Using imported library projects in coded automations

This tutorial shows you how to use objects from imported library projects within coded automations. The example demonstrates how to use Object Repository elements and workflows from an imported library project. The given scenario involves automating the Acme website, to fill in a student score card and add it to the database.

Prerequisites

Install UIAutomation Activities version 23.10.3 or higher.

1. Create the library project

Create a library project to store the essential UI elements for automating the Acme App, specifically for filling a student score card. Additionally, create a low-code (.xaml) or coded workflow (.cs) within the library project, that you will later use within another coded automation.

1. Create a library project named AcmeLibrary.
2. Capture all the UI elements that you want to use inside the Object Repository, and Descriptors section.
3. Create a new Coded Workflow, from the File group.

   This step is crucial to enable access to the Object Repository within a coded automation when importing the library in another project.

4. Rename the Main low-code workflow to Send message box, and add a Message box activity, with the following text: "You've added a new score card for a student in Acme."
   Note: You can recreate the Message Box activity as a coded workflow, as well, by following the steps outlined in the tutorial.
5. Save and publish the library project to a feed.

   You will install and use this published library in another project within a coded automation.

2. Create the coded automation

After you create the library project, install it into another project to leverage its reusable assets, including Object Repository elements and workflows, whether they are low-code (.xaml) or coded (.cs).

Tip: When using UI Automation APIs, remember that the overloads with IScreenDescriptor or IElementDescriptor are intended to work with Object Repository elements, while the overloads with TargetAnchorableModel are meant for use with native selectors obtained through the UI Explorer. Visit UI Automation APIs to learn how to leverage selectors with UI Automation APIs.

1. From the File group, create a new Coded Workflow.
2. Go to Manage Packages and install the library project you previously created.
3. From the File group, create a new Workflow.
   1. Name the workflow notifyStudentScoreCardAdded.
   2. Navigate to the Activities panel, to the Installed section.
   3. Search for the name of the library project you imported (for this example, AcmeLibrary).
   4. Drag and drop the Send message box activity inside notifyStudentScoreCardAdded.
      Now the notifyStudentScoreCardAdded has the same behavior as the Send message box workflow from the imported library project.
4. To enhance readability, you can define your imported Object Repository application as a variable applying a using statement at the beginning of your workflow. Here is an example: using app = <ProjectName>.ObjectRepository.Descriptors.<AppName>.
   With this approach, you can easily call descriptors in the following format: app.<ScreenName>.<UiElementName>
   For this example, we define the Acme Object Repository like the following:

   namespace UsingImportedLibraryProjects
   {
       using AcmeApp = AcmeLibrary.ObjectRepository.Descriptors.Acme;

5. Now you can automate the given scenario within Acme. Start by opening the Acme login screen using the Open API.

   [Workflow]
           public void Execute()
           {
             // 1.Open the Acme app on the Login screen
             var AcmeLoginScreen = uiAutomation.Open(AcmeApp.LoginScreen);

6. Type in the necessary credentials for logging into Acme, using the TypeInto API.

   // 2.Type in the necessary credentials
            AcmeLoginScreen.TypeInto(AcmeApp.LoginScreen.Email, "[e-mail]");
            AcmeLoginScreen.TypeInto(AcmeApp.LoginScreen.Password, "12345678");

7. Use the Click API, along with a native selector, to click the Login button.

   // 3.Use a native selector to click the Login button
   AcmeLoginScreen.Click(Target.FromSelector("<webctrl tag='BUTTON' type='submit'/>"));

8. The login process takes you to the Dashboard screen in the Acme web application. Therefore, use the Attach API to focus on the new screen.

   // 4. Focus on the Dashboard screen
   var DashboardScreen = uiAutomation.Attach(AcmeApp.Dashboard);

9. Select the Students entry on the website, using the Click API.

   // 5. Click the Students entry
   DashboardScreen.Click(AcmeApp.Dashboard.Students);

10. Select Score card to open the Students - Score Card form, using the Click API.

    // 6. Click Score card, to start filling in a student score card
    DashboardScreen.Click(AcmeApp.Dashboard.Students.ScoreCard);

11. Focus on the Students - Score Card screen, using the Attach API.

    // 7. Focus on the Score Card screen where you fill in the necessary information
    var ScoreCardScreen = uiAutomation.Attach(AcmeApp.StudentsScoreCard);

12. Fill in half of the fields in the Students - Score Card form using the TypeInto API, and elements from the Object Repository.

    ScoreCardScreen.TypeInto(AcmeApp.StudentsScoreCard.StudentEmail, "[e-mail]");
    ScoreCardScreen.TypeInto(AcmeApp.StudentsScoreCard.FirstName, "John");
    ScoreCardScreen.TypeInto(AcmeApp.StudentsScoreCard.LastName, "Doe");
    ScoreCardScreen.TypeInto(AcmeApp.StudentsScoreCard.ParentEmail, "[e-mail]");
    ScoreCardScreen.TypeInto(AcmeApp.StudentsScoreCard.Tuition, "Private");

13. Fill in the rest of the fields in the form using the TypeInto API in combination with native selectors that you discover through the UI Explorer.

    ScoreCardScreen.TypeInto(Target.FromSelector("<webctrl id='mathematics' tag='INPUT' />"), "A");
    ScoreCardScreen.TypeInto(Target.FromSelector("<webctrl id='physics' tag='INPUT' />"), "B");
    ScoreCardScreen.TypeInto(Target.FromSelector("<webctrl id='biology' tag='INPUT' />"), "C");
    ScoreCardScreen.TypeInto(Target.FromSelector("<webctrl id='chemistry' tag='INPUT' />"), "A");
    ScoreCardScreen.TypeInto(Target.FromSelector("<webctrl id='geography' tag='INPUT' />"), "C");
    ScoreCardScreen.TypeInto(Target.FromSelector("<webctrl id='history' tag='INPUT' />"), "A");
    ScoreCardScreen.TypeInto(Target.FromSelector("<webctrl id='english' tag='INPUT' />"), "A");
    ScoreCardScreen.TypeInto(Target.FromSelector("<webctrl id='computer Science' tag='INPUT' />"), "C");
    ScoreCardScreen.TypeInto(Target.FromSelector("<webctrl id='professorComments' tag='INPUT' />"), "The student is doing okay, very hardworking and does its best");

14. Select Add score card details using the Click API.

    // 10. Click the "Add score card details" button using an Object Repository descriptor
    ScoreCardScreen.Click(AcmeApp.StudentsScoreCard.AddScoreCardDetailsButton);

15. Invoke the workflow you imported from the library project using the RunWorkflow() method. Provide the method with the path of the workflow inside the project.

    // 11. Invoke imported workflow from library
    RunWorkflow("notifyStudentScoreCardAdded.xaml");

16. Close the browser tabs you opened to automate the scenario, using the Dispose() API.

    // 12. Close the applications/browsers you opened, to finish he automation
    ScoreCardScreen.Dispose();

Sample project

To follow the steps and try out the tutorial yourself, see the following sample project: Using imported library projects in coded automations. The file contains the library project, as well.