How do you handle dynamic and complex UI elements with automation libraries?

For a better design, irrespective of the technology employed for automating web applications, it is important to distinctively separate the declaration of UI elements from the actual automation logic. This separation facilitates easy control of changes to the UI elements. For instance, when utilizing Selenium with Python, employing a distinct class for each web page can be implemented to store the elements. Similarly, if employing an RPA solution such as Blue Prism, the same objective can be met by using a shared application modeller.

At People's Inc. 360, we love harnessing the power of AI to make our lives easier. By identifying the right UI elements using tools like Selenium and Cypress, we streamline our workflows and reduce the grunt work. This way, our team can focus on what they do best: Being creative and innovative. Remember, AI is here to assist us, not replace us, making our work more enjoyable and efficient!

??How do you navigate the web with automation? Selenium with Python. OR ROBOTIC PROCESS AUTOMATION (RPA) Check out UiPath, Blue Prism, Automation Anywhere or Microsoft Power Automate. Each of these companies offer free courses. Choose the tool that either the company you work at is already using OR the tool that they are open to using. There is also a long list of non-enterprise grade free or inexpensive tools for personal use or small businesses. Search "web scrapers" in your browser within your favourite search engine for the list. SELENIUM Start off by exploring the "Selenium" courses on LinkedIn Learning. You can also explore "Coursera" for additional options to learn Selenium. ?? Like to support this

For Handling dynamic and complex Ui Elements in UiPath we have dynamic selector fuzzy selector and along with that we can also handle this with Anchor base as well. In dynamic selector we either can remove the specific properties or the variables or the parameters to handle the situation based on the design

1. Determine desired data for scraping, such as job listings from Monster.com, including titles, companies, and locations. Record browsing actions on the website using UiPath or a similar RPA recorder to create automated steps. 2. Insert data extraction logic based on recorded actions, identifying HTML elements with necessary data (e.g., titles, companies), using selectors or XPath expressions to locate elements, and storing extracted data in variables or data tables within the RPA project. Set up scheduled intervals for the RPA bot to run, automating website access, data extraction, and storage in a structured format like Excel or database.

Best way is to adopt to a custom locator ( example : data-testID). Instead of using a predefined locator which is shared between dev and QA, we can go with a custom locator which can be kept fixed release on release and can uniquely identify an element. This is to improve the resilience and maintainability of your test scripts. It helps decouple the test scripts from the underlying HTML structure, making your tests less prone to breaking when the UI changes. example : HTML : <button data-testid="login-button">Login</button> Usage : const loginButton = await page.$('[data-testid="login-button"]'); await loginButton.click();

In my opinion, using dynamic locators like XPath or CSS selectors allows flexibility in locating elements that change or appear conditionally. What I’ve usually seen work well is leveraging patterns in the UI to create dynamic locators, such as identifying elements based on their relative position to other stable elements. I believe that using dynamic locators can adapt to UI changes without breaking automation scripts. The point is to make locators adaptable, ensuring they work even when the UI evolves.

Static Attributes as Locators: UI elements with fixed attributes like id or name are easier to locate and use for automation. These static attributes provide reliable and consistent references. Challenges with Dynamic Attributes: Many UI elements have attributes that change based on context, state, or data. For example, dynamically generated id or class values can vary with each page load, complicating the automation process. Dynamic Locators: To handle elements with variable attributes, dynamic locators are essential. These locators can adapt to changes by using relative or partial attributes, ensuring that UI elements are correctly identified despite variations.

Use dynamic locators when UI elements have variable or changing attributes that prevent the use of static locators. While fixed attributes like `id` or `name` are often reliable, dynamic elements may have attributes like `id` or `class` with random or generated values that differ with each page load. To handle this, use dynamic locators such as XPath or CSS selectors to find elements based on their position, hierarchy, or text content. You can also employ regular expressions or wildcards to match elements by partial or patterned attributes, ensuring your locators remain effective despite changes in the UI.

To handle dynamic locators: Use XPath Functions: Apply contains(), starts-with(), or text() for flexible element selection. Apply CSS Selectors: Use attribute wildcards for partial matches. Combine Attributes: Use multiple attributes for more precise targeting. Leverage Relative Locators: Locate elements relative to known, stable elements. JavaScript Execution: Use JavaScript for highly dynamic or complex scenarios.

