Use the Universal App Connector
Create automations for your Windows, Java, Google Chrome, and Edge browser-based applications by using the Universal App Connector (UAC). Configure the applications from a single, unified connector and capture the screens and elements or screen controls such as check boxes, and buttons. Use the methods of these screens and elements to build your automation.
Before you begin
Add the Universal App Connector plugin from the Plugins Manager before using the connector. For more information about adding the SSH plugin, see Manage plugins in RPA Desktop Design Studio.
Verify that you have open or active Windows, Java, Google Chrome, or Edge applications.
Role required: None
Procedure
In the Toolbox pane, navigate to Connectors, and drag Universal App Connector to Global Objects in the Project Explorer pane.
The connector is added as a UniversalApplication object under Global Objects.
To use the methods at the Universal App Connector connector level, double-click the UniversalApplication object.
For example, the Start method is used if you want the browser or application to start before interacting with any application screens or elements.
The methods appear in the Object Explorer pane.
To configure the screens and elements in the UAC, do the steps.
Under Global Objects, right-click UniversalApplication and select Configure.
On the Configure screens and elements window, select the Choose from an open window drop-down (
Choose from an open window drop-down.\) and select an application screen.
Open applications.
**Note:**
- If no supported applications are open, the `App window not found message` is displayed.
- To display newly opened application screens on the list, select the Click to refresh windows icon \(
Click to refresh windows icon.\).
3. To filter the opened applications by their type, select the **All** filter application type icon \(
Filter application type icon.\) and select All or the application type.
For example, if you select **Chrome**, only Google Chrome web pages appear in the **Choose from an open window** list.
For example, if you select **Windows Application**, only Windows screens appear in the **Choose from an open window** list.
Filter the application types.
4. To add the selected application screen, select **Add screen**.
After you do this step, you can capture the screen elements to perform actions.
The application screen appears under the Screens and elements pane.
Application screen name appears under Screens and elements.
5. To capture the elements from the screen, under the Screen and elements pane, right-click the added screen and select **Capture Element**.
Capture Element option.
The focus is set on the application screen that you had captured and the capture elements dialog appears.
For example, when you are capturing elements of a Windows application such as Notepad. If you select the **UIA** mode \(UI Automation\), the scroll bar of the Notepad is also captured.
UI Automation mode of the Windows application, such as Notepad.
If you select the **AA** mode \(Active Accessibility\), the scroll bar of the Notepad is not captured.
Active Accessibility mode of the Windows application, such as Notepad.
6. To use the methods at the **Universal App Connector** connector level for the two modes, UI Automation and Active Accessibility, double-click the **UniversalApplication** object.
For more information about the methods for UI Automation mode and Active Accessibility mode, see [Methods of UI Automation mode and Active Accessibility mode](uac-windows-uia-aa-methods.md).
The methods appear in the Object Explorer pane.
- Do any of the following options for a desired action.
| Option | Action |
|---|---|
| To rename UniversalApplication | Navigate to Global Objects in the Project Explorer pane, right-click the UniversalApplication and select Rename. Image omitted: uac-rename-right-click.png From Global objects, right-click the UniversalApplication and select Rename.</td></tr><tr><td id="d188332e480"><strong>To change the name of the screen while configuring the screens and elements</strong></td><td><ol> The information of the selected application screen appears under the Properties pane.
The name of the application is updated in the Screens and elements pane. Image omitted: uac-update-screen-name.png Update the application screen name in the Properties section.</p></td></tr><tr><td id="d188332e523"><strong>To identify the screen uniquely</strong></td><td><p>Use the screen match rules to identify and locate the screen.During the execution, the plugin must identify the target screen uniquely to automate actions on the screen. Examples of attributes are the title or URL of the application screen. The attributes appear under the <strong>Screen match rules</strong> pane on the <strong>Configure screens and elements</strong> window. The UAC uses the screen match rules to identify the screen first, and uses the element match rule to identify the element, and then, perform actions on elements such as Click or Get Text.</p> Image omitted: uac-connector-screen-match-rules.png Screen match rules.</p> The image below shows an example of multiple elements that match the same criteria given in the Match Attributes section. A multiple number of instances, if any, appears when you refresh the captured element, is indicated within the brackets in red. In such cases, you must tweak the attributes to select exactly the element that needs to be automated. The user can refresh to check if the selected criteria match exactly one element. Image omitted: uac-connector-multiple-instances.png Multiple instances of captured element.</p></td></tr><tr><td id="d188332e554"><strong>To identify an element uniquely</strong></td><td><p>Use the element match rules to edit the values in the provided <strong>Locator</strong> and the <strong>Match Attributes</strong> sections.During the execution, the plugin must identify the target element uniquely to automate actions on the element. The attributes appear under the <strong>Match Attributes</strong> pane on the <strong>Configure screens and elements</strong> window. The UAC uses the screen match rules to identify the screen first, and uses the element match rule to identify the element, and then, perform actions on elements such as Click or Get Text.</p> The image shows the match rules of an element captured. Image omitted: uac-connector-child-element-match-rules.png Use the locators of the captured elements.For more information, see Find the elements on the application screen.Element and its match rules.</p></td></tr><tr><td id="d188332e586"><strong>To find the elements on the application screen</strong></td><td> |
| To view the path to an iframe, if any, in a captured element |
The iframe appears. Image omitted: uac-connnector-iframe.png iframe appears.</p>
Image omitted: uac-connector-iframe-locator.png iframe locator.</p></td></tr></tbody>
Image omitted: uac-connector-captured-controls.png Captured screen controls.
What to do nextDesign the automation by using the different methods for the application screens and elements, and save the automation. Parent Topic:Universal app connector |