"TypeError: can't access dead object" if the frame is removed from under us

[barancev]

Firefox Version

55.0a1 (2017-04-06) (64-bit)
geckodriver 0.15

Platform

Windows 7

Steps to reproduce

Java Selenium test FrameSwitchingTest.testShouldNotBeAbleToDoAnythingTheFrameIsDeletedFromUnderUs, the main part is:

    driver.switchTo().frame("iframe1");
    driver.findElement(By.id("killIframe")).click(); // deletes the current frame
    driver.findElement(By.id("killIframe")); // try to do something

NoSuchFrameException is expected, but the trace is:

1491588306354	webdriver::server	DEBUG	Got request POST AbsolutePath("/session/b64f0a3e-5caf-485a-a2fa-e18fd8817b2e/element")
1491588306354	webdriver::command	DEBUG	Got request body {"value":"#killIframe","using":"css selector"}
1491588306354	geckodriver::marionette	DEBUG	→ 66:[0,8,"findElement",{"using":"css selector","value":"#killIframe"}]
1491588306356	Marionette	TRACE	0 -> [0,8,"findElement",{"using":"css selector","value":"#killIframe"}]
*************************
A coding exception was thrown and uncaught in a Task.

Full message: TypeError: can't access dead object
Full stack: find_@chrome://marionette/content/element.js:290:7
element.find/</findElements<@chrome://marionette/content/element.js:256:17
evalFn@chrome://marionette/content/wait.js:70:7
wait.until/<@chrome://marionette/content/wait.js:84:5
wait.until@chrome://marionette/content/wait.js:65:10
element.find/<@chrome://marionette/content/element.js:255:24
element.find@chrome://marionette/content/element.js:254:10
findElementContent@chrome://marionette/content/listener.js:1199:18
TaskImpl_run@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:319:42
TaskImpl@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:277:3
asyncFunction@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:252:14
Task_spawn@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:166:12
TaskImpl_handleResultValue@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:389:16
TaskImpl_run@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:327:15
TaskImpl@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:277:3
asyncFunction@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:252:14
Task_spawn@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:166:12
dispatch/<@chrome://marionette/content/listener.js:363:15

*************************
*************************
A coding exception was thrown and uncaught in a Task.

Full message: TypeError: can't access dead object
Full stack: find_@chrome://marionette/content/element.js:290:7
element.find/</findElements<@chrome://marionette/content/element.js:256:17
evalFn@chrome://marionette/content/wait.js:70:7
wait.until/<@chrome://marionette/content/wait.js:84:5
wait.until@chrome://marionette/content/wait.js:65:10
element.find/<@chrome://marionette/content/element.js:255:24
element.find@chrome://marionette/content/element.js:254:10
findElementContent@chrome://marionette/content/listener.js:1199:18
TaskImpl_run@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:319:42
TaskImpl@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:277:3
asyncFunction@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:252:14
Task_spawn@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:166:12
TaskImpl_handleResultValue@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:389:16
TaskImpl_run@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:327:15
TaskImpl@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:277:3
asyncFunction@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:252:14
Task_spawn@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:166:12
dispatch/<@chrome://marionette/content/listener.js:363:15

