Not able to use HTTP Basic Auth popup in selenium test case using firefox on Ubuntu/Linux

Question

I am trying to automate a webpage using Single Sign-On. When you try to access the web page it redirects you to different page of Identity Provider, where it asks you for Username and Password inside HTTP Basic Auth popup. After successful authentication, it will redirect you back to originally requested page. Now I am trying to automate this using selenium web driver version 2.45.0. I am first switching to the alert box and then using Robot and Clipboard to do Ctrl+c and Ctrl+v the credentials. The test case works fine on my laptop, where Browser pops up, credentials are keyed in and final page appears after authentication.

When I am trying to run the same code on a linux host command line using Maven after setting DISPLAY=:99 environment variable (headless mode), it is getting stuck. The screenshot statements put to capture the state are displaying blank window. Any idea what can go wrong?

Relevant code snippet:

        Alert alert = driver.switchTo().alert();
        alert.sendKeys(username);
        robot.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_TAB);
        robot.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_TAB);
        StringSelection pass = new StringSelection(pwd);
        Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit().getSystemClipboard().setContents(pass, null);

        if (System.getProperty("os.name").startsWith("Mac OS")) {
            robot.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_META);
            robot.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_V);
            robot.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_V);
            robot.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_META);
        } else {
            robot.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_CONTROL);
            robot.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_V);
            robot.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_V);
            robot.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_CONTROL);
        }
        File scrFile = ((TakesScreenshot)driver).getScreenshotAs(OutputType.FILE);
        FileUtils.copyFile(scrFile, new File("/tmp/screenshot2.png"));
        alert.accept();

Answer 1

Thanks for your attention to this post. I finally found the problem when one of my colleague suggested to use VNC to see what's actually going on the linux machine.

For debugging, we need to install "x11vnc" package on the system where tests is being run and then connect to the system using VNC Viewer on a Remote Host.

On target system, run "x11vnc -passwd secret -display :99" and connect to the target with ip_address:5900 (5900 is default port). Soon you will see firefox starting in poor resolution :)

Note: "secret" value to -passwd option can be replaced with any value of your choice. You need to enter this password when prompted by your vnc client.

In my case, I found out that basic authentication pop-up was displayed more different and the tab was sending focus to Google Search text box. Hence the password was getting entered at wrong place.

I think this is valuable technique to find out what's going wrong on your linux box, which doesn't support GUI or GNOME.

Answer 2

You can try sending the credentials in the "Authorization" header using a special URL format like this:

[protocol][user:password]@[domain_name]

You can copy your homepage url and insert user:password@ after the //

For example: https://user:[email protected]

Answer 3

There are 2 issues :

1. Robot class is taking real screen parameter and worked on that. In headless browser there is no alert is available so it would stuck when robot try to access that alert or pop up window. Also your implicit wait is more so you feels it is stuck. But wait until your implicit wait completed. After that it will throws error.

2. In Headless browser Selenium can not able take screenshot of what your are accessing. Reference

Actually any different kind of code will not helps you. Because any API require displayed component or screen for screenshots.

Solution : I would suggest that Try to run with real browser. Headless is better when there are not pop up windows and Ajax type calls.

Answer 4

Update 2

Issue: the page it is redirecting to isn't static/constant and you don't know exactly what IdP Random Page coz it will be based on server config

Suggestion

1. Setting up same account (username/password) for all redirect pages
2. Build list of URL (e.g. https: //user:password@redirectPage1/originalURL=yoursite)
3. Create a test for each redirectPage
   • redirectPage1 --> verify A
   • redirectPage2 --> verify B
   • ...

Update 1

I just see the your reply to @lauda that the redirected site/page is not static.

Assume there are 3 pages (page1, page2, page3) in redirection list, I think you should know the condition to redirect to each page. So you can base on this rule to build a URL1 that always redirect to page1, and so on URL2 for page2, URL3 for page3.

If my assume works then

1. Login Identity Provider site using @lauda comment: https://user:[email protected]
2. Go to your home page
3. Continue your script

Original

Workaround

1. Go to Identity Provider (redirect) site (use redirection link)
2. Then login as @lauda's comment https://user:[email protected]
3. Go to your home page
4. Continue your script

Hope it helps.

Answer 5

• Solution 1:- Go with the straight forward process as do manually:

  For that we need to maintain proper flow while working with main window and pop-up. Refer below snippet, Consider main window = paren & pop-up window = child

  Set <String> handles =driver.getWindowHandles();
  Iterator<String> it = handles.iterator();
  
  String parent = it.next();
  String child = it.next();
  
  driver.switchTo().window(child);
  //perform actions on child window
  
  driver.close(); // only for child wondow
  
  
  driver.switchTo().window(parent);
  //perform actions on parent window
  
  driver.quit(); // After execution of main thread and for parent window
  

• Solution 2:- Work around to handle pop-up -

If you are really looking to have some way to implement, You can use "Java AWT Robot class" to handle the scenario. using this class you can perform mouse actions on basis of screen coordinates or you can use AutoIT to automate this process for handling windows popup

Update us if you have queries or issue resolved.