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Automation Commands
atotalnoob edited this page Jun 25, 2018
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The automation commands are grouped together by parent category. You can view the commands available for each category by clicking the name or scrolling down to the appropriate section.
Category Name | Description |
---|---|
Web Browser Commands | Contains commands for Chrome web browser automation |
Misc Commands | Contains commands not specifically grouped to a category |
Window Commands | Contains commands to automate thick application windows |
Programs/Process Commands | Contains commands for managing applications and processes |
Variable Commands | Contains commands for managing variables |
Clipboard Commands | Contains commands for managing the current clipboard |
Input Commands | Contains commands for automating input to application windows |
Loop Commands | Contains commands for creating iterations |
Excel Commands | Contains commands for Excel automation |
String Commands | Contains commands for parsing strings |
If Commands | Contains commands for testing and evaluating conditions |
Image Commands | Contains commands for imaging automation |
WebAPI Commands | Contains commands for retrieving web pages without needing UI automation |
Task Commands | Contains commands for starting and stopping tasks |
Text File Commands | Contains commands for retrieving web pages without needing UI automation |
File Operation Commands | Contains commands for retrieving web pages without needing UI automation |
This group uses Selenium to achieve automation. A Web Browser Session (Chrome) is created and tracked by the instance name - subsequent calls should refer to the same instance name created in the initial Create Browser command. In addition to standard browser functionality (navigation, refresh, etc.) you may choose to manipulate web pages through the Element Action command. You can search for elements by XPath, Name, Class Name, and more. The Element Action command can work with web page elements - getting text, setting text, waiting for elements to exist, invoking clicks on elements and pulling back standard DOM (document object model) properties.
Command Name | Description | When To Use |
---|---|---|
Create Browser | Creates a new instance of the Chrome selenium driver for automation (chromedriver.exe) | You want to start a new web browser session to perform automation |
Navigate to URL | Navigates the Chrome session to a specified URL | You want to navigate the web browser to a new or specific page |
Navigate Forward | Navigates the Chrome session 'forward' if applicable | You want to move the browser forward to a page it has already been |
Navigate Back | Navigates the Chrome session 'backward' if applicable | You want to move the browser backwards to a page it has already been |
Refresh | Forces the current page to refresh (reload) | You want to refresh or reload the current page of the browser |
Close Browser | Closes and disposes of the Chrome session | You are finished with browser automation |
Element Action | Performs actions on web page elements | You want to manipulate or scrape data from a web page |
This group represents commands with miscellaneous functionality. Generally helpful utility commands including error handling, pausing, commenting, message boxes, screenshots, and SMTP functionality.
Command Name | Description | When To Use |
---|---|---|
Pause Script | Pauses the executing script for a specified interval | You want to pause the script for a determined amount of time - you need to wait some time for something to load or want to slow the process down |
Error Handling | Specifies the next steps to take if an error occurs | You want to define a series of actions in the event an error is encountered and unhandled |
Add Code Comment | Adds and displays an in-line user-specified comment | You want to add explanation to your script commands - great for making notes or call outs in your script |
Show Message | Displays a message on-screen and optionally closes after a specified interval | You want to display a message to the user or debug a value |
Send SMTP Email | Sends an email using specified SMTP settings | You want to send an email from the automation script |
Sequence Command | Creates a new command that appears as a single item but lets you embed multiple commands within it by double-clicking the command. Used by the screen recorder to group commands as requested by the user (mouse moves or all). | You want to create multiple commands but do not want them to crowd the main screen. |
This group uses native Windows32 API to achieve automation and performs simple actions on existing windows. The engine will first attempt to locate the window as exactly named. If the window is not found, then it will look through the current processes running to see if any of those main windows contain the text specified by the user.
Command Name | Description | When To Use |
---|---|---|
Activate Window | Activates a specified window | You want to give focus to a specific window |
Move Window | Moves a specified window to a point on-screen | You want to move a window to a specified location on-screen |
Close Window | Closes a specified window | You want to close a specified window - note some applications will prompt to save changes even if this command is called |
Set Window State | Sets the state of a window (Maximize, Minimize, Restore) | You want to change or set the state of a window to one of the types specified |
Wait For Window To Exist | Waits for a window to exist until a specified amount of time elapses (altenative to running the Pause Script command as it efficiently exits once a window name is detected) | You want automation to wait for a window that will eventually exist |
This group is used for starting/stopping processes as well as running scripts. The Start Process command differs from the Run Script command because the former starts a process and resumes script execution yet the latter will wait for the process to exit before resuming execution.
Command Name | Description | When To Use |
---|---|---|
Start Process | Starts a specified program or process | You want to start a program or a process (ex .exe) and immediately continue execution of the subsequent automation commands |
Stop Process | Ends a specified process name. Ending process name must be how it appears to be running under task manager (calc.exe not calc, for example) | You want to end an existing process |
Run Script | Runs a script and waits for the script to exit before continuing | You want to start a program or a process (ex .vbs, powershell script) but want to wait for the script to finish before resuming execution of subsequent automation commands |
Command Name | Description | When To Use |
---|---|---|
Set Variable | Sets a variable to a specified value provided by the user | You want to manually set the value of a user-defined variable |
Command Name | Description | When To Use |
---|---|---|
Get Text | Gets the current value of the Clipboard and applies it to a user-specified variable | You want to get the contents of the clipboard and parse/work with it |
No RPA application would be complete without the ability to send input. This command group handles inputs and interactions with user interfaces whether mouse inputs, keystrokes, or thick application automation of window handles.