Automation can be tricky, but with the right approach, it's a breeze! At People's Inc. 360, we make life easier with smart automation. Here's my take: Identify the UI elements*l: Use tools like browser dev tools and XPath to inspect and locate UI elements. Automation libraries like Selenium do the heavy lifting. Use dynamic locators: Dynamic locators adapt to changes on the fly, ensuring your scripts stay robust. Use explicit waits: Explicit waits ensure elements are ready before interaction, preventing errors. These strategies simplify tasks, boost efficiency, and make automation smarter, not harder!

In my experience, employing explicit waits is essential for dealing with UI elements that load dynamically. What I’ve usually seen is that using waits like WebDriverWait in Selenium or equivalent in other libraries ensures that the script pauses until the element is available, preventing timing issues. I believe setting the correct wait conditions based on the element’s visibility or interactiveness reduces failures caused by slow-loading components. The point is to synchronize your automation scripts with dynamic UI behavior to avoid timing issues.

Using inbuilt libraries provides with greater access and control and is recommended approach. Explicit waits should only be used in scenarios, where inbuilt functions are not supported. If the bot process requires longer waits ( 5minutes or more ) then breaking process should be an alternate to be looked at. Unexpected failures on steps in a bot can point to degraded performance of underlying applications.

If your automation script attempts to interact with these elements before they are ready, it can result in errors or unexpected outcomes. To prevent this, utilize explicit waits in automation libraries like Selenium, Puppeteer, or Cypress. These waits allow your script to pause until the UI elements meet specific conditions, such as being present, visible, clickable, or having a certain attribute or text. Additionally, you can create custom functions or assertions to check for more complex conditions, ensuring that your automation script interacts with the UI elements only when they are fully ready.

When it comes to industrial automation, following standards and regulations is non-negotiable. I’ve learned that compliance helps minimize risks, especially when safety is involved. Sticking to industry guidelines ensures that the system meets the necessary benchmarks before going live. In one project, adhering to ISO standards helped us pass external audits quickly, reducing delays and preventing costly reworks. It also provides peace of mind, knowing the automation meets safety and legal requirements.

Building out these processes of triggers and actions is the key to being "data-driven". Data should be driving action, not just insights. The UI elements mentioned in this article (Drag and drop, keyboard shortcuts, etc.) will determine how self-serviceable these processes are. Example: A procurement team has an automated process set up in Elementum for Contract Data management. When the users want to change a trigger or action within the process, the no-code UI allows for them to adjust as needed - no IT service ticket needed.

Handling dynamic and complex UI elements in automation testing can be tricky, but with the right approach, you can make it work smoothly. Start by using actions like clicks and keystrokes in Selenium to simulate user interactions. For dynamic content, Explicit Waits ensure elements are ready before you interact with them, and JavaScript can help with elements that are harder to reach. In AJAX-heavy apps, keeping an eye on network requests or polling the DOM can be really effective. Finally, sticking to best practices like using stable locators and organizing your code with the Page Object Model will make your tests more reliable and easier to maintain.

In my opinion, using actions like mouse movements, keyboard inputs, or simulated clicks can help automate interactions with complex UI elements. What I’ve usually seen is that libraries like Selenium or Playwright offer built-in support for advanced actions like drag-and-drop or hovering over elements. I believe simulating real user interactions ensures the automation script behaves consistently with how a human would interact with the UI. The point is to leverage these actions to handle complex and dynamic UI elements effectively.

Sometimes, UI automation is more than just clicking buttons—it’s like orchestrating a dance routine. You may need to perform advanced moves like drag and drop, hovering, or scrolling to trigger UI changes, such as animations or pop-ups. Automation libraries like Selenium’s ActionChains or Puppeteer’s page.mouse and page.keyboard act like choreographers, allowing you to sequence these complex actions precisely. With Cypress's `cy.trigger` or `cy.focused`, you can fire or listen for specific events, ensuring smooth interactions. Mastering these moves makes your automation script as dynamic and responsive as the UI itself, keeping everything in sync.

