Working with a control during interrogation
After you interrogate a control, the new control becomes the current control and is selected in the Control name box on the Interrogation Form. The cursor moves to the Control name box field, so that you can rename the control before interrogating the next control. You can also modify any of the standard properties associated with the control.
To test how automation works with the control, you can modify target properties. When modified, these properties directly affect the behavior of the application, so use caution. A common test is to set the Text property to see how other controls react. You can also use the Testing section to execute a select list of methods on the control. All of these tests enhance your understanding of how the application behaves when automated.
Interrogating and renaming controls after interrogation
You interrogate and rename controls to identify and classify them and to improve the default naming to a more descriptive term.
- To interrogate a control, drag the bullseye in the Interrogation Form to the target control in the application. The control is created and becomes the current control in the Interrogation Form. The cursor moves to the Control name field.
- In the Control name field, enter a new, more descriptive name as required.
- To save your changes, press Enter or move the cursor out of the Control name field to save the change.
Modifying standard properties
From the Interrogation Form, you can modify property values that are also available on the standard property grid for the current control. Only standard properties appear here. To see the full list of properties, switch to Robot Studio.
Modifying target properties
Target properties are the properties of the interrogated control within the application. Some commonly used target properties are: Text, InnerHtml, OuterHtml, Enabled, and Visible. Altering the values of these properties changes the value of the control within the application, so you can perform automation testing while you are interrogating. Note that editing target properties to invalid values could have a negative impact on the application. When used with the methods in the Testing section, you can simulate most steps that you would perform in automation.
Reviewing match rules
The match rules section shows you the match rules that the system assigns to the current control and whether they are currently matched. You cannot directly edit the match rules in the Interrogation Form. Clicking on View match rules maximizes Robot Studio and allows you to edit the match rules. When you finish editing the rules, minimize Robot Studio and you are returned to the Interrogation Form.
For more about editing match rules, see Modifying Match Rule Properties.
Testing methods on a control
You can use a selected list of methods on the Interrogation Form to test the current control. The list of methods available is based on the type of the currently selected control. Expand the method you would like to test, fill in the required parameters, and then click Test.
By testing methods and modifying target properties, you can simulate automation during interrogation. You can switch between controls by changing the current control on the Interrogation Form. Use this to test logging into an application, performing application navigation, and other use cases.
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