UiPath Community 2024.4 Release
Studio and StudioX
Flowchart improvements
This release brings some exciting updates to Flowcharts that will improve the design experience as well as the time taken to build a workflow. You’ll notice the infinite canvas, expanding as you build the workflow. The snap-to-grid functionality makes it easier to align and organize the components neatly. You can continue adding a top level annotation, visible in the top of the canvas.
We’ve also enhanced our navigation, to make it easier to get to where you need to continue your work.
The design for nodes and connectors has also been enhanced, including redesigned Start, Switch, and Decision nodes.
You’ll also be able to label any connectors using the properties panel, as well as having the ability to delete one using the context menu.
The video below showcases the functionality live in a demo of building an Order Analyst Process.
For cases where the canvas becomes more difficult to read due to clashes between activities, we’ve introduced the functionality to declutter the canvas. Right click on the canvas and select De-clutter canvas.’
Autopilot - Generate workflows from text
Autopilot can assist you in generating workflows based on your needs described in natural language. Simply describe the required action in the Command Palette, and Autopilot will create the scaffold for you.
Autopilot - Fix expression
Autopilot can now suggest fixes for your expressions when errors are present. You no longer need to count parentheses or quotation marks, or ensure that the correct types are used. With a simple click, Autopilot attempts to transform any erroneous expression into a functional one.
System 24.5.0-preview improvements
Invoke Workflow File activity unified look
The look and the behaviour of the Invoke Workflow File activity has been unified across the Windows and Cross-Platform Projects (both in Studio Desktop and in Studio Web).
We have also modified some of its behaviours:
- the Arguments property will now be automatically prefilled with any existing arguments in the target workflow upon the selection if the Workflow File Name
- the colored number next to the Import Argument button (
) has been replaced with several more useful info boxes; to give one example - if the target workflow contains more arguments than there are configured under the Arguments property of the Invoke Workflow File, you receive the following message:
The most common scenario when you will see this message is when you switch between the workflows. We opted to not auto-reset the previous input, but you can quickly reset your arguments by using the Import Arguments button:
- you can switch between static names for your arguments vs an expression via the toggle; note that you cannot use the Import Arguments button when using an expression:
For Each activity slight redesign
The initial view of the For Each activity is simplified with the Item name property being moved to the advanced settings:
To make this transition seamless, the activity name will automatically adjust to the item name:
Compress/Zip files activity new property and file handling adjustments
New property - Allow contents with duplicate names
You can now choose to zip the files with the same name via the new property:
It defaults to False.
Dynamic resource files will now be zipped with their original name
For files provided as a dynamic resource (which come from activities such as the Download File activity from the O365 package), the Compress/Zip files activity will now use the original file name rather than the randomly generated one when adding the file to the archive. If the new duplicate files option is set to False, any conflicting names will receive a suffix to make the file name unique.
Extract/Unzip Files activity new property
To accommodate more scenarios (and to keep up with the Compress/Zip files activity improvements above), a new property was added: If file already exists.
It allows you to choose the desired behaviour in case the target zip file contains files with identical names:
New Item Added to Queue event trigger output property for the specific content
Following the improvement to the Get Transaction Item activity, the New Item Added to Queue event trigger follows and will now allow you to easily drill into the Specific Data of your queue based on its Orchestrator schema definition:
Assistant
Search automations
We’ve moved the search box to the top, for greater visibility. With this enhancement, we’ve also removed the robot character picker, to further streamline the Assistant window.
Installing an automation
Starting with version 2024.4, when you select an automation that requires an update, we now provide details such as the description and the new version of the automation. You can also install it directly from the list.
UIAutomation
Ask user on runtime error
When executing in Attended mode or debugging in Studio, there are cases when the workflow encounters an exception because an UI element was not found, and the execution stops. Now we provide a new functionality that in such cases displays a prompt that allows the user to decide what to do next and continue the automation instead of just stopping execution.
