Type Text

Types text (optionally with key chords) into an element.

Behaviour

Risk: Medium · Idempotent: No · Safe to retry: No · Recovery: Not replayed after a crash

Package UI Automation activities VeloPhex.UIAutomation.Activities 0.7.1-rc.12 · Supported (Core profile) · type id velophex.ui.typeText

Windows · Needs an interactive desktop session

Properties#

Input#

Target#

Target · String · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

The element to act on: a repo: reference into the object repository, or the target captured with Pick element.

Required when InputElement=.

Text#

Text · String · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

The text to type. With Interpret chords, {Key} tokens such as {Ctrl}{A} or {Enter} are key chords. For a password use Secure text instead.

Clear first#

ClearFirst · Boolean · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

Empty the field before typing, the driver's own way. Used only when Clear mode is empty; prefer Clear mode.

Interpret chords#

InterpretChords · Boolean · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

Treat {Key} tokens as key chords instead of literal text; write literal braces as {{ and }}.

Input method#

InputMethod · String · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

Simulated (set the value, or DOM events), Hardware (real keys), WindowMessages (a Win32 or Windows Forms control; desktop) or Background (no window in front; refused where the control cannot take it). Empty or SameAsScope inherits.

Allowed values: SameAsScope, Simulated, Hardware, WindowMessages, Background.

Clear mode#

ClearMode · String · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

How to empty the field first: None keeps what is there; SelectAllAndDelete selects everything and deletes it, as a person would; SetValue sets the value to empty directly, with input and change events. Empty uses Clear first.

Allowed values: None, SelectAllAndDelete, SetValue.

Click before typing#

ClickBeforeTyping · String · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

Click the element before typing: None (the default), Single or Double (to select a word first, for example). The click uses the activity's input method.

Allowed values: None, Single, Double.

Secure text#

SecureText · SecureString · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata · Sensitive

A password or other secret to type instead of Text. It is masked, never logged and never read back.

Delay between keys (ms)#

DelayBetweenKeys · Int32 · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

How long to wait between two key presses, in milliseconds (0 to 1000). Applies to key presses (Hardware, WindowMessages, DevTools); a value set directly arrives at once.

Must be between 0 and 1000.

Deselect at end#

DeselectAtEnd · Boolean · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

Press End after typing, so the text is not left selected (an autocomplete suggestion, for example).

Verify execution#

VerifyExecution · String · Optional · Default: Auto

Check that typing worked. Auto (the default) reads the field back and compares it with the text, skipping chords and password fields; Appears, Disappears and TextChanges watch the Verify target; None skips the check.

Allowed values: Auto, None, Appears, Disappears, TextChanges.

Verify target#

VerifyTarget · String · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

The element Verify execution watches. Empty watches the activity's own element.

Retry until verified#

VerifyRetry · Boolean · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

When the check fails, type again (up to 3 attempts in all, inside the timeout). Only applies when the field is emptied first (Clear mode, or Clear first), since typing again without clearing would add the text twice.

Activate window before typing#

ActivateWindow · Boolean · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

Bring the element's window to the front, and the element into focus, before typing. Not with Input method Background.

Input element#

InputElement · String · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

An element an earlier activity found (its Output element, or an item of Find Elements' Elements), used instead of Target.

Wait for page load#

WaitForPageLoad · String · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

What to wait for before looking for the element: None; Interactive (page parsed, window accepts input); Complete (page fully loaded, application not busy). Empty uses the enclosing scope's (Interactive by default).

Allowed values: None, Interactive, Complete.

Delay before (ms)#

DelayBefore · Int32 · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

How long to wait before the activity starts, in milliseconds.

Delay after (ms)#

DelayAfter · Int32 · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

How long to wait after the activity has finished, in milliseconds.

Alter disabled element#

AlterDisabledElement · Boolean · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

Act on the element even when it is disabled. In a browser its disabled state is removed first; on the desktop the action is sent to it as it is.

Cursor motion#

CursorMotion · String · Optional · Default: Instant

With hardware input: Instant places the cursor on the element at once; Smooth moves it there in visible steps, as a person would.

Allowed values: Instant, Smooth.

Session#

Session · String · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

The session id from a Use Application/Browser scope. Empty uses the enclosing scope's session, or outside a scope the most recent matching session.

Timeout (seconds)#

TimeoutSeconds · Int32 · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

How long to keep looking for the element or window. Empty or not positive means the same as the enclosing Use Application/Browser scope, or outside a scope the project default (30 seconds).

Highlight before action#

HighlightBeforeAction · Boolean · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata

Draw the highlight around the element before acting on it.

Options#

Target values#

TargetValues · IReadOnlyDictionary<String, String> · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata · Advanced

Values for the {{name}} slots in the target's attributes, e.g. a dictionary with "invoice" for {{invoice}}. Values are matched as literal text.

Fallback methods start after (s)#

FallbackAfterSeconds · Double? · Optional · Default: Not specified in package metadata · Advanced

How long the first enabled targeting method looks alone before the other methods join it. A fallback method wins only with a single match. 0 tries every method from the start. Empty keeps the target's setting (3 seconds by default).

Output#

Output element#

OutputElement · String · Output

The element this activity found, for later activities' Input element. Valid while its session is open.

Rules#

Must be inside Use Application/Browser.
Set only one of: Target, Input element.

Retry and risk#

This activity is not marked safe to retry: if it fails partway, check whether its work already happened before running it again. If a run is interrupted and the outcome of a step is unknown, the step is never retried automatically (what to do). How activities declare this: characteristics, retries and risk.

Every activity also has the engine's common properties: Timeout and Continue On Error.

Generated from VeloPhex.UIAutomation.Activities 0.7.1-rc.12. Category: UI Automation › Element. Keywords: ui, automation, element.

Properties

Input

Options

Output

Rules

Retry and risk

Related activities