focusApplication()

Overview

Bring a specific application window to the foreground and make it the active window for interactions.

Syntax

await testdriver.focusApplication(name)

Parameters

string

required

Application name (e.g., 'Google Chrome', 'Microsoft Edge', 'Notepad')

Returns

Promise<string> - 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

Focus before UI interactionsAlways focus the target application before interacting with its UI:

await testdriver.focusApplication('Google Chrome');

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

Wait after launching appsGive 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');

Use exact application names

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

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

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

Use Cases

Multi-Application Testing

// Test workflow across multiple apps
await testdriver.focusApplication('Google Chrome');
const data = await testdriver.extract('the order number');

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();

Browser Switching

// Compare behavior in different browsers
await testdriver.focusApplication('Google Chrome');
await testdriver.assert('page loaded correctly in Chrome');

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

Desktop Application Testing

// Launch and focus desktop app
await testdriver.exec('pwsh', 'Start-Process notepad', 5000);
await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 1000));

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

Window Management

// Show desktop first
await testdriver.pressKeys(['winleft', 'd']);

// 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();
  });
});

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

Overview

Guide

Scaling

Actions

SDK Reference

Overview

Syntax

Parameters

Returns

Examples

Common Applications

After Opening Applications

Best Practices

Use Cases

Common Application Names

Browsers

Office Applications

Development Tools

System Applications

Communication

Complete Example

​Overview

​Syntax

​Parameters

​Returns

​Examples

​Common Applications

​After Opening Applications

​Best Practices

​Use Cases

​Common Application Names

​Browsers

​Office Applications

​Development Tools

​System Applications

​Communication

​Complete Example

​Related Methods

Overview

Syntax

Parameters

Returns

Examples

Common Applications

After Opening Applications

Best Practices

Use Cases

Common Application Names

Browsers

Office Applications

Development Tools

System Applications

Communication

Complete Example

Related Methods