grafana/k6 · error

setting input files: %w

Error message

setting input files: %w

What it means

Wrapped failure from ElementHandle.SetInputFiles (elementHandle.setInputFiles()). The inner error comes from setInputFiles evaluating an injected-script payload in the page: the node is not an <input type=file> element, a non-multiple input got more than one file, the element is detached/hidden, or the action timed out. The 'setting input files:' prefix identifies the failing step.

Source

Thrown at internal/js/modules/k6/browser/common/element_handle.go:1461

		[]string{}, selectText, opts.Force, withRetry, opts.NoWaitAfter, opts.Timeout,
	)
	if _, err := call(h.ctx, selectTextAction, opts.Timeout); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("selecting text: %w", err)
	}

	applySlowMo(h.ctx)

	return nil
}

// SetInputFiles sets the given files into the input file element.
func (h *ElementHandle) SetInputFiles(files *Files, opts *ElementHandleSetInputFilesOptions) error {
	setInputFiles := func(apiCtx context.Context, handle *ElementHandle) (any, error) {
		return nil, handle.setInputFiles(apiCtx, files)
	}
	setInputFilesAction := h.newAction([]string{}, setInputFiles, opts.Force, withRetry, opts.NoWaitAfter, opts.Timeout)
	if _, err := call(h.ctx, setInputFilesAction, opts.Timeout); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("setting input files: %w", err)
	}

	return nil
}

func (h *ElementHandle) setInputFiles(apiCtx context.Context, files *Files) error {
	// allow clearing the input by passing an empty array
	var payload []*File
	if files != nil {
		payload = files.Payload
	}
	fn := `
		(node, injected, payload) => {
			return injected.setInputFiles(node, payload);
		}
	`
	evalOpts := evalOptions{
		forceCallable: true,

View on GitHub (pinned to 93accf6570)

Solutions

1. Target the actual input[type=file] element, e.g. page.waitForSelector('input[type=file]', { state: 'visible' }) — use { omitDefaultContent: true } frame scoping if it is inside an iframe
2. Pass only one file unless the input has the multiple attribute
3. Increase opts.Timeout if the input appears late
4. To clear the input, call setInputFiles([]) with an empty payload instead of removing the element

Example fix

// before
page.$('#upload-button').setInputFiles([{ name: 'a.png', mimeType: 'image/png', buffer: btoa('...') }]);
// fails: node is not an input[type=file] element

// after
const input = page.waitForSelector('input[type=file]', { state: 'attached' });
input.setInputFiles([{ name: 'a.png', mimeType: 'image/png', buffer: pngBase64 }]);

const input = page.waitForSelector('input[type=file]', { state: 'attached' });
const isMultiple = input.evaluate((n) => n.multiple);
const files = [{ name: 'a.png', mimeType: 'image/png', buffer: pngBase64 }];
if (files.length > 1 && !isMultiple) {
  throw new Error('target input does not accept multiple files');
}
input.setInputFiles(files);

try {
  input.setInputFiles(files);
} catch (e) {
  if (String(e).includes('setting input files')) {
    // check DOM error text: 'not input[type=file]' vs 'multiple file'
    throw new Error(`setInputFiles failed: ${e}`);
  }
  throw e;
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling setInputFiles on a node that is not input[type=file] (error:notfile); passing multiple files in Files.Payload to an input without the multiple attribute (error:notmultiplefileinput); element detached by re-render; opts.Timeout exceeded before the input becomes actionable.

Common situations: File-upload forms where the real <input type=file> is hidden and a styled button triggers it — scripts target the button instead; uploading several files to a single-file input; file upload widgets inside iframes requiring frame-scoped queries.

Related errors

• selecting text: %w
• element is not attached to the DOM
• parsing setInputFiles parameter: %w
• finding clickable point: %w
• filling element: %w

AI-assisted analysis of grafana/k6@93accf6570 (2026-08-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/3b51f3789d759e41. Report an issue: GitHub.