Desktop Actions
Introduction
This document provides an overview of how Autom Mate's Desktop Actions interact with user interfaces to automate tasks and enhance workflow processes. By leveraging these actions, users can streamline repetitive tasks performed on their desktop, such as navigating websites, clicking buttons, entering data, and more. This integration ensures that users can automate and simplify their workflows, allowing them to focus on more critical activities without worrying about manual interactions.
Warning
To enable desktop actions, the Mate Agent must be installed in the on-premises environment. If Autom Mate is installed in a fully cloud-based setup, desktop actions will not be activated, and users will not see the corresponding library in the system library.
Desktop Actions Availability:
Hybrid Environment: Supported (Mate Agent - On-Premises / Autom Center - Cloud).
Fully On-Premises Environment: Supported.
Fully Cloud-Based Environment: Not Supported.
This limitation is architectural and requires users to ensure the appropriate environment setup to access desktop actions functionality.
What are Desktop Actions?
Autom Mate Desktop Actions are a set of predefined actions that simulate user interactions on a computer. These actions can mimic various tasks, such as clicking on a specific area, entering text into fields, scrolling through pages, and more. These tools are crucial for automating repetitive processes, improving efficiency, and reducing manual workload.
Autom Mate integrates seamlessly with desktop environments to automate various user interface-related tasks. By using Desktop Actions within Autom Mate, users can create workflows that interact directly with the computer's user interface, ensuring consistency and saving valuable time. This integration is designed to interact with desktop elements to automate processes such as data entry, navigation, and more.
How To Use
To create a flow for the record capture process, you can access the list of actions from three different locations:
Autom Workspace
Click the "+ or drop here" button to reveal library categories.
Select the "UI ACTION" category.
Click on the "DESKTOP ACTIONS" button to access the list of available actions.
Add desired actions to the flow by clicking on them.
Desktop Screen Preview
Click on the "FULL SCREEN" button.
The list of actions will appear on the right side of the screen.
Add actions to the flow by clicking on them.
Desktop Recorder
Click on the "DESKTOP ACTIONS" button to access the list of available actions.
Add actions to the flow by clicking on them.
Scope
Description and Purpose: The "Scope" action in Autom Mate is the foundational step for performing UI automation tasks. This action is essential as it defines the boundaries within which all other UI actions will operate. The "Scope" action ensures that each interaction within the automation process is accurately captured and executed by setting the appropriate context and environment.
Usage: To use the "Scope" action, follow these steps:
Drag and Drop: Begin by dragging and dropping the "Scope" action onto the Autom screen. This action must be the first step in your UI automation process.
Configure Waiting Time: In the Action Control Center section, you can configure the waiting time in milliseconds, which controls how long the automation should wait before proceeding to the next action within the scope.
Start Recording: Click on the "SET RECORDING" button to initiate the recording process. The relevant screenshots are captured directly from the server where the agent is installed, ensuring accurate representation of the environment.
Automatic Addition: For each record captured, a separate "Scope" action is automatically added to the Autom screen, ensuring that every interaction is properly encapsulated.
Action Output: The successful execution of the "Scope" action results in a defined environment where all subsequent UI actions can be performed accurately. It sets the stage for capturing and processing screenshots and interactions, ensuring that the automation flow operates within the correct context.
Crop Image
Description and Purpose: The "Crop Image" action in Autom Mate allows users to select and capture a specific portion of an image. This action is particularly useful when there is a need to extract or manipulate a certain region of an image, such as a screenshot, to isolate specific content or elements.
Usage: To use the "Crop Image" action, users must specify the region of the image to be cropped. The following inputs are required:
Region Selection: Define the coordinates and dimensions of the area to be cropped from the image. Users can either manually input these parameters or use an interactive tool to select the area directly.
Action Output: The successful execution of the "Crop Image" action will result in the creation of a cropped image file containing only the specified region. This output can then be used for further processing or analysis within Autom Mate.
Find & Click
Description and Purpose: The "Find & Click" action in Autom Mate is used to locate and interact with a specific UI element by clicking on it. This action is essential for automating tasks that involve triggering actions like opening a menu, submitting a form, or navigating to a different page by simulating a mouse click.
Usage: To use the "Find & Click" action, users need to provide the following input:
Element Selector: Define the criteria or selector to locate the UI element that needs to be clicked. This could be based on attributes like ID, class name, or other identifying properties.
Action Output: The successful execution of the "Find & Click" action will result in the targeted UI element being clicked. This interaction will trigger the associated action within the user interface, such as opening a link or submitting a form.
Find & Input
Description and Purpose: The "Find & Input" action in Autom Mate is designed to locate a text input field and enter the specified text into it. This action is crucial for automating data entry tasks, such as filling out login forms, search fields, or other text-based inputs.
Usage: To use the "Find & Input" action, the user must provide the following inputs:
Input Field Selector: Specify the selector to identify the input field where the text will be entered.
Text to Enter: Provide the text string that should be input into the selected field.
Action Output: The successful execution of the "Find & Input" action will result in the provided text being entered into the specified input field. This allows for automated data entry in forms or other text-based elements within the user interface.
Get Text
Description and Purpose: The "Get Text" action in Autom Mate allows users to extract text content from a specific element within the user interface. This action is commonly used to retrieve and validate information from web pages, application windows, or dialog boxes.
