Browser Extension for Automatic Web Element Selector Generation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for obtaining web element addresses, such as XPath and CSS selectors, are manual, time-consuming, and prone to errors, making them inefficient for developers and testers.
Innovation Solution
A DevTool web-browser extension that automatically generates relative XPath, absolute XPath, or CSS selectors with a single click, acting as an editor tool for verifying and editing these selectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual techniques are used to obtain web element addresses, then developers and testers can obtain XPath and CSS selectors, but the process is cumbersome, error-prone and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary tool (browser extension or online generator) that mediates between the user and the complex process of obtaining web element addresses. This intermediary automatically analyzes the webpage DOM structure and generates XPath/CSS selectors, eliminating the need for users to manually navigate and construct these complex addresses, thus resolving the contradiction between speed and ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of obtaining web element addresses with an automated computational system. The browser extension uses JavaScript to automatically query the DOM and generate selectors, while the online generator uses server-side processing to analyze screenshots or HTML and produce XPath/CSS selectors, thereby substituting manual effort with automated mechanisms that improve both speed and ease of use
2Loss of time
If manual techniques are used to obtain web element addresses, then developers and testers can obtain the necessary selectors, but the process consumes a lot of time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-generating and caching web element addresses through browser extensions that continuously maintain selector information as the webpage changes, or by providing online generators that can quickly produce selectors from screenshots. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for time-consuming manual address generation during development and testing, directly reducing time loss and improving productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying mechanisms where the browser extension captures and stores the DOM structure and generated selectors for reuse, and the online generator creates selector copies from screenshot or HTML analysis. These copied selectors can be directly applied without regeneration, significantly reducing time consumption and improving overall efficiency in web development and testing workflows
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, a computerized method useful for installing and managing a DevTool web-browser extension comprising: determining a web element selector using the DevTool web-browser extension; performing a specified action on a specified web element, wherein an address of the webpage element is ascertained using the specified selector output; with the DevTool web-browser extension, generating the address for specified web element automatically with a single click operation from a user into the web browser; with the address, generating a relative XPath selector, an absolute XPath selector or a Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) selector; and utilizing the DevTool web-browser extension as an editor tool for the relative XPath selector, the absolute XPath selector or the CSSs selector.