*************************
1491588306360	Marionette	TRACE	0 <- [1,8,{"error":"webdriver error","message":"TypeError: can't access dead object","stacktrace":"find_@chrome://marionette/content/element.js:290:7\nelement.find/</findElements<@chrome://marionette/content/element.js:256:17\nevalFn@chrome://marionette/content/wait.js:70:7\nwait.until/<@chrome://marionette/content/wait.js:84:5\nwait.until@chrome://marionette/content/wait.js:65:10\nelement.find/<@chrome://marionette/content/element.js:255:24\nelement.find@chrome://marionette/content/element.js:254:10\nfindElementContent@chrome://marionette/content/listener.js:1199:18\nTaskImpl_run@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:319:42\nTaskImpl@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:277:3\nasyncFunction@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:252:14\nTask_spawn@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:166:12\nTaskImpl_handleResultValue@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:389:16\nTaskImpl_run@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:327:15\nTaskImpl@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:277:3\nasyncFunction@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:252:14\nTask_spawn@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:166:12\ndispatch/<@chrome://marionette/content/listener.js:363:15\n"},null]
1491588306360	geckodriver::marionette	DEBUG	← [1,8,{"error":"webdriver error","message":"TypeError: can't access dead object","stacktrace":"find_@chrome://marionette/content/element.js:290:7\nelement.find/</findElements<@chrome://marionette/content/element.js:256:17\nevalFn@chrome://marionette/content/wait.js:70:7\nwait.until/<@chrome://marionette/content/wait.js:84:5\nwait.until@chrome://marionette/content/wait.js:65:10\nelement.find/<@chrome://marionette/content/element.js:255:24\nelement.find@chrome://marionette/content/element.js:254:10\nfindElementContent@chrome://marionette/content/listener.js:1199:18\nTaskImpl_run@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:319:42\nTaskImpl@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:277:3\nasyncFunction@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:252:14\nTask_spawn@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:166:12\nTaskImpl_handleResultValue@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:389:16\nTaskImpl_run@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:327:15\nTaskImpl@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:277:3\nasyncFunction@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:252:14\nTask_spawn@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:166:12\ndispatch/<@chrome://marionette/content/listener.js:363:15\n"},null]
1491588306361	webdriver::server	DEBUG	Returning status InternalServerError
1491588306361	webdriver::server	DEBUG	Returning body {"value":{"error":"unknown error","message":"TypeError: can't access dead object","stacktrace":"stack backtrace:\n   0:           0x61f07f - <no info>\n   1:           0x61fe59 - <no info>\n   2:           0x43b0b5 - <no info>\n   3:           0x420313 - <no info>\n   4:           0x408307 - <no info>\n   5:           0x6750f9 - <no info>\n   6:           0x416877 - <no info>\n   7:           0x66ed53 - <no info>\n   8:         0x76da59cd - BaseThreadInitThunk"}}

[whimboo]

We currently only check for valid chrome windows, but not for content windows. So it means that you have to wait for https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1349861 being fixed.

[KPKA]

I fixed this problem with Driver.SwitchTo().DefaultContent();. (see: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/16396767/firefox-bug-with-selenium-cant-access-dead-object)
Found a Mozilla blog entry about this topic: https://blog.mozilla.org/addons/2012/09/12/what-does-cant-access-dead-object-mean/

[whimboo]

You fixed it because you explicitly switched away from the non-existent browsing context. With the upcoming fix in Marionette the failure you would see without your change, would only change to a NoSuchWindowError.

So it means leave your change in and you will be fine.

[lautorres]

FF 53.0 The Driver.SwitchTo().DefaultContent(); doesn't work for me :(
And the original issue still persist

[psycho23]

Firefox 53.0:

---

A coding exception was thrown and uncaught in a Task.

Full message: TypeError: can't access dead object
Full stack: onIteratorRangeFound@resource://gre/modules/Finder.jsm:457:1
this.FinderIterator._findAllRanges<@resource://gre/modules/FinderIterator.jsm:496:11
TaskImpl_run@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:319:42

---

[whimboo]

Me too comments are currently not helpful. We know about this problem. To track the status of the Marionette integration please watch https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1349861, or wait until this issue gets closed. Thanks.

[andreastt]

@Satan

A coding exception was thrown and uncaught in a Task. Full message: TypeError: can't access dead object Full stack: ***@***.***://gre/modules/Finder.jsm:457:1 ***@***.***://gre/modules/FinderIterator.jsm:496:11 ***@***.***://gre/modules/Task.jsm:319:42

FWIW this doesn’t originate from Marionette/geckodriver, so it’s unrelated to the problem described here. You can safely ignore this error.

[ramendik]

I have encountered a use case where the expected fix (changing to NoSuchWindowError) is not enough.

I am using WebDriverWait to wait for a Dojo UI to render. I switch to the content frame and then wait for a certain element to become clickable; I know it is only drawn and enabled at the end of the rendering. But while the rendering is happening, the content frame gets reloaded fully - yet the frame with the name still exists.

