='checkbox']`);

if (checkbox) {
  await checkbox.click();
} else {
  console.error('Checkbox not found for the specified name!');
}

This code uses XPath to:

  • Locate the text: Finds the span containing the text 'MIKE CHASE'.
  • Navigate the DOM: Uses sibling and ancestor navigation to find the checkbox input related to the text.

Further tips:

  • Stability: Focus on consistent elements like text content rather than dynamic attributes.
  • Check existence: Ensure elements are found before interacting to avoid errors.
  • Loading: Confirm the page is fully loaded by utilizing Puppeteer's waitForSelector or similar methods to ensure all elements are rendered before attempting interaction.

These practices should help you manage dynamic elements more effectively in Puppeteer.