MS Edge Extension Issues

[EnzoSmith]

Hi All,

I'm running various processes in VM's using MS Edge and using Blue Prism v6.10.1. In recovery's i have Close EDGE so the window is closed gently rather than using kill process or terminate.  After this i have a Launch, but the issue i am having is when it is retrying the process falls over and the log states:

Failed to perform step 1 in Navigate Stage 'Launch Oracle' on page 'Launch' - The browser extension was not detected, please check that it has been installed and enabled. For more information, see the browser extension user guide. https://bpdocs.blueprism.com/bp-6-10/en-us/Guides/chrome-firefox/chrome-firefox.htm

If i log into the VM and open Edge the extension is active and available, I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling the extension but i still keeping the error.

I am also using Java and that is also being closed gently instead of kill or terminate. 

No matter which way i close down the environments (gently or harshly) i keep getting that error on the retrying to launch EDGE again.

Only way round it is to log out of the VM and log back in.  

Our organisation is also transitioning to move most of our process from IE to EDGE and this is causing big problems when the VM's are running over night.

Any suggestions?

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Enzo
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[tok]

Seems it disappeared.  i'll try to upload it as a txt file you can rename the extension to bpobject

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Troels Krogh
IT Consultant
HK Danmark
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[ChrisCutting]

The model that you have above is for a browser, when set as a windows application you should see slightly different options, as shown here;

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Chris Cutting
Real Time Development Consultant
BT
Europe/London
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[EnzoSmith]

Thanks Troels, i will have a look to see if it can resolve the issue.

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Enzo Smith
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[EnzoSmith]

Thanks Chris i will create a separate object and try this also

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Enzo Smith
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[EnzoSmith]

Hi All, 

Quick update on my findings, Chris Cutting mentioned using Edge as an object on its own set up in windows application mode. 

What i found was that if i close Edge in a browser object i get the extension not installed issue when trying to Launch edge again. 

So what i did was create a separate object  for MS Edge in windows application mode that Chris suggested and created a page that just launches Edge and closes Edge.

I then tested this buy creating a process that opens and harshly kills edge 3 times using an action that points to MS Edge in Application Mode (Launch>Wait> Kill>Wait> x 3), and it launched it successfully each time with no extension issues.

I then created the exact same flow (Launch>Wait> Kill>Wait>) x 3  in the process using an action that points to MS Edge in Browser Mode, the first Launch was OK, then it killed Edge and low and behold the next time it tried to launch Edge i had the extension not installed error.

I created a stand alone object so in a process where i use Edge in browser mode, on my close / terminate edge page i add in at the very end an action that points to Ms Edge set up in Application Mode to open and close the window before it reattempts to Launch again in browser mode.

When added to the processes i was having issues with it worked and i no longer received the Edge extension issue.  

So it seems that when you close Edge in browser mode it does not always release the extension regardless of how Edge is closed down and regardless of any wait stages, but opening and closing it in Windows Application Mode forces it to be released. 

I have attached the Ms Edge Object i created in Windows Application Mode as Release to Launch & Close Edge (as a txt file just rename the file extension .bprelease), feel free to use it. Just add it in as an Action in your MS Edge Browser Object. (See my example below, Ms Edge Application Mode highlighted in yellow)

Thanks Everyone and thank you Chris for the suggestion, 



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Enzo Smith
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[LewisCamron]

There's a relatively easy Blue Prism way, and a more complex Group Policy way.

Blue Prism way

1. at the completion of a process do not use a Terminate step, instead use SEND KEY EVENTS with "<{CTRL}{W}>{CTRL}" to close the window. This drastically reduces the chances of getting the restore pages error on relaunch. (For extra safety you can follow that with a short wait, then a Terminate, inside a block to catch the errors)

2. at the start of a process use a 'Read Process Working Set' to check for any instances of 'msedge' that are running. If any are running then call 'Kill Process' to terminate them. Note that this WILL cause the problem with restore pages to appear

3. when you first open Edge on your launch stage, wait a few seconds, then use CTRL+W as above to do a gentle close. Wait a few more seconds then launch again. As the most recent close was a gentle one, the browser will not show the restore pages prompt.

Group Policy way (untested)

Older versions of Edge would allow you to suppress the restore pages prompt, originally with a setting, then later with a registry key. Unfortunately both of these were depreciated by Microsoft.

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Nu-Way Bin Rentals
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[ChrisCutting]

Hi Lewis

Nice copy / paste, but that's my own advice from earlier in this same thread, if you wish to cite me please at least have the courtesy to attach my name to the advice.

Chris Cutting

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Chris Cutting
Real Time Development Consultant
BT
Europe/London
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[TaniaOvchar]

Hi Chris, 

I was tying to implement your advices,
After I kill Edge and open it again in order to close it softly, it gives an error already that extension was not identified. So I can't interact with the window and close it softly.
Do yo have any advice here, please?

Tetiana

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Tania Ovchar
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[SimphiweTshezi]

Hi Tania

You probably got help on this already, but for somebody who might have the same issue you've kindly raised I had found that to close down edge and not get any error when you launch it again, in your navigate stage in helps that you first focus on a static field (i.e search bar) and your second line should be send key events:  "<{CTRL}{W}>{CTRL}". This will help to gently close MS Edge. I hope it helps.

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Simphiwe Tshezi
Software Developer (RPA)
Altron Managed Solutions
Johannesburg
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