Activity Feeds

Studio uses NuGet feeds to install activity packages, and it is configured by default with the following activity feeds:

• Local - The feed that comes installed by default with Studio.
• Official - The official UiPath feed, where you can find the activity packages that are officially supported by us.
• Community - The open-source packages developed by the RPA community. You can find more details on our forum.
• Orchestrator - The Robot activities feed is added by default if it is connected to Orchestrator.

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Note:

When connected to Orchestrator, an activities NuGet feed hosted on the server is added by default, so that each time you deploy a package to an environment, the Robot machine has access to all the activities it needs to execute the automation project. For more info, see the About the Activities Feed chapter.

When executing an automation project from Studio, the Robot downloads the specified or indicated package version it needs to execute the project, in accordance to the previously set runtime rules for each project. If the dependency used during execution has a Strict runtime rule and the exact package version was not found, an error is thrown. For more information on setting runtime rules for project dependencies check the Managing Dependencies page.

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Note:

All activities present on the machine, regardless of where they are retrieved from, are decompressed and installed in the %localappdata%\UiPath\Activities folder.

When running the .msi installer, if you choose to install the local activities feed, the %ProgramFiles(x86)%\UiPath\Studio\Packages folder is created, containing all of the packages in the local feed.

If you choose not to install the local activities feed, the folder is still created, but contains only the default activities, UiPath.UIAutomation.Activities, UiPath.System.Activities, UiPath.Excel.Activities and UiPath.Mail.Activities, together with dependencies previously set to a project.

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Note:

Publishing to a secure feed can be authenticated either through the Robot Key, Orchestrator credentials, Windows authentication or API key.

Adding Custom Feeds

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Note:

In Enterprise installations, a custom activity feed can only be used in workflows started from Studio on that user. Starting a job on the same machine from Orchestrator or the Agent (Robot Tray) results in the Robot not being able to retrieve the appropriate package. To avoid such scenarios, you should add the custom feed in the UiPath.settings file under the ActivitiesFeed property instead of using the method below.

1. In the Manage Packages window, click on the Settings. The package sources are displayed.

2. Click on the button to add a feed to the User defined package sources category.
3. Fill in the name of the package source or the name of the NuGet feed.
4. In the Source field, type the local drive folder pathway, the shared network folder pathway or the URL of the NuGet feed.
5. Click on Add. The new feed is automatically added among the User defined package sources and in the All Packages category of the Package Manager. The feed is enabled by default.
6. Click Save to apply all changes.

User defined and default package sources can be enabled or disabled from the Package Manager.

Please note that feeds are added on the spot. Clicking the Close or Cancel button after adding a feed does not revert changes.

Removing Custom Feeds

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Note:

Only User defined package sources can be removed from the Package Manager.

1. In the Settings category, click on any of the feeds under the User defined package sources section.
2. Press the Remove button. The feed is removed from the All Packages category and the User defined package sources section.
3. Click on Save to apply the changes.

Please note that feeds are removed on the spot. Clicking the Close or Cancel button after removing default or custom feeds does not revert changes.

Managing Packages

The package manager functionality enables you to download activity packages, libraries, frameworks, wrappers and others, view the ones already installed for your project and update them, as well as add and remove your own. It shows the list of available packages per feed and the list of dependencies per current project. The Package Manager always opens with the Project Dependencies list.

An activity package is a bundle of activities that can help you automate a certain application (UiPath.Excel.Activities, UiPath.Word.Activities) or a category of apps (UiPath.Mail.Activities, UiPath.Terminal.Activities), or use certain technologies in your automations (UiPath.OCR.Activities, UiPath.FTP.Activities).

Details about packages and libraries are displayed in the right panel of the Manage Packages window, as you can see in the screenshot above.

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Note:

Release notes for activities packages are not visible in the Package Manager due to a NuGet v3 limitation.

The Include Prerelease check box next to the Search bar, displays the beta versions of library packages, if available, when selected.

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Important:

UiPath.UIAutomation.Activities and UiPath.System.Activities packages are compatible with Studio v2018.3 and above.

Installing Packages

To install packages, select the All Packages category or a certain feed. Use the search bar to find a specific package/library or scroll down to browse available ones. Click on a package to open up a set of details, including its description, version number and dependencies.

Then, select a version and set a Runtime Rule. For detailed information on dependencies and their rules, check the Managing Dependencies page. Click on the Install button.

Alternatively, click on the icon next to the package name to mark it with the icon, making it ready for installation. The dependency installs only after you click Save.

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Note:

An internet connection is required to download and install activities packs.

Uninstalling Packages

To uninstall packages, go to the Project Dependencies category, and click the Uninstall button next to the package that you no longer want to use. The package is removed only after you click on Save.

When running an automation project, the Manage Packages button is disabled, meaning that activity packages cannot be installed or removed until the execution has stopped.