testdriver:focus-application

Overview

Move a specific application window to the front. Make it the active window for interactions.

Syntax

await testdriver.focusApplication(name)

Parameters

Returns

Promise<string> - The result message

Examples

Common Applications

// Focus Chrome browser
await testdriver.focusApplication('Google Chrome');

// Focus Edge browser
await testdriver.focusApplication('Microsoft Edge');

// Focus Notepad
await testdriver.focusApplication('Notepad');

// Focus File Explorer
await testdriver.focusApplication('File Explorer');

// Focus Visual Studio Code
await testdriver.focusApplication('Visual Studio Code');

After Opening Applications

// Open Chrome and focus it
await testdriver.exec('pwsh', `
  Start-Process "C:/Program Files/Google/Chrome/Application/chrome.exe" -ArgumentList "https://example.com"
`, 5000);

await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 2000)); // Wait for launch

// Focus the Chrome window
await testdriver.focusApplication('Google Chrome');

Best Practices

Always focus the target application before interacting with its UI:

await testdriver.focusApplication('Google Chrome');

const button = await testdriver.find('submit button');
await button.click();

Give applications time to open before focusing:

await testdriver.exec('pwsh', 'Start-Process notepad', 5000);
await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 1000)); // Wait for launch
await testdriver.focusApplication('Notepad');

// ✅ Correct
await testdriver.focusApplication('Google Chrome');

// ❌ May not work
await testdriver.focusApplication('Chrome');
await testdriver.focusApplication('chrome.exe');

The application must already be running. focusApplication() won't launch applications, only bring existing windows to the foreground.

Use Cases

await testdriver.focusApplication('Notepad');
await testdriver.type(data);
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 's']);

await testdriver.focusApplication('Google Chrome');
const nextButton = await testdriver.find('next button');
await nextButton.click();
```

await testdriver.focusApplication('Microsoft Edge');
await testdriver.assert('page loaded correctly in Edge');
```

await testdriver.focusApplication('Notepad');
await testdriver.type('Test content');
```

// Click desktop icon
const icon = await testdriver.find('Chrome icon on desktop');
await icon.click();

await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 2000));

// Focus the opened window
await testdriver.focusApplication('Google Chrome');
```

Common Application Names

Browsers

• 'Google Chrome'
• 'Microsoft Edge'
• 'Mozilla Firefox'
• 'Safari' (macOS)

Office Applications

• 'Microsoft Word'
• 'Microsoft Excel'
• 'Microsoft PowerPoint'
• 'Microsoft Outlook'

Development Tools

• 'Visual Studio Code'
• 'Visual Studio'
• 'IntelliJ IDEA'
• 'Sublime Text'

System Applications

• 'Notepad'
• 'File Explorer'
• 'Command Prompt'
• 'Windows PowerShell'
• 'Task Manager'

Communication

• 'Microsoft Teams'
• 'Slack'
• 'Discord'
• 'Zoom'

Complete Example

import { beforeAll, afterAll, describe, it } from 'vitest';
import TestDriver from 'testdriverai';

describe('Multi-Application Workflow', () => {
  let testdriver;

  beforeAll(async () => {
    client = new TestDriver(process.env.TD_API_KEY);
    await testdriver.auth();
    await testdriver.connect();
  });

  afterAll(async () => {
    await testdriver.disconnect();
  });

  it('should work across multiple applications', async () => {
    // Start in browser
    await testdriver.focusApplication('Google Chrome');

    // Get data from web page
    const orderNumber = await testdriver.extract('the order number');
    console.log('Order:', orderNumber);

    // Open Notepad
    await testdriver.exec('pwsh', 'Start-Process notepad', 5000);
    await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 1500));

    // Focus Notepad and save data
    await testdriver.focusApplication('Notepad');
    await testdriver.type(`Order Number: ${orderNumber}`);
    await testdriver.type('\n');
    await testdriver.type(`Date: ${new Date().toISOString()}`);

    // Save file
    await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 's']);
    await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 500));

    await testdriver.type('C:\\order-info.txt');
    await testdriver.pressKeys(['enter']);

    // Return to browser
    await testdriver.focusApplication('Google Chrome');

    const confirmButton = await testdriver.find('confirm order button');
    await confirmButton.click();

    await testdriver.assert('order confirmed');
  });

  it('should switch between browser tabs', async () => {
    await testdriver.focusApplication('Google Chrome');

    // Open new tab
    await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 't']);
    await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 500));

    // Navigate to URL
    await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'l']);
    await testdriver.type('https://example.com');
    await testdriver.pressKeys(['enter']);

    await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 2000));

    // Ensure Chrome is still focused
    await testdriver.focusApplication('Google Chrome');

    await testdriver.assert('example.com page is loaded');
  });

  it('should handle dialog boxes', async () => {
    await testdriver.focusApplication('Google Chrome');

    const deleteButton = await testdriver.find('delete account button');
    await deleteButton.click();

    await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 500));

    // Dialog appears - make sure it's focused
    await testdriver.focusApplication('Google Chrome');

    const confirmBtn = await testdriver.find('confirm deletion button');
    await confirmBtn.click();
  });
});

Related Methods

• exec() - Launch applications with PowerShell
• pressKeys() - Use Alt+Tab to switch windows
• find() - Locate elements in the focused window