System.setProperty in Selenium

Introduction to System Class in Java

The System class in Java is a predefined class that provides access to system resources and functionalities. It contains various static methods and fields that allow interaction with the underlying operating system. The System class is commonly used for tasks like reading and writing to the console, getting system properties, managing standard input and output streams, and handling runtime environment-related operations. It serves as a gateway to important system-level operations and provides a convenient way to access and utilize system resources in Java programs.

What is setProperty in Selenium?

In Selenium, the setProperty method is not specific to Selenium itself but is a method provided by the System class in Java.

The System.setProperty method is used to set system properties that configure the behavior of the WebDriver in Selenium. It is commonly used to specify the path of the browser driver executable, which is required for establishing a connection between the WebDriver and the chosen web browser.

By using System.setProperty, testers can set the appropriate system property key-value pair, such as webdriver.chrome.driver for Chrome or webdriver.gecko.driver for Firefox, to specify the location of the corresponding browser driver executable on the system.

Syntax

The syntax for setProperty:

An example of how System.setProperty can be used in Selenium to set the path for the Chrome driver:

In this example, the System.setProperty method is used to set the property webdriver.chrome.driver to the path of the Chrome driver executable. This ensures the WebDriver uses the specified Chrome driver when launching the Chrome browser.

Parameters

• key: The system property key to be set, such as webdriver.chrome.driver or webdriver.gecko.driver.
• value: The value of the system property, representing the path or location of the browser driver executable file.

Returns

The setProperty method does not have a return value. It simply sets the specified system property.

Throws

The System.setProperty method in Java, including when used in Selenium, can throw the following exceptions:

• SecurityException: If a security manager is present and its checkPermission method does not allow setting the specified property. This can happen if there are security restrictions in place that prevent modifying system properties.
• NullPointerException: If the key or value parameter is null. The key and value should be non-null values when calling System.setProperty.
• IllegalArgumentException: If the key parameter is empty, it is an empty string. The key should be a non-empty string representing the system property to be set.

It's important to handle these exceptions appropriately in your code when using System.setProperty to set system properties in Selenium or any other Java application.

Demo: Illustrating setProperty in Selenium

Let's look into a code example demonstrating the use of setProperty in Selenium:

Code Explanation

• System.setProperty("webdriver.chrome.driver", "path/to/chromedriver"); is used to set the system property for the ChromeDriver executable. This tells Selenium where to find the ChromeDriver binary on the system. Make sure to provide the correct path to the chromedriver executable file.
• WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver(); creates a new instance of the ChromeDriver. This initializes a new Chrome browser session.
• driver.get("https://www.google.com"); navigates the browser to the specified URL. In this case, it opens the "https://www.google.com" website.
• Further actions can be performed on the website using the driver object. This can include interacting with elements, clicking buttons, filling out forms, etc. Refer to the Selenium documentation or tutorials for more details on performing various actions.
• driver. quit(); closes the browser and ends the WebDriver session. It's important to close the browser after automation tasks are done to release system resources.

Use of the setProperty Method with Various Examples

Let's look into some additional examples illustrating the usage of System.setProperty in Selenium:

Example 1: Launching Scaler Topics Website Using setProperty Method in Selenium

Code Explanation

In the code above, the System.setProperty method is used to set the system property for the ChromeDriver executable. After setting the property, a new instance of the ChromeDriver is created, and the WebDriver opens a new Chrome browser session. The browser then navigates to the Scaler Topics website (https://www.scaler.com/topics). You can perform any required actions on the website using the driver object.

Example 2: Passing Key as Null

Code Explanation

In this example, an attempt is made to set the system property with a null key. This will throw a NullPointerException because the key cannot be null. Providing a valid non-null key is essential when using System.setProperty.

Example 3: Passing Key as Empty

Code Explanation

In this example, an empty string is passed as the key to System.setProperty. However, an empty key will not set the property, and the WebDriver will be unable to locate the ChromeDriver. It's important to provide a valid non-empty key when setting the system property for Selenium WebDriver.