'''--------------------------------------------------------------------
''' <summary>
''' Creates a UI Automation thread.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="sender">Object that raised the event.</param>
''' <param name="e">Event arguments.</param>
''' <remarks>
''' UI Automation must be called on a separate thread if the client
''' application itself could become a target for event handling.
''' For example, focus tracking is a desktop event that could involve
''' the client application.
''' </remarks>
'''--------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub CreateUIAThread(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
' Start another thread to do the UI Automation work.
Dim threadDelegate As New ThreadStart(AddressOf CreateUIAWorker)
Dim workerThread As New Thread(threadDelegate)
workerThread.Start()
End Sub 'CreateUIAThread
'''--------------------------------------------------------------------
''' <summary>
''' Delegated method for ThreadStart. Creates a UI Automation worker
''' class that does all UI Automation related work.
''' </summary>
'''--------------------------------------------------------------------
Public Sub CreateUIAWorker()
uiautoWorker = New UIAWorker(targetApp)
End Sub 'CreateUIAWorker
Private uiautoWorker As UIAWorker
...
'''--------------------------------------------------------------------
''' <summary>
''' Function to playback through a series of recorded events calling
''' a WriteToScript function for each event of interest.
''' </summary>
''' <remarks>
''' A major drawback to using AutomationID for recording user
''' interactions in a volatile UI is the probability of catastrophic
''' change in the UI. For example, the 'Processes' dialog where items
''' in the listbox container can change with no input from the user.
''' This mandates thtat a record and playback application must be
''' reliant on the tester owning the UI being tested. In other words,
''' there has to be a contract between the provider and client that
''' excludes uncontrolled, external applications. The added benefit
''' is the guarantee that each control in the UI should have an
''' AutomationID assigned to it.
'''
''' This function relies on a UI Automation worker class to create
''' the System.Collections.Generic.Queue object that stores the
''' information for the recorded user interactions. This
''' allows post-processing of the recorded items prior to actually
''' writing them to a script. If this is not necessary the interaction
''' could be written to the script immediately.
''' </remarks>
'''--------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub Playback(ByVal targetApp As AutomationElement)
Dim element As AutomationElement
Dim storedItem As ElementStore
For Each storedItem In uiautoWorker.elementQueue
Dim propertyCondition As New PropertyCondition( _
AutomationElement.AutomationIdProperty, storedItem.AutomationID)
' Confirm the existence of a control.
' Depending on the controls and complexity of interaction
' this step may not be necessary or may require additional
' functionality. For example, to confirm the existence of a
' child menu item that had been invoked the parent menu item
' would have to be expanded.
element = targetApp.FindFirst( _
TreeScope.Descendants, propertyCondition)
If element Is Nothing Then
' Control not available, unable to continue.
' TODO: Handle error condition.
Return
End If
WriteToScript(storedItem.AutomationID, storedItem.EventID)
Next storedItem
End Sub 'Playback
'''--------------------------------------------------------------------
''' <summary>
''' Generates script code and outputs the code to a text control in
''' the client.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="automationID">
''' The AutomationID of the current control.
''' </param>
''' <param name="eventID">
''' The event recorded on that control.
''' </param>
'''--------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sub WriteToScript( _
ByVal automationID As String, ByVal eventID As String)
' Script code would be generated and written to an output file
' as plain text at this point, but for the
' purposes of this example we just write to the console.
Console.WriteLine(automationID + " - " + eventID)
End Sub 'WriteToScript
///--------------------------------------------------------------------
/// <summary>
/// Creates a UI Automation thread.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="sender">Object that raised the event.</param>
/// <param name="e">Event arguments.</param>
/// <remarks>
/// UI Automation must be called on a separate thread if the client
/// application itself could become a target for event handling.
/// For example, focus tracking is a desktop event that could involve
/// the client application.
/// </remarks>
///--------------------------------------------------------------------
private void CreateUIAThread(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
// Start another thread to do the UI Automation work.
ThreadStart threadDelegate = new ThreadStart(CreateUIAWorker);
Thread workerThread = new Thread(threadDelegate);
workerThread.Start();
}
///--------------------------------------------------------------------
/// <summary>
/// Delegated method for ThreadStart. Creates a UI Automation worker
/// class that does all UI Automation related work.
/// </summary>
///--------------------------------------------------------------------
public void CreateUIAWorker()
{
uiautoWorker = new FindByAutomationID(targetApp);
}
private FindByAutomationID uiautoWorker;
...
///--------------------------------------------------------------------
/// <summary>
/// Function to playback through a series of recorded events calling
/// a WriteToScript function for each event of interest.
/// </summary>
/// <remarks>
/// A major drawback to using AutomationID for recording user
/// interactions in a volatile UI is the probability of catastrophic
/// change in the UI. For example, the //Processes// dialog where items
/// in the listbox container can change with no input from the user.
/// This mandates thtat a record and playback application must be
/// reliant on the tester owning the UI being tested. In other words,
/// there has to be a contract between the provider and client that
/// excludes uncontrolled, external applications. The added benefit
/// is the guarantee that each control in the UI should have an
/// AutomationID assigned to it.
///
/// This function relies on a UI Automation worker class to create
/// the System.Collections.Generic.Queue object that stores the
/// information for the recorded user interactions. This
/// allows post-processing of the recorded items prior to actually
/// writing them to a script. If this is not necessary the interaction
/// could be written to the script immediately.
/// </remarks>
///--------------------------------------------------------------------
private void Playback(AutomationElement targetApp)
{
AutomationElement element;
foreach(ElementStore storedItem in uiautoWorker.elementQueue)
{
PropertyCondition propertyCondition =
new PropertyCondition(
AutomationElement.AutomationIdProperty, storedItem.AutomationID);
// Confirm the existence of a control.
// Depending on the controls and complexity of interaction
// this step may not be necessary or may require additional
// functionality. For example, to confirm the existence of a
// child menu item that had been invoked the parent menu item
// would have to be expanded.
element = targetApp.FindFirst(TreeScope.Descendants, propertyCondition);
if(element == null)
{
// Control not available, unable to continue.
// TODO: Handle error condition.
return;
}
WriteToScript(storedItem.AutomationID, storedItem.EventID);
}
}
///--------------------------------------------------------------------
/// <summary>
/// Generates script code and outputs the code to a text control in
/// the client.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="automationID">
/// The AutomationID of the current control.
/// </param>
/// <param name="eventID">
/// The event recorded on that control.
/// </param>
///--------------------------------------------------------------------
private void WriteToScript(string automationID, string eventID)
{
// Script code would be generated and written to an output file
// as plain text at this point, but for the
// purposes of this example we just write to the console.
Console.WriteLine(automationID + " - " + eventID);
}