Skip to main content


         This documentation site is for previous versions. Visit our new documentation site for current releases.      
 

Using the UI Connector framework

Updated on November 10, 2021

UI Connectors provides another method for accessing native controls in an application, so you can build automations when a translator is not available.

Pega Robot Studio provides a platform for automating the controls of almost any technology. Pega ’s translator library makes most controls immediately accessible for automation. Translators are custom objects that communicate with native controls and expose the controls’ functionality to Pega Robot Studio.

If no translator is available for a control, the ability to work with the control in a solution is limited. Prior to version 8.0.1053, this situation required the Pega Robot Studio development team to build a custom translator. These development efforts often took weeks or even months.

Version 8.0.1053 and later builds provide ways to access native controls without using translators. The technique introduced in this version uses reflection. Many popular software technologies, such as .NET and Java, provide a form of reflection that allows the capabilities of an object to be inspected and invoked at runtime. This provides the framework for Pega Robot Studio to communicate with these native controls without the need for custom translators

  • Support and limitations

    The UI Connector framework in Pega Robot Studio version 8.0.1053 and later support .NET and Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) applications.

  • Terms used

    To create UI Connectors, you need to understand the components involved and the terminology that is used to describe them.

  • Exploring native control capabilities

    Use the Native Control Explorer option to inspect the properties, methods, and events of a native control.

  • Discovering members

    Discovering members is a way to expose simple properties, methods, and events (members) of a native control.

  • Creating UI connectors

    Interrogated controls that appear as base controls can be good candidates for UI Connectors.

  • Re-creating a control as the correct type

    Re-create the control using the selected target interface to update the status from a base control to the correct type.

  • Implementing UI connectors

    Implement and test the generated UI Connector code to ensure it works in your automation.

  • Simple and complex types

    To work with the NativeControl property, you need to understand the difference between simple and complex types.

Have a question? Get answers now.

Visit the Support Center to ask questions, engage in discussions, share ideas, and help others.

Did you find this content helpful?

Want to help us improve this content?

We'd prefer it if you saw us at our best.

Pega.com is not optimized for Internet Explorer. For the optimal experience, please use:

Close Deprecation Notice
Contact us