Hey everyone, I’m having trouble with our Watir and Cucumber tests in Jenkins. The builds are failing because the Watir attach popup browser can’t find the window with the right title. It’s weird because when we run cucumber manually in the workspace folder, everything works fine.
We think it might be because Jenkins is using a headless browser without an address or title bar. Is that why it’s failing?
Does anyone know how to fix this? We need to figure out how to attach popups in a headless browser setup.
Our setup:
Has anyone else run into this problem? Any tips or workarounds would be super helpful. Thanks!
hey runnintiger, i’ve had similar issues. try using xvfb for a virtual display. it helps with headless browser probs in jenkins. also, set browser window size explicitly in your test setup. like:
@browser.driver.manage.window.resize_to(1920, 1080)
this might fix your popup issues. good luck!
I’ve faced similar challenges with Jenkins and headless browser testing. One thing that helped me was using Selenium Grid with Docker containers. This setup allowed for better control over the browser environment and improved consistency across different machines.
For your specific issue with popup windows, try implementing a custom wait method that checks for new window handles. Something like:
def wait_for_popup
wait = Selenium::WebDriver::Wait.new(timeout: 10)
wait.until { @browser.window_handles.length > 1 }
@browser.windows.last.use
end
This approach bypasses the need to rely on window titles, which can be problematic in headless environments.
Also, ensure you’re using the latest WebDriver for IE8. Older versions can be finicky with popup handling. If possible, consider upgrading to a more modern browser for testing, as IE8 is quite outdated and may lack support for newer web technologies.
Lastly, double-check your Jenkins configuration. Sometimes, system-level settings or permissions can interfere with browser automation. Make sure Jenkins has the necessary rights to launch and interact with browsers fully.
I’ve encountered similar issues with Jenkins and headless browser testing. One approach that worked for me was using Selenium’s WebDriverWait for explicit waits. This ensures elements are fully loaded before interacting with them. For example:
wait = Selenium::WebDriver::Wait.new(timeout: 10)
wait.until { @browser.window(title: ‘Expected Title’).exists? }
Also, consider updating to a more recent version of Watir if possible. Newer versions have improved support for headless browsing and popup handling.
For IE8 specifically, you might need to adjust Internet Explorer’s security settings in Jenkins. Ensure protected mode is disabled for all zones. This can sometimes resolve attachment issues.
Lastly, double-check that your Jenkins executor has the necessary permissions to interact with the browser. Sometimes, limited user rights can cause unexpected behavior in headless environments.