WindowsAutomation Reference 2.0/en - Versionsgeschichte

Sv: /* Known issues in the current Release 19.1.0 */

2026-02-23T11:49:22Z

Known issues in the current Release 19.1.0

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	*Lots of additional features such as screen capturing, taking screenshots, highlighting GUI elements, mouse tracking, ...		*Lots of additional features such as screen capturing, taking screenshots, highlighting GUI elements, mouse tracking, ...

	= Known issues in ~~the current Release~~ 19.1.0 =		= Known issues in release 19.1.0 =
	* The WindowsAutomation2.ets library has got a new functional id. When reimporting the library in existing Pre-19.1.0 test suites (which is mandatory), a warning about a changed functional id is shown once. It is ok to accept this dialog.		* The WindowsAutomation2.ets library has got a new functional id. When reimporting the library in existing Pre-19.1.0 test suites (which is mandatory), a warning about a changed functional id is shown once. It is ok to accept this dialog.
	* Instant follow mouse is very expensive in Windows and is therefore disabled. Use ''HotKeys'' to select a GUI element in the tree at the current pointer position or to update the element tree. HotKeys can be configured in the settings. The HotKey-service has to be started. Take care that the keys have not already been grabbed by another application. If that is the case, a warning will be shown, and you should either make sure that expecco is started before the other application, or that you use other hotkey combinations (in either expecco or the application).		* Instant follow mouse is very expensive in Windows and is therefore disabled. Use ''HotKeys'' to select a GUI element in the tree at the current pointer position or to update the element tree. HotKeys can be configured in the settings. The HotKey-service has to be started. Take care that the keys have not already been grabbed by another application. If that is the case, a warning will be shown, and you should either make sure that expecco is started before the other application, or that you use other hotkey combinations (in either expecco or the application).

	= Limitations =		= Limitations =
	* WindowsAutomation only supports XPath1.0.		* WindowsAutomation only supports XPath1.0.

Sv: Änderung übernommen aus altem Wiki von cg, 29.11.25

2026-02-23T11:48:34Z

Änderung übernommen aus altem Wiki von cg, 29.11.25

← Nächstältere Version		Version vom 23. Februar 2026, 11:48 Uhr
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	=== Separating Path Definitions ===		=== Separating Path Definitions ===

	It is highly recommended to add definitions for element-~~pathes~~ into an environment (typically the project environment), and use "Environment Value" references as input to the steps. This gives two benefits:		It is highly recommended to add definitions for element-paths into an environment (typically the project environment), and use "Environment Value" references as input to the steps. This gives two benefits:

	* the paths are hidden and the values at the steps become more readable		* the paths are hidden and the values at the steps become more readable

Mb: /* Frequently Asked Questions */

2025-04-28T07:08:00Z

Frequently Asked Questions

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	== Execution of GUI Actions blocks after Mouse Down ==		== Execution of GUI Actions blocks after Mouse Down ==
	UI Automation is blocking further execution of some blocks after a mouse button <Press>.		UI Automation is blocking further execution of some blocks after a mouse button <Press>.


			== Unable to interact with application (SUT) after Startup ==
			In some cases - e.g. starting the test via Jenkins - the application (SUT) is not in the correct state after startup. You can't find elements and/or actions fail.
			You can try to send "[WA]Window - Normalize" with the path of the window to solve this

Mb am 8. April 2024 um 09:24 Uhr

2024-04-08T09:24:16Z

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	...\bridgeFramework\dotNetBridge\dotNetBin>DotNetBridgeServer.exe -k -s -a 0.0.0.0 -p 34319		...\bridgeFramework\dotNetBridge\dotNetBin>DotNetBridgeServer.exe -k -s -a 0.0.0.0 -p 34319
	: then create a "remote connection" to it.		: then create a "remote connection" to it.

			== Execution of GUI Actions blocks after Mouse Down ==
			UI Automation is blocking further execution of some blocks after a mouse button <Press>.

Cg: /* What is the difference between Click/Invoke/Select/Toggle? */

2023-01-29T14:38:15Z

What is the difference between Click/Invoke/Select/Toggle?

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	== What is the difference between Click/Invoke/Select/Toggle? ==		== What is the difference between Click/Invoke/Select/Toggle? ==
	Click sends a click event, Invoke calls directly into the application's or widget's event handler.		Click sends a click event; Invoke calls directly into the application's or widget's event handler; Select and Toggle usually call the corresponding automation functions (if the app-programmer provided that).

	A click may disfunction if the widget is covered (eg. by a tooltip);		A click generates a click event to the widget; may disfunction if the widget is invisible or covered (eg. by a tooltip).
⚫	an invoke may also not work, if the event handler insists on keyboard focus, mouse position or other state.

		⚫	An invoke skips over the event mechanism and calls the event hander directly. It may also not work, if the event handler insists on keyboard focus, mouse position, shift- or ctrl-key or other state.

	There exists no mechanism which work with any application: for some, you will have to record a mouse-move and/or a set-focus for the click to work.		There exists no mechanism which work with any application: for some, you will have to record a mouse-move and/or a set-focus for the click to work.
	If possible, disable tooltips and other automatically appearing popups in the target app.		If possible, disable tooltips and other automatically appearing popups in the target app.

			If none works, try the click at screen position action (which generates a real mouse-click, not via UI-automation to the widget, but via the Windows Event Queue). This should work in any case, but suffers most from popups, mouse position and keyboard focus.

