How to Locate an Element by Partial Class Name Using Selenium in Python

This guide provides a step-by-step guide on using Selenium with Python to locate an element by its partial class name and return its full value.
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How to Locate an Element by Partial Class Name Using Selenium in Python

Working with web automation can sometimes throw challenges your way, especially when it comes to locating elements with varying class names. One common scenario is when multiple elements share partial class names but differ slightly. In this post, we’ll explore how to effectively locate an element using Selenium with Python when dealing with partial class names.

The Problem: Locating Elements with Partial Class Names

Imagine you've encountered a situation in web automation where you need to work with multiple elements that share a similar class structure. For instance, consider the following two HTML elements:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Both elements include a partial class name "fa fa-circle atp-", but diverge at the suffix ("green" vs. "red"). The challenge is locating these elements by their shared class prefix.

The Pre-Solution: Your First Attempt

You might start by trying to locate the class using Selenium like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

However, this approach will fail. The main issue lies in the way we’re specifying the selector.

The Solution: Correctly Locating the Element

To successfully locate an element with a partial class name using Selenium, you need to modify the CSS selector you’re using. The correct syntax involves pointing out that you are searching for a class and using the contains method.

Understanding the Correct Selector Format

Use . to denote classes: When using CSS selectors, you need to prefix class names with a dot (.).

Specify partial match with *=: To find an element by partial class matching, use *= within the square brackets.

Step-by-Step Implementation

With those rules in mind, here's how you can locate your elements correctly:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Breaking It Down

**'.fa.fa-circle[class*="atp-"]'**: This selector translates to:

'.fa': Selects elements with the class "fa".

'.fa-circle': Selects elements that also have the class "fa-circle".

[class*="atp-"]: Additionally, it ensures that the class includes any string that starts with "atp-".

Final Thought

By employing these tactics, you can effectively navigate through similarly structured classes and pinpoint the elements essential for your automation tasks.

Conclusion

Locating elements with partial class names doesn't have to be a complex endeavor. With the right knowledge of CSS selectors and Selenium's powerful capabilities, you can streamline your web automation processes. Remember, it's all about the syntax and knowing when to apply partial selectors. Happy coding!