findElement vs element

[irondev84]

Describe

What is the main difference between .element and .findElement API ?
I have notice in my project that if If use .element(someCSSselector) and element does not really exists,
nighwatch returned me only information:
{ status: -1, state: '', code: '', value: { message: 'no such element: Unable to locate element: {"method":"css selector","selector":"#authorization-code"}', error: [ ' (Session info: chrome=91.0.4472.114)', ' (Driver info: chromedriver=91.0.4472.101 (af52a90bf87030dd1523486a1cd3ae25c5d76c9b-refs/branch-heads/4472@{#1462}),platform=Windows NT 10.0.19042 x86_64)' ] }, errorStatus: 7, error: 'An element could not be located on the page using the given search parameters. – no such element: Unable to locate eleme...', httpStatusCode: 200 }
and the test will go on.
But when a I use findElement instead of .element I got an error:

{"sessionId":"jhkhkkljkkkkkkk9c2a","status":0,"value":[]} at Object.module.exports.command (tests\commands\AuthorizeTransaction.js:41:8) at processImmediate (internal/timers.js:461:21) { status: -1, value: { error: 'An error occurred while running .findElement() command on <#second-authorization-code>: ', message: 'An error occurred while running .findElement() command on <#second-authorization-code>: ', stack: 'Error\n' + ' at Object.module.exports.command ('PATH' + ' at processImmediate (internal/timers.js:461:21)' } }

Environment

Executable	Version
nightwatch --version	1.7.7

Browser driver	Version
chrome	92
chromedriver	91
selenium-server	3.141

OS	Version
Windows 10	1607

Is it bug or feature ?
I need it into my test case when I have to check if second authorize code will appear or not.

[beatfactor]

findElements() has retry built-in and accepts element properties. The response also contains a .getId() method which returns the webdriver element id. elements() is only an http mapping to the webdriver server, without anything else and will most likely become deprecated soon.

For your use case, use:

let result = await browser.findElements({
  selector: '<your_selector>',
  suppressNotFoundErrors: true
})

[jmervis99]

Hi,
This is what I usual do , I use .element, and then check if it is visible or not.

browser.element('css selector', 'selectorname', function (visible) {
console.log(visible) //stuff to debug
if (visible.status !== 0) {
do something here
}
else {
do something else here.
}
});

I think this is what you were asking.
-J