Usage: To use the "Get Text" action, the following input is required:
Element Selector: Define the criteria or selector to locate the UI element from which the text will be extracted.
Action Output: The successful execution of the "Get Text" action will result in the retrieval of the text content from the specified UI element. This text can then be used for further processing or validation in the automation workflow.
Hover
Description and Purpose: The "Hover" action in Autom Mate simulates moving the mouse cursor over a specific UI element without clicking. This action is useful for triggering dropdown menus, tooltips, or revealing additional information that appears upon hovering.
Usage: To use the "Hover" action, users need to provide the following input:
Element Selector: Specify the selector to identify the UI element that the cursor will hover over.
Action Output: The successful execution of the "Hover" action will result in the simulated hovering over the specified element, which can trigger associated UI behaviors like displaying a tooltip or revealing hidden content.
Key Combination
Description and Purpose: The "Key Combination" action in Autom Mate allows users to simulate pressing a combination of keys, such as Ctrl+C (copy) or Ctrl+V (paste). This action is vital for automating tasks that rely on keyboard shortcuts.
Usage: To use the "Key Combination" action, users must specify the following input:
Key Combination: Define the combination of keys to be pressed (e.g., Ctrl+C).
Action Output: The successful execution of the "Key Combination" action will result in the simulation of the specified keyboard shortcut, performing the corresponding action within the application.
Key Press
Description and Purpose: The "Key Press" action in Autom Mate is used to simulate pressing a single key on the keyboard. This action is useful for automating typing individual keys, such as letters, numbers, or function keys, in various user interfaces.
Usage: To use the "Key Press" action, the following input is required:
Key to Press: Specify the key that should be pressed (e.g., "A" or "Enter").
Action Output: The successful execution of the "Key Press" action will result in the specified key being pressed, simulating a key press event within the application.
Key Tab
Description and Purpose: The "Key Tab" action in Autom Mate simulates pressing the "Tab" key on the keyboard. This action is often used for keyboard-based navigation within forms or fields, moving the focus from one element to another.
Usage: The "Key Tab" action requires no additional input beyond initiating the action.
Action Output: The successful execution of the "Key Tab" action will move the focus to the next interactive element in the user interface, such as the next input field in a form.
Pagination
Description and Purpose: The "Pagination" action in Autom Mate is used to navigate between multiple pages or sections of content within an application. This action is essential for automating tasks that involve interacting with content spread across different pages, like search results or lists.
Usage: To use the "Pagination" action, the following input is needed:
Pagination Controls: Specify the UI elements that control pagination, such as "Next" and "Previous" buttons.
Action Output: The successful execution of the "Pagination" action will result in navigating to the next or previous page, allowing the automation to continue interacting with paginated content.
Pagination Item
Description and Purpose: The "Pagination Item" action in Autom Mate works in conjunction with the "Pagination" action and is used to interact with specific items or links within a paginated list.
Usage: To use the "Pagination Item" action, the following input is required:
Item Selector: Specify the selector that identifies the item within the paginated list to interact with.
Action Output: The successful execution of the "Pagination Item" action will result in selecting or clicking the specified item within the paginated content, such as choosing a particular search result.
Post Pagination
Description and Purpose: The "Post Pagination" action in Autom Mate is used to perform actions immediately after pagination, such as scrolling to the top of the next page or resetting a counter. This action ensures that the automation flow continues smoothly after navigating to a new page.
Usage: The "Post Pagination" action does not require any additional input beyond initiating the action.
Action Output: The successful execution of the "Post Pagination" action will perform the specified tasks after pagination, ensuring the automation can continue without interruption.
Scroll Down
Description and Purpose: The "Scroll Down" action in Autom Mate simulates scrolling the content of a page or window downwards. This action is used to view additional content that is not initially visible on the screen.
Usage: The "Scroll Down" action requires no additional input beyond initiating the action.
Action Output: The successful execution of the "Scroll Down" action will scroll the page or window downwards, revealing content that was previously out of view.
Scroll Up
Description and Purpose: The "Scroll Up" action in Autom Mate simulates scrolling the content of a page or window upwards. This action is used to view content that is located higher up on the page or to return to previously viewed content.
Usage: The "Scroll Up" action requires no additional input beyond initiating the action.
Action Output: The successful execution of the "Scroll Up" action will scroll the page or window upwards, allowing the user to access content at the top of the page.
Smooth Scroll
Description and Purpose: The "Smooth Scroll" action in Autom Mate provides a smoother and more gradual scrolling motion compared to regular scrolling. This action is used to create a more user-friendly or visually appealing scroll effect.
Usage: The "Smooth Scroll" action requires no additional input beyond initiating the action.
Action Output: The successful execution of the "Smooth Scroll" action will scroll the content smoothly, providing a better user experience during the scrolling process.
Wait
Description and Purpose: The "Wait" action in Autom Mate introduces a pause or delay in the automation flow. This action is crucial for controlling the timing of the automation, allowing you to wait for elements to load, animations to finish, or other processes to complete before proceeding to the next action.
Usage: To use the "Wait" action, the following input is required:
Duration: Specify the amount of time (in milliseconds) that the automation should wait before proceeding.
Action Output: The successful execution of the "Wait" action will introduce the specified delay, ensuring that the automation flow proceeds only after the necessary conditions have been met.
Additional Tips
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