Block reference / Browser

Switch tab

Move the run to another open tab, found by its address, its title or its position.

Only inWarpX Browser

Use it after a click opens a new tab or popup, such as a sign-in or payment window, and when you need to go back to the first tab afterwards. The blocks after it act on the tab it finds.

The Switch tab block's settings, filled in as in the example below.

Settings

Find tab by

How to pick the tab. Match patterns finds it by address and Tab title by title. Next tab and Previous tab move one tab along, in the order the tabs were opened, and wrap around at the ends. Tab index picks a tab by its position.

ExampleMatch patterns
Match Patternswhen Find tab by is Match patterns

The address of the tab to switch to, with * for any text. https://*.example.com/* matches the site and its subdomains. A pattern without a scheme, such as *checkout*, is matched against the whole address.

Examplehttps://accounts.example.com/*
Tab titlewhen Find tab by is Tab title

The tab's title, with * for any text. It is matched against the whole title, and case does not matter, so *checkout* finds Checkout - Example Shop.

Example*Checkout*
Create if there's no matchwhen Find tab by is Match patterns or Tab title

When no open tab matches, opens a new tab at New tab URL and switches to it instead of failing.

ExampleUnchecked
New tab URLwhen Create if there's no match is ticked

The address for the new tab. It must start with http.

Examplehttps://accounts.example.com/login
Indexwhen Find tab by is Tab index

The tab's position, counting from 0, in the order the tabs were opened. 0 is the first tab of the profile's browser and 1 the second. A number with no tab behind it makes the block fail.

Example1
Set as active tab

On: the tab is brought to the front of its window, if something else covers it. A tab that is already visible is not raised again. Off: the run moves to the tab, but what the browser shows stays as it is.

ExampleChecked
Delay time (ms)

How long to wait after the block finishes, in milliseconds. Write a range such as 1000,3000 to pick a random wait in it each run.

Example500

Every block also has the shared block settings — a description, Disable block and what to do on an error. Fields that take text accept data from earlier blocks.

What it hands on

Leaves by its single output. The block's result is the address of the tab it switched to. With Match patterns or Tab title, it fails with no-match-tab when no tab matches.

Example: Sign in through a popup, then return to the shop

  1. Start
  2. Open URL
  3. Click element
  4. Switch tab
  5. Type text
  6. Click element
  7. Switch tab
  8. Get text
Where Switch tab sits in the example workflow.
  1. Add Click element with the selector button.sign-in to open the sign-in popup.
  2. Add Switch tab. Set Find tab by to Match patterns and Match Patterns to https://accounts.example.com/*.
  3. Add Type text to fill the email field, with the text {{variables.email}}, then Click element on the popup's button[type=submit].
  4. Add a second Switch tab with Match Patterns set to https://shop.example.com/* to go back.
  5. Carry on in the shop, for example with Get text on .account-name.

Good to know

  • A new tab can take a moment to reach its address and title. With Match patterns or Tab title, the block keeps looking for up to 5 seconds before it gives up.
  • When several tabs match, it takes the one opened first. If the tab you are on also matches, you may stay on it, so make the pattern specific.
  • Next tab, Previous tab and Tab index count every page open in the profile's browser, including ones the workflow did not open. Closing a tab moves the tabs after it down one place.
  • After the switch the run starts at the top of that tab's page. A frame chosen earlier with Switch frame is forgotten.

See also

  • Open URL — Load a web address in the current tab or a new one, and wait for it to load.
  • Get tab URL — Read the address of the current tab, or of every tab that matches a pattern.
  • Close tab/window — Closes the tab the workflow is using, the tabs that match a pattern, or every window.
  • Switch frame — Run the blocks that follow inside an iframe, or go back to the main page.