	== My element supports a certain pattern but blocks of that pattern don't work ==		== My element supports a certain pattern but blocks of that pattern don't work ==

Cg: /* What is the difference between Click/Invoke/Select/Toggle? */

2023-01-29T14:24:56Z

What is the difference between Click/Invoke/Select/Toggle?

← Nächstältere Version		Version vom 29. Januar 2023, 14:24 Uhr
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	== What is the difference between Click/Invoke/Select/Toggle? ==		== What is the difference between Click/Invoke/Select/Toggle? ==
			Click sends a click event, Invoke calls directly into the application's or widget's event handler.
			A click may disfunction if the widget is covered (eg. by a tooltip);
			an invoke may also not work, if the event handler insists on keyboard focus, mouse position or other state.
			There exists no mechanism which work with any application: for some, you will have to record a mouse-move and/or a set-focus for the click to work.
			If possible, disable tooltips and other automatically appearing popups in the target app.

	== My element supports a certain pattern but blocks of that pattern don't work ==		== My element supports a certain pattern but blocks of that pattern don't work ==

Cg: /* Frequently Asked Questions */

2023-01-29T14:15:27Z

Frequently Asked Questions

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	= Frequently Asked Questions =		= Frequently Asked Questions =

			== Some elements are not presented in the UI browser's tree ==
			This happens if the application "draws" elements (such as checkboxes, buttons or text) without using Windows widgets and without providing proper automation support (btw: which a well behaved application should, because this also affects/prevents usability and makes these controls inaccessable to eg. users with vision disabilities).
			We encountered such in table-views containing checkboxes (probably OLE embedded database-tables).
			These elements must be addressed either via coordinates (relative to the containing parent element), or via an image search (grab and define the image in the GUI browser). Both have disadvantages and are inconvenient, but there is no other technical solution.

	== What is the difference between Click/Invoke/Select/Toggle? ==		== What is the difference between Click/Invoke/Select/Toggle? ==

Cg: /* Limitations */

2022-09-16T13:51:48Z

Limitations

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	* WindowsAutomation only supports XPath1.0.		* WindowsAutomation only supports XPath1.0.
	: That means for example, that the "ends-with" function, which is an XPath2 function, is not supported and thus not possible as XPath attribute filter.		: That means for example, that the "ends-with" function, which is an XPath2 function, is not supported and thus not possible as XPath attribute filter.
	: See [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XPath_2.0#Function_library XPath vs. XPath2]] for details. For some (especially "ends-with") there are workarounds by comparing against a substring which is based on the length of the attribute string (see [https://stackoverflow.com/questions/40934644/xpath-testing-that-string-ends-with-substring]).		: See [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XPath_2.0#Function_library XPath vs. XPath2]] for details. For some (especially "ends-with") there are workarounds by comparing against a substring which is based on the length of the attribute string or a regex match (see [https://stackoverflow.com/questions/40934644/xpath-testing-that-string-ends-with-substring]).
	: Notice, that this is a limitation of the Windows operating system, which cannot be worked around in expecco.		: Notice, that this is a limitation of the Windows operating system, which cannot be worked around in expecco.

Cg: /* Limitations */

2022-09-16T13:51:08Z

Limitations

← Nächstältere Version		Version vom 16. September 2022, 13:51 Uhr
Zeile 24:		Zeile 24:
	* WindowsAutomation only supports XPath1.0.		* WindowsAutomation only supports XPath1.0.
	: That means for example, that the "ends-with" function, which is an XPath2 function, is not supported and thus not possible as XPath attribute filter.		: That means for example, that the "ends-with" function, which is an XPath2 function, is not supported and thus not possible as XPath attribute filter.
	: See [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XPath_2.0#Function_library XPath vs. XPath2]] for details. For some (especially "ends-with") there are workarounds by comparing against a substring which is based on the length of the attribute string.		: See [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XPath_2.0#Function_library XPath vs. XPath2]] for details. For some (especially "ends-with") there are workarounds by comparing against a substring which is based on the length of the attribute string (see [https://stackoverflow.com/questions/40934644/xpath-testing-that-string-ends-with-substring]).
	: Notice, that this is a limitation of the Windows operating system, which cannot be worked around in expecco.		: Notice, that this is a limitation of the Windows operating system, which cannot be worked around in expecco.

Cg: /* Limitations */

2022-09-16T13:50:21Z

Limitations

← Nächstältere Version		Version vom 16. September 2022, 13:50 Uhr
Zeile 24:		Zeile 24:
	* WindowsAutomation only supports XPath1.0.		* WindowsAutomation only supports XPath1.0.
	: That means for example, that the "ends-with" function, which is an XPath2 function, is not supported and thus not possible as XPath attribute filter.		: That means for example, that the "ends-with" function, which is an XPath2 function, is not supported and thus not possible as XPath attribute filter.
	: See [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XPath_2.0#Function_library XPath vs. XPath2]] for details. For some (especially "ends-with") there are workarounds by ~~computing~~ a substring based on the length of the attribute string.		: See [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XPath_2.0#Function_library XPath vs. XPath2]] for details. For some (especially "ends-with") there are workarounds by comparing against a substring which is based on the length of the attribute string.
	: Notice, that this is a limitation of the Windows operating system, which cannot be worked around in expecco.		: Notice, that this is a limitation of the Windows operating system, which cannot be worked around in expecco.