Command Name | Description | When To Use |
---|---|---|
Send Keystrokes | Sends keystrokes to the current or targeted window. Accepts standard SendKeys inputs such as ^ for CTRL as well as special key presses within brackets such as {ENTER}. More detail can be found here | You want to send keystrokes (typing) to a current or specified window |
Send Mouse Move | Moves the mouse on screen and clicks if specified | You want to move the mouse to a certain point on screen or click something on the screen at a specific location |
Click UI Item | Clicks an item in a thick application window | You want to click an item on-screen in a more dynamic way than a simple location. Note that the window must exist and be rendered on screen for this command to work. |
Get UI Item | Gets text of an item in a thick application window | You want to get text from an application on screen |
Command Name | Description | When To Use |
---|---|---|
Run Query | Allows the user to run a query on a database | You want to get data out of a database and iterate over it using the loop command. |
Command Name | Description | When To Use |
---|---|---|
Loop Number Of Times | Signifies the start of a repeating loop and specifies the number of times to iterate | You want to perform an action (or many actions) many times |
Loop List | Signifies the start of a repeating loop and specifies a list variable to iterate over. Currently, string split generates a list. | You want to loop over each item in a list variable generated from the split string command. |
Loop Excel Dataset | Allows iteration over an Excel Dataset | You want to loop over multiple Excel Cells. |
End Loop | Signifies the exit point of a repeating loop | You want to signify the end-point of a loop command |
This group handles automation for Excel and features the ability to perform operations like getting cell data, setting cell data, managing workbooks, and running macros. Note Excel must be installed, licensed, and available for these commands to work.
Command Name | Description | When To Use |
---|---|---|
Create Excel Application | Creates a new instance of the Excel application | You want to create a new instance of the Excel Application |
Open Workbook | Opens a Workbook within an Excel session | You want to open an existing workbook |
Add Workbook | Adds a Workbook to an Excel session | You want to create a new workbook |
Go To Cell | Moves to a specified cell in the current Excel session | You want to move to a specific cell in the workbook |
Set Cell | Sets the value of a specified cell in the current Excel session | You want to set the value of a specific cell in the workbook |
Get Cell | Gets the value of a specified cell in the current Excel session and assigns to a variable | You want to get the value of a specific cell in the workbook |
Run Macro | Runs a Macro in the current Excel session | You want to run a macro in the current workbook. Note the macro must already exist for this command to work. |
Close Application | Closes the instance of the Excel application | You are finished with Excel Automation |
Command Name | Description | When To Use |
---|---|---|
Substring | Trims a string to a specified length based on required starting position and length | You want to pull only a piece of a length of text |
Split | Splits a string by a delimiter and applies the result as a list to a variable. Also supports splitting by new line if [crLF] is provided as delimiter | You want to take a length of text and create a list based on a delimiter |
This group enables the ability to define and execute a conditional statement (if statement is true). Also includes the ability to run statements within the same If block whether true or false (Else).
Command Name | Description | When To Use |
---|---|---|
Begin If | Defines a new conditional statement that will be tested for a TRUE condition (outcome) | You want to create a conditional test and run commands in the event the condition is met |
Else | Creates logic and helps seperate commands within the same if block to run if the tested condition was not TRUE (false) | In the event the condition is not met, you want to run subsequent commands |
End If | Signifies the exit point of an If block | You want to signify the end point of the Begin If command |
This group handles image manipulation including OCR (Optical Character Recognition) as well as taking desktop screenshots.
Command Name | Description | When To Use |
---|---|---|
Perform OCR | Accepts input parameter to an image file path and turns an image into a usable string of text, applying the result to a user-define variable | You want to get the text of an image |
Image Recognition | Searches the screen and attempts to find a reference image, optionally clicking the image once found | You want to identify an element on screen and click it or move the mouse to it |
Take Screenshot | Takes a screenshot of the specified window | You want to take a screenshot of a window/desktop and save it to a file |
This group enables the ability to request web pages without using a browser. Sites that may require logons/cookies are better suited for Web Browser Automation, however, if the data you want to retrieve is readily available, you can use this command set to make the request as it is more efficient than Web Browser automation.
Command Name | Description | When To Use |
---|---|---|
HTTP Request | Makes a HTTP Web Request to the specified URL. The page source is retrieved and applied to a user-defined variable | You want to get the source of a web page for parsing |
HTTP Result Query | Allows parsing of a successful HTTP Request by specifying XPath as a filter. | You want to parse the XPath of the HTTP Request result to get data |
Command Name | Description | When To Use |
---|---|---|
Stop Current Task | Ends execution of the current task | You want to stop the current task |
Run Task | Runs another task file | You want to run commands in another task file |
Command Name | Description | When To Use |
---|---|---|
Write To File | Writes data to the selected file | You want to log data or add data to a text file |
Read Text File | Reads the contents of a text file into a variable | You want to read text file data |
Command Name | Description | When To Use |
---|---|---|
Move/Copy File | Moves or Copies a file to a specified file path | You want to move or copy files |
Delete File | Deletes a file | You want to remove or delete a file |
Rename File | Renames a file | You want to rename a file |