Bot running in Background

Yes ,

even you minimize the CITRIX or RDP automations are going well.

@loginerror Normally, if an automation is developed using background methods , then it can run in pc lock, right?
I tried extracting text using Full text since only full text is available for background but it didnt work. The other methods are not reliable right?

Actually, locked screen situation is a bit different than the unattended process scheduled via Orchestrator.
It is tricky to automate, because Windows doesn’t handle it gracefully and when you lock your screen, it opens and keeps the Start menu over all other windows on your screen. This fact can mess with your automations, but not always (this is why this scenario is not advised).
If it throws an exception, it might be worth catching it and making and saving a screenshot of the screen to see what the issue is precisely as well.

Does the bot has to be developed differently using background related activities for Unattended??
Or will it work even if background related activities were not used

@loginerror It’s my first project with uipath and i am a bit confused with the way a uipath bot is designed for background use and pc lock.

Full Text is not working in the application. Any alternative to extract text in background?

In short - you are on the right track, apart from the locked screen (which is not supported).

For example, background automation could also mean automating a web browser that is minimized → please try Full Text activity in such a scenario and it should work.

Apart from this simple example, background automation using an unattended robot means:

  1. You launch your process from Orchestrator
  2. Orchestrator creates and RDP session with your machine and logs-in to your user.
  3. Robot on that machine is executing the process in the background.

With community edition it is a bit tricky to do, because the robot service is only installed for particular users. This means that realistically the easiest to achieve background automation with community edition would be by having a remote machine that you log into, but then disconnect from. Orchestrator will be able to connect to that active session and run your process unattended (=in the background).

Thus, with all that said - I would first try to automate by trying to automate a minimized window of the application. That is typically a good benchmark if specific application is compatible with the activities set to work in the background. It can be that some applications do not work properly with Simulate Click and Send Windows Message properties, or do not let you extract the text when they are not in focus and visible.

@loginerror That means if i intend to make it work with pc locked, its better to use it on a virtual machine?
What about computer vision for applications that rely mostly on images, clicks?

I believe image automation is not compatible with background automation.

I believe having a remote VM that you turn on and then leave open so that Orchestrator can connect to it is the easiest option to automate in background on Community Edition.

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@loginerror Thank you very much for clarifying about image automation in background.
Just to confirm: That means its of no use taking an unattended license for an image automatiom right? since i will nt be able to use it on pc lock nor in background.
Even using a virtual machine will not benefit me right?

So as per what i have understood now, its better i take an attended license and run the bot in foreground.

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Yes @loginerror

I currently use CE edition orchestrator and run jobs in a VM, jobs scheduled through orchestrator cannot take screenshots when the RDP to VM is in disconnected state.

Reading all the above my understaning is,
Though we purchase a unattended robot it cannot perform Image automation/ Take screenshots when the RDP is in disconnected state. Is that correct?

Hi @RajaniG

To run unattended process, you need to have the machine wide robot service installed. This can be done with the MSI installer that you can request from our technical support.

Your scenario also involves using the CE Orchestrator for production, so you should double check if you are compliant with the ToS.

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@loginerror
Thanks for your inputs.

Regarding the ToS which you mentioned we have an enterprise orchestrator purchased to run on produtcion.Our company experts are already using it,

The above where in I mentioned me using CE orchestrator with unattended is for Trail purpose as I am in the learning stage. I am trying out all possible combinations.

My understanding is as below, correct me if wrong

Enterprise orchestrator + purchased unattended machine wide robot service installed => can perform Image automation when RDP to VM is disconnected

CE orchestrator + CE unattended robot = cannot perform Image automation when RDP to VM is disconnected.

Hi @RajaniG

Orchestrator CE can work fully unattended as well, but only if you install your unattended robot via the MSI installer.

To make it work:

  1. Install Robot on the target machine via the MSI installer
  2. Connect that Robot to your Orchestrator CE using your 1 available unattended license

That’s it, Orchestrator CE can now communicate and RDP into your machine even if you have all users logged out.

By default, the standard Studio CE EXE installer only allows running an unattended process on a locked user session (and even then it is a bit limited). It cannot receive an RDP request from Orchestrator because the moment you log out your user it kills the Robot service process.

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Hi,

Where can we download the MSI installer for the CE? I want to try and install the robot in service mode so I could try running processes without the need to for me to RDP to my VM where the robot is installed.

The only way to get the MSI that matches the CE version is to go via the Insider’s program for our customers:

Otherwise, you can only get the current stable Enterprise edition from our Resource center:
image

Thanks! Tested and it works. Didn’t know we could connect Enterprise robot to CE Orchestrator cool!

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Hello All, I’m getting same issue, i tried with both simulate and default input types for click and type into, but my problem is how long screen is not locked everything is running smooth, but once screen is locked, getting below errors “Timeout reached.”,“level”:“Error”,“logType”:“Default”, and “Could not find the UI element corresponding to this selector”

Any suggestion on it? @loginerror

Any Suggestion is much appreciated :slight_smile:

I tried the solution you provided but still facing the same issue.

I tried running robot from Orchestrator as well as from studio when rdp is opened and it worked.

Robot is unable the find Ui element when RDP is disconnected

Thanks,
Jay

Hi @aditya.prakash and @jrp,

Did you guys found any solution for this issue?

Thanks and regards.