Use actions and events when your UI testing requires more than basic clicks or inputs. Advanced interactions like drag and drop, hover, scroll, swipe, or keyboard shortcuts often trigger changes in the UI, such as animations, pop-ups, menus, or validations. To automate these complex actions, leverage automation libraries that support them. For example, use Selenium's `ActionChains` or Puppeteer's `page.mouse` and `page.keyboard` to create and execute complex sequences. Similarly, Cypress offers `cy.trigger` or `cy.focused` for firing or listening to specific events on UI elements, ensuring thorough and accurate testing of dynamic interfaces.

In my experience, implementing data-driven testing allows for more robust automation, especially when interacting with dynamic elements. What I’ve usually seen work well is passing different sets of input data to test various states of the UI elements. I believe this approach helps ensure that your automation script works under different conditions and input variations. The point is to handle UI complexity by varying data inputs and validating different scenarios.

I’ve seen firsthand how important communication and collaboration are in managing both risks and costs. I make it a point to involve all stakeholders, from engineers to project managers, in regular discussions about testing progress and any issues that arise. This ensures that everyone stays aligned on priorities and any potential risks are dealt with quickly. In one situation, open communication with the client helped prevent unnecessary tests, which saved both time and money.v

The four previous points are really important, but in some cases can not be the solution as it depends on UX. The process testing is always posible. The best way is, than, testing your process with real / random data. With this you will be able to access every sequence of your code and antecipate future erros, avoiding further problems and delivering a better process.

In my opinion, logging and debugging are critical for troubleshooting dynamic UI issues. What I’ve usually seen work well is integrating logging into the automation script to capture details about element locators, waiting times, and failures. I believe analyzing logs provides insights into where the automation is failing and helps pinpoint solutions. The point is to use detailed logs to debug and refine your approach to complex UI automation.

Logging is a place where instances of data leaks could be higher. Developers should be careful while logging PII and other critical data Platfrom teams should add mechanism to find if critical information in logs and alerts developers during bot development Also add mechanism on bot logs to identify and report sustain to remove it from logs For debugging dynamic log level is super critical.

To effectively use logging and debugging: Implement Detailed Logging: Record key actions, decisions, and errors to trace test execution. Use Debugging Tools: Employ browser developer tools or IDE debugging features to inspect and troubleshoot test issues. Capture Screenshots: Take screenshots on failure to visualize the state of the application. Analyze Logs: Review logs to identify patterns and root causes of test failures. These practices help in diagnosing issues and improving test reliability.

Handling dynamic and complex ui elements requires strategic approach while building framework. Two most important features which help overcome this are robust locators and page object model. By using robust locators, we can avoid flaky tests and with the help of pom it becomes easier to maintain and when UI changes occur

At People's Inc. 360, tackling dynamic and complex UI elements is a breeze when you have the right strategies. First, pinpoint those UI elements you want to automate – think of it as discovering hidden treasures! Next, use dynamic locators to keep up with ever-changing interfaces. And don't forget to use explicit waits, ensuring your automation scripts play nice with your page load times. With these tips, you can handle any UI curveball thrown your way!

For a long time, my last resort for identifying elements using UiPath Studio would be using Computer Vision when all else failed after numerous, tedious and stubborn attempts to find a reliable selector. But Computer Vision has improved dramatically, and while it's still not necessarily my preferred first-attempt tool, I am far more likely to use it than I was a couple of years ago.

There is a new AI based solution for handling dynamic UI called 'Semantic Automation'. The developer will normally use the web selectors to identify UI elements and action on them traditionally. In Semantic automation the automation will dynamically identify the element based on the 'label' e.g. First name , last name , Address. For instance if the customer information section is moved from the top of the from to the bottom or last section of the form then the developer doesn't have to redesign the code and redeploy the changes . This is a game changer for automation developers and there are few preview activities available from UiPath e.g. Extract Form Data, Fill Form & Set Value. This will become a norm in near future.

Choose UI automation for end-user experience testing and when UI elements matter. Opt for API automation when focusing on business logic and stability. Both have their place, and the choice depends on your use case.

I was on a.. lets say shady automation project where we really had an "Arms Race" with the owner of that particular target. And we figured – Ok, we've tried everything. Full blown Devices and Browsers emulated, faked most accurate human behavior for interactions I could imagine. And the owner catched up. Last resort? The vision capabilities of AI. Quite literally taking screenshots, navigating stupid bezier curves with the cursor, emulating click on OS-Level and let AI grab all the interesting parts from the screenshots. It's nuts. But it worked.