Select Item: Error HRESULT E_FAIL has been returned from a call to a COM component

[joe.foster]

I am attempting to automate an in-house application developed in C# using using Actipro WPF forms for controls. I am using the activity Select Item (UiPath.UIAutomationNext.Activites.NSelectItem) for dropdown lists. When the sequence encounters this activity in the application, I get the error:

“Select Item: Error HRESULT E_FAIL has been returned from a call to a COM component.”

When in UiPath design mode (see 1st image below), I am able to successfully edit the dropdown control (via the Options Menu in the activity) and validate it (see 2nd image below). Type Into is not an option. Any help/guidance would be greatly appreciated!

[joe.foster]

I found my own solution/work around:

1. Perform a Click on the drop down
2. Perform a Click on another object on the screen
3. Perform Select Item on the drop down

Not sure why this works, but it does. I was trying to do other things on my computer while it was running and I accidentally discovered the Select Item worked. Just lucky, I guess.