My journey with Javascript has led me to mastering callback functions and grasping the concept of 'functional programming'. However, as a newcomer to the language, I struggle to test my syntax within my IntelliJ IDE. Specifically, I am working on creating a Selenium-based tool that interacts with web elements in different ways such as triggering page reloads, detecting staleness, or waiting for timeouts. To achieve this, I have written a simple JavaScript script using the JavascriptExecutor in Java since that is where most of my expertise lies. The goal is to seamlessly integrate JavaScript into my Java code for web manipulation purposes.
What is the issue at hand?
The problem arises when executing a JavaScript callback function:
function test(callback) {callback();}
function Return() {SeleniumTest.isPageReloaded.JavascriptWorking}
window.addEventListener('onload', test(Return));
This function is executed within a Javascript Executor like so:
System.setProperty("webdriver.chrome.driver",
"C:\\chromedriver_win32\\chromedriver.exe");
WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
String script = "function test(callback) {callback();}" +
"function Return()" +
"{SeleniumTest.isPageReloaded.JavascriptWorking}" +
"window.addEventListener('onload', test(Return));";
JavascriptExecutor js = (JavascriptExecutor)driver;
js.executeScript(script);
Essentially, the JavaScript script is being executed as a String. My attempt is to call a Java class within it, where SeleniumTest represents the package, isPageReloaded indicates the current class, and JavascriptWorking denotes a static method inside that class. So, whenever this static method is called from JavaScript, it should print "Javascript ran here" in the Java console.
To further troubleshoot, I referred to external resources but faced confusion regarding the client-side versus server-side distinction between JavaScript and Java. This prompted me to seek clarity on whether the JavaScript I am generating in my Java code can be considered server-side, along with understanding how to communicate with them effectively.
Show us your desired outcome
I aim to successfully run the following code snippet:
System.setProperty("webdriver.chrome.driver",
"C:\\chromedriver_win32\\chromedriver.exe");
WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
String script = "function test(callback) {callback();}" +
"function Return()" +
"{//insert callback code here}" +
"window.addEventListener('onload', test(Return));";
JavascriptExecutor js = (JavascriptExecutor)driver;
js.executeScript(script);
and receive confirmation that the static Java method was invoked, either by displaying a message on the console or any other means of linking the JavaScript execution to the Java code. Essentially, bridging the gap between asynchronous JavaScript actions and Java to continue program execution seamlessly.
Potential Solutions
An alternative approach suggested involved creating a specific web element using JavaScript and subsequently testing its presence in Java to serve as a flag. While this method seems practical, I prefer not altering the web pages under test. Therefore, I am open to exploring simpler solutions while seeking comprehensive clarification on the client-side/server-side dilemma inherent in my setup (Selenium Java -> JavaScript -> Java), which deviates from conventional queries revolving around a one-way interaction between JavaScript and Java.