UIAutomation to detect controls that have repeated AutomationID and properties

[RadicalKoncepts]

I am using UIAutomation in AutoIT to autoamate a windows forms. At a particular form, I see repeated checkbox with Y and N as options as groups and interestingly I find all have the same Name, AutomationId, Text (Y/N). 

I am using Inspect to identify control definition and properties on these controls, but with no success! I need help to learn on possible techniques that are available to iterate/loop through these groups of check box(es) and uniquely click on them.

Please Note - I am able to use sendkey command for the first Checkbox in a group. By the time, I try to access next checkbox in another group, I was not able to succeed. May I get some help here please.

[Exit]

And why do not we see the URL and the created code?
Help us so we can help you.

[RadicalKoncepts]

Its a windows application and I tried using simplespy. It did generate code without much luck. I tried to put those code within and it was pointed to wrong checkbox. I am going blank without ideas at the moment.

[Exit]

Use Au3Info and look for Classname and instance

[junkew]

Uiawrappers also have index, instance and indexrelative. So if simplespy highlights the object you just have to tweak description to identify object.

Make sure to use latest version from uiawrappers.

Edited May 19, 2019 by junkew

[RadicalKoncepts]

I tried using instance sequence number. However, the automation breaks - I mean I have compiled it to an .exe and tested. Is there a try..catch block kind of stuffs that I can use to identify where and why things goes wrong?

In my case, I have almost 15 Y/N option where an end user has to provide their responses. As and when I tried to setfocus/highlight/click, the .exe crashes! I am trying to learn while experimenting..not an good option though. May I get help here please?

 

[RadicalKoncepts]

I used index, instance. No much help to succeed. Is there a way to iterate controls that are available in TableLayoutpanel and perform click operation based on Text identification? Please help.

[RadicalKoncepts]

No luck. Is there a pseudo code or example that I can see or understand traversing or walking through controls in a panel or controls that has same id? I am trying to learn while experimenting!! Can I take help here?

[junkew]

Try the concept of index and indexrelative on calc.exe and start new thread in supportforum with example code.

In iuiautomation thread you can see examples on treewalkers and uaage of indexrelative. Just search with your editor in the examples.

[junkew]

Ok full example on how to come where you want to be

1. Start calc.exe
2. Start Simplespy
3. Hover on button 1 and press ctrl+w

Example for a dutch W10 system

;~ *** Standard code maintainable ***
#include "UIAWrappers.au3"
AutoItSetOption("MustDeclareVars", 1)

_UIA_setVar("oP1","Title:=Rekenmachine;controltype:=UIA_WindowControlTypeId;class:=ApplicationFrameWindow") ;Rekenmachine
_UIA_setVar("oP2","Title:=Rekenmachine;controltype:=UIA_WindowControlTypeId;class:=Windows.UI.Core.CoreWindow") ;Rekenmachine
_UIA_setVar("oP3","Title:=;controltype:=UIA_GroupControlTypeId;class:=LandmarkTarget")  ;
_UIA_setVar("oP4","Title:=Numeriek toetsenbord;controltype:=UIA_GroupControlTypeId;class:=NamedContainerAutomationPeer")    ;Numeriek toetsenbord

;~ $oUIElement=_UIA_getObjectByFindAll("Een.mainwindow", "title:=Een;ControlType:=UIA_ButtonControlTypeId", $treescope_subtree)
_UIA_setVar("oUIElement","Title:=Een;controltype:=UIA_ButtonControlTypeId;class:=Button") ;ControlType:=UIA_ButtonControlTypeId;classname:=Button")

;~ Actions split away from logical/technical definition above can come from configfiles 

;~_UIA_Action("oP1","highlight")
_UIA_Action("oP1","setfocus")
;~_UIA_Action("oP2","highlight")
_UIA_Action("oP2","setfocus")
;~_UIA_Action("oP3","highlight")
_UIA_Action("oP3","setfocus")
;~_UIA_Action("oP4","highlight")
_UIA_Action("oP4","setfocus")

_UIA_action("oUIElement","highlight")
;~_UIA_action("oUIElement","click")

