java.lang.ClassCastException: org.openqa.selenium.remote.RemoteWebElement cannot be cast to io.appium.java_client.MobileElement

[aeroclee]

Hello All,

I have ClassCastException issue like following error:
java.lang.ClassCastException: org.openqa.selenium.remote.RemoteWebElement cannot be cast to io.appium.java_client.MobileElement.

I could only refer an element by WebElement, but I am having ClassCastException issue using Mobile Reference. I am trying to use an element by AutomationId (AccessibilityID). I believe this is most stable way to locate an element in WinAppDriver.

Please correct me if there is something I miss or misunderstand? Please let me know.
Thanks.

Here is pom.xml file info:
<appium.version>5.0.4</appium.version>
<selenium.version>3.6.0</selenium.version>

io.appium
java-client
${appium.version}


org.seleniumhq.selenium
selenium-java
${selenium.version}

Here is how I define WinAppDriver:
protected static WindowsDriver driver;
// Also tried with protected static WindowsDriver<? extends MobileElement> driver;

caps.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.APP, ConfigHelper.getInstance().app);
this.driver = new WindowsDriver<>(getLocalAddressURL(), caps);
return this.driver;

// OK with WebElement
WebElement title = driver.findElementByAccessibilityId("Title");

List listAirportInfo = (List)driver.findElementsByName("DataModel.Name");
WebElement code = ((WebElement)listAirportInfo.get(0)).findElement(By.className("Block"));

Case1: using findElementsByName
// CastException when I execute on the bold line: MobileElement.
List listsTypeNames = (List) driver.findElementsByName("DataContextItem");
String name = listsTypeNames.get(0).findElementByAccessibilityId("Selector_Text_Name").getText();

Case2: using findElementsByClassName
List listsTypeNames = (List) driver.findElementsByClassName("Item");
MobileElement chartTypeName = ((MobileElement)listsTypeNames.get(0)).findElementByAccessibilityId("Selector_Text_Name");
String name = chartTypeName.getText();

[timotiusmargo]

Hi @aeroclee,

It looks familiar with the issue on appium-dotnet-driver (C# counter part) in which case the findElementsByName returns RemoteWebElement entries instead of MobileElement you expected.
#237

This issue however lies in the local end implementation in Appium Java client that you should file the issue with. In the meantime, will manually cast listsChartTypeNames.get(0) into MobileElement or WindowsElement work before you perform an element search?

[aeroclee]

Hello @timotiusmargo,

I tried with cast into MobileElement and WindowsElement, but still same issue.
Also, tried with findElementsByClassName and findElementsByName methods.
However, still same issue. Issue is exactly same as #237.

I modified the original post on coding section.
I will also log issue at here: https://github.com/appium/java-client/issues.

Thanks.

[aeroclee]

Hi @timotiusmargo ,

I also tried with cast to WebElement and works well.
String name = ((WebElement)listsTypeNames.get(0)).findElement(By.className("Block")).getText();
print("Selector Name: "+name);

I guess the best way is to use xpath along with AccessibilityID. However, I cannot find any good example with WindowsDriver using xpath with AccessibilityID. any tips or example?
Thanks.

[timotiusmargo]

Hi @aeroclee,

Thanks for sharing your progress and workaround. Below is a snippet taken from our sample test in https://github.com/Microsoft/WinAppDriver/blob/master/Tests/WebDriverAPI/Element.cs#L79:

WindowsElement alarmTab = session.FindElementByXPath("//Button[@AutomationId=\"MoreButton\"]");

Notice that AccessibilityID maps to AutomationId attribute in Windows UI tree as described in list of supported locators in our README.md

[hassanuz]

@aeroclee, this issue will be closed on this thread. Please open a new issue on the Java binding for Appium. https://github.com/appium/