Selenium ChromeDriver: Overcoming the Flash Challenge

Testing Technologies
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Selenium ChromeDriver: Overcoming the Flash Challenge

A common hurdle in Selenium automation testing is the persistent presence of Adobe Flash, which can hinder the execution of tests. In this article, we’ll delve into the issue and explore a solution to disable Flash using the ChromeDriver.

The Problem: Flash Lingers On

When attempting to automate a test using Selenium and ChromeDriver, you may encounter the issue of Adobe Flash not being disabled, despite specifying the --disable-bundled-ppapi-flash argument. This can be frustrating, especially when you’ve spent the entire day trying to resolve the problem.

The Root Cause: PPAPI Flash

The culprit behind this issue is the presence of PPAPI Flash in the system directory (C:\Windows\System32). The --disable-bundled-ppapi-flash argument only disables Flash in the user directory, specifically in the Google folder. To successfully disable Flash, you need to uninstall the PPAPI Flash package and use the Flash installer from the official Adobe website.

The Solution: Uninstall PPAPI Flash

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

  1. Uninstall the PPAPI Flash package from the system directory.
  2. Install the Flash installer from the official Adobe website.
  3. Configure the ChromeDriver to disable Flash using the --disable-bundled-ppapi-flash argument.

Configuring ChromeDriver to Disable Flash

To configure the ChromeDriver to disable Flash, you can use the following code snippet:

CHROME_NO_FLASH_ARG = [
    '--disable-component-update',
    '-allow-outdated-plugins',
    '-disable-bundled-ppapi-flash',
    'lang=zh_CN.UTF-8',
    '-start-maximized',
]

option = webdriver.ChromeOptions()
for iarg in CHROME_NO_FLASH_ARG:
    option.add_argument(iarg)

driver = webdriver.Chrome(config.CHROME_DRIVER_PATH, chrome_options=option)

Conclusion

Disabling Flash using the ChromeDriver can be a challenging task, but by understanding the root cause and following the steps outlined above, you can successfully resolve the issue. Remember to uninstall the PPAPI Flash package and use the Flash installer from the official Adobe website to ensure that Flash is properly disabled.