Clean up to something like this

I leave out the hierarchy of the different parents as mainly mainwindow is needed and leaf in ui hierarchy. If you observe speedissues it can help to put in additional layers of the hierarchy

;~ *** Standard code maintainable ***
#include "UIAWrappers.au3"
AutoItSetOption("MustDeclareVars", 1)

_UIA_setVar("oP1","Title:=Rekenmachine;controltype:=UIA_WindowControlTypeId;class:=ApplicationFrameWindow") ;Rekenmachine
_UIA_setVar("oUIElement","Title:=Een;controltype:=UIA_ButtonControlTypeId;class:=Button") ;ControlType:=UIA_ButtonControlTypeId;classname:=Button")

;~ Actions split away from logical/technical definition above can come from configfiles
_UIA_Action("oP1","highlight")
_UIA_Action("oP1","setfocus")
_UIA_action("oUIElement","highlight")
_UIA_action("oUIElement","click")

And play with instance property

#_UIA_setVar("oUIElement","Title:=Een;controltype:=UIA_ButtonControlTypeId;class:=Button") ;ControlType:=UIA_ButtonControlTypeId;classname:=Button")
_UIA_setVar("oUIElement","controltype:=UIA_ButtonControlTypeId;instance:=1") ;ControlType:=UIA_ButtonControlTypeId;classname:=Button")

And transformed to a full example (hopefully works in different languages of W10 directly)

expandcollapse popup

AutoItSetOption("MustDeclareVars", 1)
#include "UIAWrappers.au3"

Example()

Func Example()
    Local $sp=wingetprocess("[active]")
    ; Run calc with the window maximized.
    Local $iPID = Run("calc", "", @SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED)

    ; Wait for the calc window to appear and be active
    Local $maxTry=1
    while ($sp=wingetprocess("[active]")) and $maxTry <= 10
        sleep(1000)
        $maxTry=$maxTry+1
    WEnd

    ; Wait for 2 seconds.
    Sleep(2000)
    Local $calcTitle=wingettitle("[active]")

    ;~ Declaration of reference definitions could be put in UIA.CFG
    ;~ [calc]
    ;~ oP1=Title:=Rekenmachine;controltype:=UIA_WindowControlTypeId;class:=ApplicationFrameWindow
    ;~ oUIElement=controltype:=UIA_ButtonControlTypeId;instance:=11
    ;~  But will do it for demo in coding
    _UIA_setVar("oP1","Title:=" & $calcTitle & ";controltype:=UIA_WindowControlTypeId;class:=ApplicationFrameWindow")   ;Rekenmachine
    _UIA_setVar("oUIElement","controltype:=UIA_ButtonControlTypeId;instance:=11") ;ControlType:=UIA_ButtonControlTypeId;classname:=Button")

    ;~ Actions split away from logical/technical definition above can come from configfiles
    _UIA_Action("oP1","highlight")
    _UIA_Action("oP1","setfocus")
    _UIA_action("oUIElement","highlight")
    _UIA_action("oUIElement","click")

;~  Just a bunch of buttons to highlight using instance property with dynamic description
    for $i=10 to 34
        _UIA_action("controltype:=UIA_ButtonControlTypeId;instance:=" & $i ,"highlight")
    Next

    sleep(5000)
    ; Close the calc process using the PID returned by Run.
    ProcessClose($iPID)
EndFunc   ;==>Example

 

[RadicalKoncepts]

Thanks a tonne Junkew. I tried your directions with examples only today. It makes sense and works. Quick question here. The setFocus function creates a re color border rectangle on a target element. Is it possible to suppress or make it look like native windows focus kind?

[junkew]

There is a uia.cfg where you can set this behavior from highlighting true/false

[Global]
Debug=false
Debug.file=false
Highlight=true
AutoStartSUT=false

If the file does not exist it falls back to true as default

you could overrule it in your coding with

_UIA_setVar("Global.Highlight", False)

and to be complete for the other 2

_UIA_setVar("Global.Debug", True)
    _UIA_setVar("Global.Debug.File", True)
    _UIA_setVar("Global.Highlight", True)