Why must set the webdriver.gecko.driver system property?

[rkrisztian]

Bug report

• Node Version: 6.10.3
• Protractor Version: 5.1.2
• Angular Version: 4.2.6
• Browser(s): Firefox 52.2.0 (64-bit), Google Chrome 59
• Operating System and Version RHEL 7
• Your protractor configuration file: Angular CLI 1.2.0 defaults +

    capabilities: {
        browserName: 'firefox',
        marionette: true
    },
    directConnect: false,
    localSeleniumStandaloneOpts: {
        jvmArgs: ['-Dwebdriver.gecko.driver=/home/rkrisztian/projects/testProject/node_modules/protractor/node_modules/webdriver-manager/selenium/geckodriver-v0.18.0']
    },

• A relevant example test: Not needed, issue is driver-specific, and when driver is OK, tests pass.
• Output from running the test:

When I specify no jvmArgs in the configuration file, I get:

[13:54:20] I/launcher - Running 1 instances of WebDriver
[13:54:20] I/local - Starting selenium standalone server...
[13:54:24] I/local - Selenium standalone server started at http://10.20.204.182:59199/wd/hub
[13:54:25] E/launcher - The path to the driver executable must be set by the webdriver.gecko.driver system property; for more information, see https://github.com/mozilla/geckodriver. The latest version can be downloaded from https://github.com/mozilla/geckodriver/releases

Otherwise everything is OK and tests are executed:

[13:55:03] I/launcher - Running 1 instances of WebDriver
[13:55:03] I/local - Starting selenium standalone server...
[13:55:05] I/local - Selenium standalone server started at http://10.20.204.182:33088/wd/hub
Jasmine started
(...)

But specifying the full path to the GeckoDriver defeats the purpose of the webdriver-manager which should just provide this setting for me, including whatever version is available. I shouldn't be setting this jvmArg property, it doesn't make any sense. As we don't do the same with Chrome, which just works.

• Steps to reproduce the bug:

I'm using Angular CLI 1.2.0, and the developers there provide no support in this regard, so I came here.

[wswebcreation]

Hi @rkrisztian

I don't have any experience with RHEL 7, but looking at the error that is thrown and the site that is shown in the error you should take a look at this

Selenium client bindings will pick up the geckodriver binary executable
from your system’s PATH environmental variable
unless you override it by setting the webdriver.gecko.driver
Java VM system property:

System.setProperty("webdriver.gecko.driver", "/home/user/bin");

Can you please check the provided info and let us know if that works for you?

[rkrisztian]

Hi, @wswebcreation,

I hope it's clear that my real problem is that I shouldn't have to care about the webdriver.gecko.driver system property. Protractor should handle it somehow using the webdriver-manager. If I set the jvmArg myself, it will be a lot of scripting in protractor.conf.js and code duplication coming from webdriver-manager, just to fetch the right path.

Regardless, the following also works:

ln -s /home/rkrisztian/projects/testProject/node_modules/protractor/node_modules/webdriver-manager/selenium/geckodriver{-v0.18.0,}
export PATH=$PATH:/home/rkrisztian/projects/testProject/node_modules/protractor/node_modules/webdriver-manager/selenium

Then I don't need the jvmArg. But of course, it's an uglier hack.

[cnishina]

I just also came to the same conclusion that this is not good. Protractor should be able to get this done. With Chrome, we let users set chromeDriver in the configuration file and the local driver will use it...if not we check the webdriver-manager/selenium folder.

Proposed idea to fix this: #4411

I think I can fix this now. I've been meaning to have a distraction from writing my book.

[cnishina]

Huzzah! PR in.

[wswebcreation]

Tnx @cnishina ,

Didn't saw that, sorry