Submitting forms in Selenium Python - Test Execution Trace

Test Overview

This test opens a web page with a form, fills in the input fields, submits the form, and verifies that the submission was successful by checking the confirmation message.

Test Code - Selenium

Selenium Python

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

class TestFormSubmission(unittest.TestCase):
    def setUp(self):
        self.driver = webdriver.Chrome()
        self.driver.get('https://example.com/contact')

    def test_submit_form(self):
        driver = self.driver
        # Find the name input and enter text
        name_input = WebDriverWait(driver, 10).until(
            EC.presence_of_element_located((By.ID, 'name'))
        )
        name_input.send_keys('Alice')

        # Find the email input and enter text
        email_input = driver.find_element(By.ID, 'email')
        email_input.send_keys('[e-mail]')

        # Find the message textarea and enter text
        message_input = driver.find_element(By.ID, 'message')
        message_input.send_keys('Hello, this is a test message.')

        # Submit the form by clicking the submit button
        submit_button = driver.find_element(By.ID, 'submit-btn')
        submit_button.click()

        # Wait for confirmation message to appear
        confirmation = WebDriverWait(driver, 10).until(
            EC.visibility_of_element_located((By.ID, 'confirmation'))
        )

        # Verify the confirmation text
        self.assertEqual(confirmation.text, 'Thank you for your message!')

    def tearDown(self):
        self.driver.quit()

if __name__ == '__main__':
    unittest.main()

Execution Trace - 12 Steps

Step	Action	System State	Assertion	Result
1	Test starts and Chrome browser opens	Browser window is open, ready to load the page	—	PASS
2	Navigates to 'https://example.com/contact'	Contact page with form is loaded	Page loaded with form elements present	PASS
3	Finds the name input field by ID 'name'	Name input field is located and ready for input	Element with ID 'name' is present	PASS
4	Enters 'Alice' into the name input field	Name input field contains text 'Alice'	Input field value is 'Alice'	PASS
5	Finds the email input field by ID 'email'	Email input field is located and ready for input	Element with ID 'email' is present	PASS
6	Enters '[e-mail]' into the email input field	Email input field contains text '[e-mail]'	Input field value is '[e-mail]'	PASS
7	Finds the message textarea by ID 'message'	Message textarea is located and ready for input	Element with ID 'message' is present	PASS
8	Enters 'Hello, this is a test message.' into the message textarea	Message textarea contains the test message	Textarea value matches the entered message	PASS
9	Finds the submit button by ID 'submit-btn' and clicks it	Form is submitted, page processes submission	Submit button is clickable and clicked	PASS
10	Waits for confirmation message with ID 'confirmation' to appear	Confirmation message is visible on the page	Element with ID 'confirmation' is visible	PASS
11	Checks that confirmation text equals 'Thank you for your message!'	Confirmation text is displayed correctly	Text matches expected confirmation message	PASS
12	Test ends and browser closes	Browser window is closed	—	PASS

Failure Scenario

Failing Condition: The confirmation message does not appear after form submission

Execution Trace Quiz - 3 Questions

What action does the test perform to submit the form?

A Presses the Enter key in the message textarea

B Clicks the submit button with ID 'submit-btn'

C Calls a JavaScript submit function directly

D Refreshes the page after filling inputs

Key Result

Always wait explicitly for elements that appear after actions like form submission to avoid flaky tests.

Practice

1. What does the submit() method do in Selenium when testing forms?

easy

A. It sends the form data to the server by submitting the form.

B. It clears all input fields in the form.

C. It refreshes the current web page.

D. It closes the browser window.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of submit()

   The submit() method is used to send the form data to the server by submitting the form element.

2. Step 2: Compare with other options

   Clearing inputs, refreshing pages, or closing windows are not actions performed by submit().

3. Final Answer:

   It sends the form data to the server by submitting the form. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   submit() sends form data [OK]

Hint: Remember: submit() sends form data to server [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing submit() with clear() method
• Thinking submit() refreshes the page
• Assuming submit() closes the browser

2. Which of the following is the correct way to submit a form using Selenium in Python?

easy

A. driver.submit(By.ID, 'form')

B. driver.submit_element(By.ID, 'form')

C. driver.find_element(By.ID, 'form').send_keys(Keys.ENTER)

D. driver.find_element(By.ID, 'form').submit()

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify correct Selenium syntax for submitting a form

   The correct method is to locate the form element and call submit() on it, like driver.find_element(By.ID, 'form').submit().

2. Step 2: Check other options for errors

   Options A and B use invalid method names. driver.find_element(By.ID, 'form').send_keys(Keys.ENTER) sends ENTER key but does not explicitly submit the form element.

3. Final Answer:

   driver.find_element(By.ID, 'form').submit() -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Use element.submit() to submit form [OK]

Hint: Use element.submit() after locating form [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using driver.submit() which does not exist
• Trying to submit with send_keys instead of submit()
• Calling submit on driver instead of element

3. What will happen when the following Selenium Python code runs?

form = driver.find_element(By.NAME, 'loginForm')
form.submit()

medium

A. The form with name 'loginForm' will be submitted to the server.

B. An error will occur because submit() is not a valid method.

C. Nothing happens because submit() does not trigger form submission.

D. The browser will close automatically.

Solution

1. Step 1: Locate the form element by name

   The code finds the form element with name 'loginForm' using find_element(By.NAME, 'loginForm').

2. Step 2: Call submit() on the form element

   Calling submit() on the form element sends the form data to the server, triggering submission.

3. Final Answer:

   The form with name 'loginForm' will be submitted to the server. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   form.submit() submits form [OK]

Hint: submit() on form element sends data [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking submit() is invalid method
• Assuming submit() does nothing
• Confusing submit() with browser close

4. You wrote this code to submit a form:

form = driver.find_element(By.ID, 'signupForm')
form.submit

Why does the form not submit when you run it?

medium

A. Because the form ID is incorrect.

B. Because submit() method was not called with parentheses.

C. Because submit() is not supported on forms.

D. Because the driver is not initialized.

Solution

1. Step 1: Check method call syntax

   The code uses form.submit without parentheses, so the method is referenced but not executed.

2. Step 2: Understand effect of missing parentheses

   Without parentheses, the form does not submit because the method is not called. Adding () calls the method.

3. Final Answer:

   Because submit() method was not called with parentheses. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Call submit() with () to execute [OK]

Hint: Always use parentheses to call methods [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Forgetting parentheses after submit
• Assuming submit is a property, not a method
• Not verifying form locator correctness

5. You want to submit a form but only have access to an input field inside it. Which Selenium Python code correctly submits the form?

hard

A. form_element = driver.find_element(By.ID, 'form1')
form_element.submit()

B. input_element = driver.find_element(By.NAME, 'email')
driver.submit(input_element)

C. input_element = driver.find_element(By.NAME, 'email')
input_element.submit()

D. driver.find_element(By.NAME, 'email').send_keys(Keys.RETURN)

Solution

1. Step 1: Locate input inside the form

   You can find an input element inside the form using find_element(By.NAME, 'email').

2. Step 2: Call submit() on the input element

   Calling submit() on any element inside the form submits the entire form.

3. Final Answer:

   input_element = driver.find_element(By.NAME, 'email') input_element.submit() -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   submit() on input submits form [OK]

Hint: submit() on any form element submits the form [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to call driver.submit() which does not exist
• Using send_keys(Keys.RETURN) which may not submit form
• Not calling submit() on an element