Interview #185: Automation: How to inspect a disappearing element [e.g., RedBus date field]

When automating or testing a dynamic UI, you may encounter elements that disappear quickly (within milliseconds) when you move your mouse, try to right-click, or switch to DevTools. These could include tooltips, date pickers, dropdowns, alerts, or auto-suggestion lists. Inspecting and automating these elements requires specific techniques because they are not immediately visible in the DOM or vanish before you can interact with them.

Disclaimer: For QA-Testing Jobs, WhatsApp us @ 91-6232667387

🔍 Understanding the Problem

A disappearing element is typically one that:

• Appears only during specific user interactions (e.g., hover, focus, click).

• Is conditionally rendered or dynamically removed from the DOM (e.g., via JavaScript).

• Is present only for a few milliseconds.

• Can be hard to inspect or locate because they disappear before DevTools inspection.

Examples:

• RedBud Date picker disappears when clicking elsewhere.

• Bootstrap tooltips vanish on mouse out.

• Autocomplete suggestions are tied to input focus.

✅ Approaches to Inspect Disappearing Elements

🔹 1. Use "Inspect Element" with Keyboard Shortcuts

1. Open DevTools (F12 or Ctrl+Shift+I).

2. Trigger the UI element using mouse or keyboard (e.g., click in date field).

3. While the element is visible, use Ctrl + Shift + C (or click the element picker).

4. Immediately hover over the element and press F8 (Windows) or Cmd + \ (Mac) to pause JavaScript execution. This freezes the UI, preventing the element from disappearing.

5. Now inspect the DOM, find class names, IDs, or XPaths.

This method freezes the browser’s JavaScript execution and keeps transient elements on the screen.

🔹 2. Use setTimeout or Add a Debugger in DevTools Console

If you know how the element is triggered (e.g., a function name like showDatePicker()):

Steps:

• Trigger the date picker.

• Immediately run the above code in the Console tab.

• It pauses the JavaScript execution after 2 seconds.

• You can now inspect the element in the Elements tab.

🔹 3. Use the :hover Pseudo-Class in DevTools

1. Right-click the parent element in DevTools.

2. Click “Force state” → :hover.

3. This simulates the hover effect, keeping tooltips or dropdowns open.

4. Then navigate to the actual element to inspect.

Great for menus, tooltips, or hover-triggered UI.

🔹 4. Use DevTools Performance Recording

1. Go to the Performance tab in Chrome DevTools.

2. Start recording (Click the "Record" button).

3. Trigger the disappearing element (e.g., date picker).

4. Stop recording.

5. Use the timeline to rewind and inspect the DOM at the time the element was visible.

This is helpful when inspecting short-lived animations or transitions.

🔹 5. Override CSS Styles Temporarily

In the Console, you can force elements to stay visible:

Or

This approach temporarily makes hidden elements visible in the DOM.

🤖 Automation Considerations for Selenium

After inspecting the element, to interact with it in Selenium, use the following techniques:

✅ 1. Use Explicit Waits

✅ 2. Trigger via JavaScript

If normal clicks fail:

✅ 3. Hover Using Actions Class

For hover-triggered elements:

✅ 4. Avoid Race Conditions

Always ensure:

• You wait until the element is attached to the DOM.

• The animation or transition is complete before clicking.

🧪 Example: Automating a RedBud Date Picker

Assume the RedBud date picker disappears quickly after clicking elsewhere.

If it disappears before clicking:

📝 Summary

🔚 Conclusion

Disappearing elements can pose a challenge for both manual inspection and test automation. However, by leveraging browser developer tools effectively, simulating user interactions with JavaScript, and combining that with proper Selenium waits and JavaScript triggers, you can reliably inspect and interact with such elements. Mastering these techniques improves your ability to handle real-world dynamic UIs in your test automation strategy.