Hello, we have Orchestrator and robot running perfectly, recently we added another robot (exact same settings as the first). And simple processes fail on the new one. Using Internet Explorer (we must do that) it throws an error Writing text with “Simulate” is not supported for this element. Please use other input method. What could be the problem?
Its annoying when things like this happen, but even VM’s that look really similar can have small differences which can create larger differences to manifest in things like how a website is displayed, especially since so many websites are badly designed or ‘fussy’.
Before you start, its worth checking the selector is actually pointing to the correct element. Its possible that the selector is finding another element that matches on the other machine which is maybe a button, and thats why the activity fails. You can get a portable version of UiExplorer to test easily for this.
I do a few things to try to limit the amount of variance that can occur from one VM to another when using an internet browser. I always use chrome but I believe these steps all work for IE aswell.
First tip is to always start using a private window (incognito in Chrome, InPrivate in IE).
This should prevent any cookies from a previous session being a factor, any lingering login states etc etc. If you’re always starting from zero then the website will always be the same.
I’ve found it easier, for example, to have my bot always click a ‘welcome’ popup on a website that occurs the first time you log in by doing this rather than having the bot try to detect that element and have a conditional step depending on if its the first time logging in on that machine or not. Private browsing makes it think its always the first time and therefore I have a consistent, linear process.
If that helps your issue then its a weird cookies / history issue. I’d be surprised if that solves it though.
The next step is to try and match the profiles from both machines.
You can do this using the UserDataFolderMode property when you open the browser, if you set this to custom and point it to an empty folder it will basically make a clean, empty profile. This alone might fix your issue as it could remove some settings applied to IE on one of the machines. If not then you could try copying over the working profile from the good machine to the bad.
If that STILL doesn’t work, well then its a really really weird website and you need to check all sort of other system settings are consistent.
Of course it might be less hassle to just use a different input method.
@Jon_Smith thank You for response, will try some things. First of all want to mention that:
Website is internal company’s portal.
I always use incognito mode and always click on welcome message.
Robot on this particular VM opens InternetExplorer, navigates correctly and then tries to type username and fails. Will investigate using your propositions and come back.
Can you share the error log? Also if you have any image based automation, then you need to remap again those
Check the versions of the studio and robots also
Hope this may help you
Thanks
robots are same version, one works another don’t. Website is simple and old. No image based automation is used. Just type into activity
- Process: XXX
- Environment:
- Robot: XXX-unattended
- Account: XXX
- Machine name: XXX
- Info: Writing text with “Simulate” is not supported for this element. Please use other input method.
RemoteException wrapping UiPath.Core.ElementOperationException: Writing text with “Simulate” is not supported for this element. Please use other input method. —> RemoteException wrapping System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException: Writing text with “Simulate” is not supported for this element. Please use other input method.
at UiPath.UiNodeClass.WriteText(String text, UiInputMethod inputMethod, Boolean useDeadChars)
at UiPath.Core.UiElement.WriteText(String text, InputMethod method)
— End of inner exception stack trace —
at UiPath.Core.Activities.ScopeActivity.OnFaulted(NativeActivityFaultContext faultContext, Exception propagatedException, ActivityInstance propagatedFrom)
at System.Activities.Runtime.FaultCallbackWrapper.Invoke(NativeActivityFaultContext faultContext, Exception propagatedException, ActivityInstance propagatedFrom)
at System.Activities.Runtime.FaultCallbackWrapper.FaultWorkItem.Execute(ActivityExecutor executor, BookmarkManager bookmarkManager)
— End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown —
at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
at UiPath.Executor.BaseRunner.EndExecute(IAsyncResult result)
at UiPath.Executor.InProcessRunner.EndExecute(IAsyncResult result)
at UiPath.Core.Activities.ExecutorInvokeActivity.EndExecute(AsyncCodeActivityContext context, IAsyncResult result)
at System.Activities.AsyncCodeActivity.System.Activities.IAsyncCodeActivity.FinishExecution(AsyncCodeActivityContext context, IAsyncResult result)
at System.Activities.AsyncCodeActivity.CompleteAsyncCodeActivityData.CompleteAsyncCodeActivityWorkItem.Execute(ActivityExecutor executor, BookmarkManager bookmarkManager)
- Start Time: 11/30/2021 11:45:18 AM
- End Time: 11/30/2021 11:45:56 AM
- Input Values: null
Output Values: Empty
- Has Recording: false
Diagnosed selectors with Highlight function and selector is ok.
dear @Srini84 and @Jon_Smith I managed to figure tihis out. IE security settings were set and locked on HARD. We switched them to Medium and now Simulate Type works.
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