safari-automation

Safari Automation Guide

This guide captures hard-won lessons from automating Safari interactions, particularly for web UI automation and testing.

Key Concepts

Managing Safari Windows and Tabs

Objective: Reliably direct Safari to specific URLs in a predictable way, preferably using a single, consistent browser window and tab.

Recommended Approach:

tell application "Safari"
  activate
  delay 0.2 -- Allow Safari to become the frontmost application
  if (count of windows) is 0 then
    -- No Safari windows are open, so create a new one.
    make new document with properties {URL:"http://example.com"}
  else
    -- Safari has windows open; use the frontmost one.
    tell front window
      set targetTab to missing value
      try
        -- Check if a tab for the target URL is already open
        set targetTab to (first tab whose URL starts with "http://example.com")
      end try
      
      if targetTab is not missing value then
        -- Reuse existing tab: refresh and make active
        set URL of targetTab to "http://example.com"
        set current tab to targetTab
      else
        -- No specific tab found: use current active tab
        set URL of current tab to "http://example.com"
      end if
    end tell
  end if
  delay 1 -- Pause to allow the page to begin loading
end tell

JavaScript Execution in AppleScript

String Escaping Strategies:

1. Using Escaped Quotes:

   do JavaScript "document.querySelector('[data-testid=\\'my-button\\']').click();"
   

2. Using character id 39 for Complex Strings:

   set sQuote to character id 39
   set jsSelector to "[data-testid=" & sQuote & "my-button" & sQuote & "]"
   set jsCommand to "document.querySelector(" & sQuote & jsSelector & sQuote & ").click();"
   do JavaScript jsCommand in front document
   

3. XPath for Robust Element Selection:

   -- Find button containing specific text
   set jsCommand to "document.evaluate(\"//button[.//text()='Connect']\", document, null, XPathResult.FIRST_ORDERED_NODE_TYPE, null).singleNodeValue.click();"
   do JavaScript jsCommand in front document