Different Actors cannot be made to share same browser

[nbarrett]

I'm configuring my Screenplay environment using OnStage.setTheStage(new OnlineCast());, and then obtaining actor references usingOnStage.theActorCalled(<actor name>), however I find a new browser window is created for each actor, regardless of the value of property serenity.use.unique.browser. On the system under test, this actually causes problems with the running of the system. This behaviour can be reproduced in the todo demo project by:

• setting the following configuration:

serenity {
  restart.browser.for.each = NEVER
  use.unique.browser = true
}

• changing features/record_todos/add_new_items_to_the_todo_list.feature to

  Scenario: Adding an item to an empty list in Cucumber
    Given that James has an empty todo list
    Given that John has an empty todo list
    Given that Joe has an empty todo list

• running net.serenitybdd.demos.todos.cucumber.RecordTodos

Outcome is that 3 browsers are fired up.

How can I ensure that all actors share the same browser please?

[nbarrett]

Actually, having played around with things, I can retrieve actors via a custom method like this:
theActorCalled(actorName).can(BrowseTheWeb.with(ThucydidesWebDriverSupport.getWebdriverManager().getWebdriverByName("same actor")));

But that seems like a hack - is there a better way than this?

[wakaleo]

The best way would be to write your own OnlineCast class, and hide this logic inside. Look at the implementation of the standard OnlineCast and go from there.

[wakaleo]

I'm assuming this question is answered?

[nbarrett]

I might submit a PR as the current behaviour is not as expected?

[wakaleo]

Sure, please do.

[wakaleo]

Which current behaviour is not as expected?

[nbarrett]

E.g serenity.use.unique.browser property should affect browser instantation, so my proposal would be to invoke the workaround code I suggested above if this property is set true.

[wakaleo]

Good point, but use.unique.browser is no longer used - it has been replaced by serenity.restart.browser.for.each

[nbarrett]

Okay, will do but I had serenity.restart.browser.for.each=NEVER set all along. However I thought that property was controlling browser restarts rather than browser instances which to me are different concerns (hence both properties). I've seen another issue where serenity.restart.browser.frequency was discussed as the deprecated property!