topic Re: Combo box in UIA Mode - inconsistent selecting item in Product Forum

Combo box in UIA Mode - inconsistent selecting item

HelpMePlease — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 09:01:28 GMT

Hi.

We are currently trying to select an option from a combo box that we can see on screen and have spied via UIA. The navigation action clicks the element but does not select the required item, which is sent via Select and then Global Send Keys. This is the error message :-

The Failed to perform step 1 in Navigate Stage 'Select Item (Web ID)' on page 'Navigate (ComboBox) - Select Item' - Specified argument was out of the range of valid values.
Parameter name: idname

Sometimes the action works, sometimes it does not - inconsistency is the issue.

Also, what is idname please

Many Thanks

Re: Combo box in UIA Mode - inconsistent selecting item

steven.boggs — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 14:42:58 GMT

Instead of the 'Select Item' action, have you tried using a Global Send Keys action instead?

If you're still getting the error afterwards, make sure you're validating that 'Element Type' and 'Data Type' in the Application Modeler are populated as expected.

Re: Combo box in UIA Mode - inconsistent selecting item

Chakkravarthi_PR — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 21:09:33 GMT

Make the element type as List Item (Web), as per screenshot

and match the attributes as per the need.

In the Navigate try using the Global Send keys and make sure the Combo box is active on screen as per screen shot below,

Re: Combo box in UIA Mode - inconsistent selecting item

Denis__Dennehy — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 15:03:38 GMT

Drop downs are probably one of the element types with the highest likelihood of being difficult to interface with. I think only date pickers are probably more consistently smelly!

The main thing is to not get stuck when one interface does not work, experiment and then move onto try other interfaces. It is fairly usual on older applications to need some global clicks and keystrokes at different points to get things working.

There was a good section on the old (pre current training videos) Surface Automation training providing 4 options to try if you find a combo/drop down difficult to interface with. No doubt this information is still in the BP University training somewhere but unfortunately videos are difficult to search where as an old pdf doc is easily searched.

Anyone know where that information is now in the newer content?? I found a very old v1.3 version of the old training course document from an online search, here is the transcript:

Some combo boxes allow you to simply type in the value you want. Treat these elements as text boxes.

Alternatively, there are four possible options:

Option 1 - Searching for the Value by Entering it into the Combo Box
Select the combo to set focus.
Key the first letter of the item to be selected.
Check it matches the required value. If not, key the second letter, then the third letter, etc.
Keep retrying with a maximum number of attempts.

Option 2 - Searching for the Value by Entering the First Letter into the Combo Box
Select the combo to set focus.
Key the first letter of the item to be selected.
Check it matches required value. If not, key the first letter again.
Keep retrying with a maximum number of attempts.

Option 3 - Searching for the Value using the down key.
Select the combo to set focus.
Send a down key to the application.
Check the value in the combo box matches the required value. If not, send a further down key.
Keep looping until you see the same value twice (you've reached the bottom of the list) or until you've exceeded a maximum number of attempts.

Option 4 - Using the Drop-down List
Click the drop-down element of the combo box to expose the selectable values.
Return the list of visible values and their screen positions to Blue Prism
Select the required value if visible
Scroll down the list until the required value appears or the same value appears twice (you've reached the bottom of the list) or until you've exceeded a maximum number of retries.

Re: Combo box in UIA Mode - inconsistent selecting item

HelpMePlease — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 07:01:25 GMT

Thank you Steven. We will give that a try.

Re: Combo box in UIA Mode - inconsistent selecting item

HelpMePlease — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 07:02:48 GMT

Hi Chakkravarthi. Appreciate you coming back to me. We will give your suggestion a try.

Re: Combo box in UIA Mode - inconsistent selecting item

HelpMePlease — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 07:07:45 GMT

Hi Denis. Thank you so much for coming back to me and for also going to the effort of looking at older training documentation - it is greatly appreciated! We will give it a go! Thanks again