karatelabs/karate · error · DriverException

waitForResultCount timeout

Error message

waitForResultCount timeout: ${locator} expected count: ${count}

What it means

W3cDriver.waitForResultCount polls locateAll(locator) every retry interval and returns only when the matched element count exactly equals the expected count; otherwise, after the timeout, it throws a DriverException naming the locator and expected count.

Solutions

1. Log locateAll(locator).size() to see the actual count and compare with expected
2. Refine the selector (scope, :visible-style filters) so it matches exactly the intended nodes
3. Increase the timeout via waitForResultCount(locator, count, timeout)
4. If exact equality is too strict, poll and assert a >= or <= condition instead

Example fix

// before
driver.waitForResultCount('table tr', 5); // header row makes it 6
// after
driver.waitForResultCount('table tbody tr', 5);

int actual = driver.locateAll(locator).size();
if (actual != expected) { /* adjust selector or expected count */ }

try {
    List<Element> rows = driver.waitForResultCount(locator, count, timeout);
} catch (DriverException e) {
    // log driver.locateAll(locator).size() to compare actual vs expected
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling driver.waitForResultCount(locator, count) when the number of matched elements never equals count — too few (list still loading, filter not applied) or too many (duplicates, selector too broad) within the timeout.

Common situations: Waiting for a table to show exactly N rows but pagination/lazy-loading changes the count; selector matches hidden template nodes inflating the count; expected count off by one due to a header row; async data fetch slower than timeout.

Understand the failure class

Background: Request timed out: what client-side request timeouts mean across libraries (Request timed out, TIMED_OUT, APITimeoutError) — this error's family across 39 libraries.

• Timeouts: ETIMEDOUT, deadlines, and hung requests — what actually expires when a request times out.

Related errors

• timeout waiting for elements
• waitFor timeout
• waitForAny timeout
• waitForText timeout: expected
• waitForEnabled timeout

AI-assisted analysis of karatelabs/karate@a22eb90246 (2026-09-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/6df13788bf3fda87. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at karate-core/src/main/java/io/karatelabs/driver/w3c/W3cDriver.java:695

        throw new DriverException("waitUntil (supplier) timeout");
    }

    @Override
    public List<Element> waitForResultCount(String locator, int count) {
        return waitForResultCount(locator, count, options.getTimeoutDuration());
    }

    @Override
    public List<Element> waitForResultCount(String locator, int count, java.time.Duration timeout) {
        long deadline = System.currentTimeMillis() + timeout.toMillis();
        while (System.currentTimeMillis() < deadline) {
            List<Element> results = locateAll(locator);
            if (results.size() == count) {
                return results;
            }
            sleep(options.getRetryInterval());
        }
        throw new DriverException("waitForResultCount timeout: " + locator + " expected count: " + count);
    }

    // ========== Navigation ==========

    @Override
    public String getUrl() {
        return session.getUrl();
    }

    @Override
    public String getTitle() {
        return session.getTitle();
    }

    // ========== Cookies ==========

    @Override
    public void deleteCookie(String name) {

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