Failed: invalid element state on attempt to .sendKeys() to a text field

Question

I keep getting Failed: invalid element state error on attempt to sendKeys() to a text box to which I'm able to if I'm in browser.explore() mode.

the Text field is validating entry against active userIDs. Please note that I'm able to use the same command sendKeys() when I'm in browser.explore() mode

UPDATE: I'm not able to post HTML code as there is a char. limit and I have over 7500 arrays [object Object] here is a screenshot, if it helps screenshot of the field and its HTML

my code:

var businessOwner = element(by.name("productManager"));
businessOwner.sendKeys('someValue');

error:- Failed: invalid element state (Session info: chrome=62.0.3202.94) (Driver info: chromedriver=2.34.522932 (4140ab217e1ca1bec0c4b4d1b148f3361eb3a03e),platform=Mac OS X 10.12.6 x86_64) (Session info: chrome=62.0.3202.94) (Driver info: chromedriver=2.34.522932 (4140ab217e1ca1bec0c4b4d1b148f3361eb3a03e),platform=Mac OS X 10.12.6 x86_64) at WebDriverError (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/error.js:27:5) at InvalidElementStateError (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/error.js:100:5) at Object.checkLegacyResponse (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/error.js:505:15) at parseHttpResponse (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/http.js:509:13) at doSend.then.response (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/http.js:440:13) at process._tickCallback (internal/process/next_tick.js:103:7) From: Task: WebElement.sendKeys() at Driver.schedule (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/webdriver.js:816:17) at WebElement.schedule_ (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/webdriver.js:1921:25) at WebElement.sendKeys (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/webdriver.js:2084:19) at actionFn (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/protractor/lib/element.ts:94:34) at Array.map (native) at actionResults.getWebElements.then (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/protractor/lib/element.ts:484:67) at ManagedPromise.invokeCallback_ (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/promise.js:1366:14) at TaskQueue.execute_ (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/promise.js:2970:14) at TaskQueue.executeNext_ (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/promise.js:2953:27) at asyncRun (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/promise.js:2813:27) at ...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/promise.js:676:7 at process._tickCallback (internal/process/next_tick.js:103:7)Error at ElementArrayFinder.applyAction_ (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/protractor/lib/element.ts:482:23) at ElementArrayFinder.(anonymous function) [as sendKeys] (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/protractor/lib/element.ts:96:21) at ElementFinder.(anonymous function) [as sendKeys] (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/protractor/lib/element.ts:873:14) at ...pathToMyApp/e2e/app.e2e-spec.ts:204:17 at elementArrayFinder_.then (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/protractor/lib/element.ts:840:22) at ManagedPromise.invokeCallback_ (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/promise.js:1366:14) at TaskQueue.execute_ (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/promise.js:2970:14) at TaskQueue.executeNext_ (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/promise.js:2953:27) at asyncRun (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/promise.js:2813:27) at ...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/promise.js:676:7 at process._tickCallback (internal/process/next_tick.js:103:7) From: Task: Run it("I fill teamsAndOwners Form") in control flow at UserContext. (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/jasminewd2/index.js:94:19) at ...pathToMyApp/node_modules/jasminewd2/index.js:64:48 at ControlFlow.emit (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/events.js:62:21) at ControlFlow.shutdown_ (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/promise.js:2565:10) at shutdownTask_.MicroTask (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/promise.js:2490:53) at MicroTask.asyncRun (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/promise.js:2619:9) at ...pathToMyApp/node_modules/selenium-webdriver/lib/promise.js:676:7 at process._tickCallback (internal/process/next_tick.js:103:7) From asynchronous test: Error at Suite. (...pathToMyApp/e2e/app.e2e-spec.ts:170:1) at Object. (...pathToMyApp/e2e/app.e2e-spec.ts:7:1) at Module._compile (module.js:570:32) at Module.m._compile (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/ts-node/src/index.ts:382:23) at Module._extensions..js (module.js:579:10) at Object.require.extensions.(anonymous function) [as .ts] (...pathToMyApp/node_modules/ts-node/src/index.ts:385:12) at Module.load (module.js:487:32) at tryModuleLoad (module.js:446:12) at Function.Module._load (module.js:438:3) at Module.require (module.js:497:17) at require (internal/module.js:20:19)

I've tried:

1.

browser.wait(EC.visibilityOf(businessOwner.get(0)), 30000, 'businessOwner is not there ');
businessOwner.sendKeys(UID);

same error no matter what the timeout is

2.

function setBusinessOwner(UID: string){
    browser.wait(EC.visibilityOf(businessOwner), 20000).then(function(){
        businessOwner.click().then(function(){
            businessOwner.sendKeys(UID);
});
});
}
setBusinessOwner('someValue');

same error.

***UPDATE(9am): seem like its timing issue (most likely)

adding browser.sleep(10000) allows my script to sendKeys without error.

why browser.wait(EC.visibilityOf(businessOwner) does not work then ... ? *** UPDATE(1020am) browser.wait(EC.elementToBeClickable(businessOwner) seem to be working. testing and if works, will resolve this issue

Answer 1

Here is the code that finally works

function setBusinessOwner(UID: string){
  browser.wait(EC.elementToBeClickable(businessOwner), 20000).then(function(){
      businessOwner.sendKeys(UID);
});
}
setBusinessOwner('abc1234');

elementToBeClickable - seem to be working. I don't know what is the implementation difference between elementToBeClickable and visibilityOf, but visibilityOf was not working out for me