I would expect the wait to succeed, and it does with Chrome, but it fails with Geckodriver. I have a workaround (thanks to Florent B. on stackoverflow), a custom condition which switches frame every time. But I think the standard wait should still work.

Details: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/44005034/cant-access-dead-object-in-geckodriver/

[whimboo]

I think that I will work on https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1349861 next, just to make the error message webdriver conform.

@ramendik it would help us if you can provide a minimized testcase for this, and also attach a trace level log. As best file a new issue for this, which would be dependent on this. Thanks.

[ramendik]

@whimboo the code I use is at the stackoverflow link. But unfortunately, the Web UI I am testing is not public and I am not able to reimplement the problem - just don't know how to code the Web page. The page would need to have a content frame and to refresh it dynamically.

I can try to collect a trace log in my existing environment if that would help.

[whimboo]

Please do so, and really file a new issue given that it is different to this one. Thanks.

[alexlazarciuc]

Hi folks,

Just wondering if this was fixed? I'm using geckodriver 0.21.0 and Firefox 61 and in some cases after using a frame - the page gets reloaded, I get the "System.InvalidOperationException : TypeError: can't access dead object" error?

Thanks!

[whimboo]

@alexlazarciuc do you have a code example which works publicly and we can use to reproduce it? Thanks.

[kathagcam]

Was this resolved? I'm able to reproduce this issue.
async switchToFrame(by: webdriver.By) {
return this.driver.switchTo().frame(this.driver.findElement(by));
}
"geckodriver": "^1.12.2",
"selenium-webdriver": "^4.0.0-alpha.1"
"@types/selenium-webdriver": "^3.0.8",
Firefox: 62.0 (64-bit)
Is there a known workaround I can use to avoid this issue?

[whimboo]

@kathagcam can you please provide a trace log? As it looks like the referenced bug in Bugzilla is fixed but the problem might still be existent. Please see https://firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org/testing/geckodriver/geckodriver/TraceLogs.html in how to create one. Then please upload it as attachment to this issue. Thanks.

[barancev]

The issue is still actual, here is the trace log of the Java test mentioned in the oiriginal post.
trace.log

[whimboo]

@barancev do you also have the corresponding HTML snippet which this test uses? That would be helpful.

[barancev]

https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/tree/master/common/src/web/frame_switching_tests
files deletingFrame.html and deletingFrame_iframe.html

[whimboo]

Thanks! I can reproduce and filed https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1493108 to get the missing "browser context" check implemented.

[russlamb]

Driver.SwitchTo().DefaultContent() before the offending command worked for me. thanks.

[hardikantala]

Hi Guys, Driver.SwitchTo().DefaultContent() is not working in FF 72.0.2. Is there any workaround here

[neekhu]

This worked for me:

WebUI.delay(2)
WebUI.switchToWindowIndex(0)
WebUI.delay(5)
WebUI.switchToDefaultContent()

[komireddy407]

any update on this?
issue with firefox only

[whimboo]

This is fixed now in Firefox 82, which will become beta soon. It would be great if anyone can verify that. Thanks a lot.

[jackblk]

@whimboo I tested on Firefox 83 (release version), geckodriver 0.28.0, MacOS 11.0.1, Selenium 3.141.0.

In Firefox 81 & geckodriver 0.27.0, I can still reproduce the bug. Seems like the bug is partly fixed in Firefox 83? If I don't switch to default content before switching to iframe, it will give me another error:

response = {'status': 404, 'value': '{"value":{"error":"no such window","message":"Browsing context has been discarded","stacktra...ome://marionette/content/server.js:241:9\\n_onJSONObjectReady/<@chrome://marionette/content/transport.js:504:20\\n"}}'}
selenium.common.exceptions.NoSuchWindowException: Message: Browsing context has been discarded

I assume that we need more fix?

For now, i use driver.switch_to.default_content() in selenium python to avoid this problem.

[whimboo]

@jackblk please file a new issue for that, and please attach a trace log and if possible a minimized test case. Thanks.