Release notes for 18.9.0

docs/releasenotes/Browser-18.9.0.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,178 @@
+======================
+Browser library 18.9.0
+======================
+
+
+.. default-role:: code
+
+
+Browser_ is a web testing library for `Robot Framework`_ that utilizes
+the Playwright_ tool internally. Browser library 18.9.0 is a new release with
+**UPDATE** enhancements and bug fixes.
+All issues targeted for Browser library v18.9.0 can be found
+from the `issue tracker`_.
+For first time installation with pip_, just run
+::
+   pip install robotframework-browser
+   rfbrowser init
+to install the latest available release. If you upgrading
+from previous release with pip_, run
+::
+   pip install --upgrade robotframework-browser
+   rfbrowser clean-node
+   rfbrowser init
+Alternatively you can download the source distribution from PyPI_ and
+install it manually. Browser library 18.9.0 was released on Monday October 7, 2024.
+Browser supports Python 3.9+, Node 18/20/22 LTS and Robot Framework 5.0+.
+Library was tested with Playwright 1.47.2
+
+.. _Robot Framework: http://robotframework.org
+.. _Browser: https://github.com/MarketSquare/robotframework-browser
+.. _Playwright: https://github.com/microsoft/playwright
+.. _pip: http://pip-installer.org
+.. _PyPI: https://pypi.python.org/pypi/robotframework-browser
+.. _issue tracker: https://github.com/MarketSquare/robotframework-browser/milestones/v18.9.0
+
+
+.. contents::
+   :depth: 2
+   :local:
+
+Most important enhancements
+===========================
+
+Update of interpreters
+----------------------
+
+Due to End-of-Life of Python 3.8 we dropped the support for it. (`#3775`_)
+
+Browser officially also supports NodeJS 22 together with 18 and 20 (`#3810`_)
+
+
+New Keyword ``Wait For Alerts``
+-------------------------------
+
+``Wait For Alerts`` is a new keyword which waits for multiple alerts to be present. (`#3785`_)
+
+This keyword works similar to ``Wait For Alert`` but accepts lists of actions, prompts and messages to be verified.
+
+
+Improvements to ``Highlight Elements``
+--------------------------------------
+
+Depending on the pages box-sizing the border of the highlighted element was not always correct. (`#3614`_)
+This is now fixed and the border whick is used to highlight an element is always outside of the selected elements.
+
+``Highlight Elements`` now has a new named-only argument ``mode`` which enables the mode ``playwright``,
+which will highlight elements with Playwrights `locator.highlight()` method. (`#3827`_)
+
+
+``Get BoundingBox`` improvements for non-visible elements
+---------------------------------------------------------
+
+``Get BoundingBox`` now fails with proper error message if element is not visible. (`#3651`_)
+It did fail before as well, but the error message was not helpful.
+If the keyword shall not fail for hidden elements, use the new named-only argument ``allow_hidden`` and set it to ``True``,
+which then cases the keyword to return ``${None}`` instead of failing for elements without bounding box.
+
+
+Initialization of Browser library and Playwright changed
+-------------------------------------------------------
+
+Previously the Playwright process was started when the Browser library was imported in Robot Framework but also if libdoc was used.
+Which means when i.e. RobotCode gathered the available keywords from Browser a Playwright process was started and all its dependencies were needed.
+
+Also if Browser library was imported, but actually never used, the Playwright process was started and node was needed.
+
+We did now change that behavior so that the Playwright process is started lazily, when the first keyword is called or if extensions are used. (`#3757`_)
+
+This does cause some changes in the behavior of the library, but should not affect the normal usage of the library.
+
+If ``rfbrowser init`` was not executed before it is now not longer directly visible in your Editor that the Browser library is not initialized.
+This enables you to use the Browser library in your code without the need to initialize it first, but also postpones the error to a later point.
+
+We also improved the error message shown, if the initialization was not executed. (`#3583`_)
+It should now be more clear.
+
+
+
+
+Backwards incompatible changes
+==============================
+
+- Drop support of Python 3.8 (`#3775`_)
+- Lazy initializing of Playwright (`#3757`_)
+
+Full list of fixes and enhancements
+===================================
+
+.. list-table::
+    :header-rows: 1
+
+    * - ID
+      - Type
+      - Priority
+      - Summary
+    * - `#3775`_
+      - enhancement
+      - critical
+      - Drop support of Python 3.8
+    * - `#3810`_
+      - enhancement
+      - critical
+      - Support NodeJS 22
+    * - `#3286`_
+      - bug
+      - high
+      - Issues with downloadsPath variable
+    * - `#3614`_
+      - bug
+      - high
+      - Highlight Elements border has the the wrong position
+    * - `#3651`_
+      - bug
+      - high
+      - "Get BoundingBox" fails if element is not visible, wo proper error.
+    * - `#3789`_
+      - bug
+      - high
+      - Protobuf gencode version 5.27.2 is older then the runtime version 5.28.1 at playwright.proto
+    * - `#3757`_
+      - enhancement
+      - high
+      - Lazy initializing of playwright
+    * - `#3827`_
+      - enhancement
+      - high
+      - Add Playwrights `locator.highlight()` mode to `Highlight Elements`
+    * - `#3452`_
+      - bug
+      - medium
+      - Improve Error message when importing Browser Library, if rfbrowser init was not executed
+    * - `#3557`_
+      - enhancement
+      - medium
+      - Remove the "tips" and ANSI colors on errors
+    * - `#3785`_
+      - enhancement
+      - medium
+      - RFB can not handle two consecutives alerts
+    * - `#3583`_
+      - bug
+      - low
+      - In rfbrowser init error case print better folder structure
+
+Altogether 12 issues. View on the `issue tracker <https://github.com/MarketSquare/robotframework-browser/issues?q=milestone%3Av18.9.0>`__.
+
+.. _#3775: https://github.com/MarketSquare/robotframework-browser/issues/3775
+.. _#3810: https://github.com/MarketSquare/robotframework-browser/issues/3810
+.. _#3286: https://github.com/MarketSquare/robotframework-browser/issues/3286
+.. _#3614: https://github.com/MarketSquare/robotframework-browser/issues/3614
+.. _#3651: https://github.com/MarketSquare/robotframework-browser/issues/3651
+.. _#3789: https://github.com/MarketSquare/robotframework-browser/issues/3789
+.. _#3757: https://github.com/MarketSquare/robotframework-browser/issues/3757
+.. _#3827: https://github.com/MarketSquare/robotframework-browser/issues/3827
+.. _#3452: https://github.com/MarketSquare/robotframework-browser/issues/3452
+.. _#3557: https://github.com/MarketSquare/robotframework-browser/issues/3557
+.. _#3785: https://github.com/MarketSquare/robotframework-browser/issues/3785
+.. _#3583: https://github.com/MarketSquare/robotframework-browser/issues/3583