This functionality can be enabled per project, through a new project setting from the UI Automation Modern → Generic section: Ask user on runtime error (the default value is False).
In addition to the Retry, Ignore and Continue options, the user may choose to Indicate the element and continue the automation.
As of this preview version, the Indicate element option is available for the following activities:
- Use Application/Browser
- Click
- Type Into
- Set Text
- Check/Uncheck
- Select Item
- Get Text
If the workflow is run from Studio in Debug mode, when the execution finishes, the user also has the option to save the changes, so that the next run it will start directly with the correct selector.
Check App State – Indicate in any app
We already support Check App State to be used as a standalone activity, not under an application card. But at runtime, there are use cases when we need to check application states for windows or elements that don’t belong to the current card’s application instance.
In such cases, it is useful to allow Indicate in any app, without having to add a new application card.
Set Runtime Browser
We’re excited to announce the addition of the Set Runtime Browser activity. This new feature allows users to easily configure the browser type used for automation executions, addressing a common request for improved browser flexibility.
With the Set Runtime Browser activity, you can set the runtime browser once, and it will remain effective until the execution concludes, or another Set Runtime Browser is utilized. This enhancement simplifies the process of running automations across different browsers, eliminating the need for manual selector configuration and reducing the duplication of testing code.
Close Popup activity
There are frequent cases when automations fail because of unexpected popups appearing on the screen and blocking the UI-based automation.
To handle such cases, we built an AI-based activity that closes any type of popup detected (native, alerts, detected in a browser page or in a desktop application). The Close Popup activity can be used to close any detected popup by semantically matching the labels configured for possible close buttons.
The activity works on both Windows and Cross-platform experiences.
Support for Edge IE Mode Web Triggers
Starting with version 23.4 we provide support for monitoring web native events available for Chrome/Edge/Firefox browsers.
Since this release we have added support for use cases that involve monitoring Edge IE Mode native events. All web events already available for WEBCTRL elements are also supported for browser pages opened in Edge IE mode via the Application Event Trigger activity. Legacy applications that can only run on Internet Explorer may benefit from this functionality.
Click and Key pressed events triggers for wnd/ctrl UI elements
We increased the range of events that can be monitored for WND and CTRL UI elements by adding two new types of events: Click and the Key pressed.
Previously, the Click and the Key pressed events could have been monitored by using the Click Event Trigger or the Keypress Event Trigger activity, respectively.
However, by using the Click and the Key pressed events exposed via the Application Event Trigger activity, you can benefit from an improved performance.
Chrome MV3 extension with support for Mac
Chrome is resuming the transition to MV3 extensions and will begin disabling Manifest V2 extensions in pre-stable versions of Chrome (Dev, Canary, and Beta) as early as June 2024.
With this in mind, we have updated the MV3 UiPath extension for Chrome to have Mac support.
Object Repository Improvements
Responding to the need for quicker and more efficient Object Repository creation and sync, we are thrilled to introduce a set of new capabilities.
Sync activities and targets in Object Repository
We are excited to introduce the Sync feature in the Object Repository (OR). This significant update enables the syncing of objects in the OR in projects that were already developed without Object Repository. It works for Modern but also for Classic. We aimed to offer the experience also for the users which want to use OR with Classic activities so for them, we are using the Strict selectors as targeting method inside of the newly created Objects in the OR.
Moreover, users can now include an existing library and the matching objects that they will indicate are going to be synced automatically.
Simplified UX for creating, integrating, and editing screens, nodes, and applications, with automatic addition of missing components
Now it’s easier than ever to start creating your Repository! Our latest update simplifies the user experience for building, integrating, and editing screens, nodes, and applications. This enhancement ensures a more seamless and efficient process from start to finish.
Previously, users had to navigate through numerous confirmation screens, making the experience highly manual. Now, the Object Repository automatically assigns your new object to the appropriate application or screen. If any parent objects are missing, it will create them automatically, streamlining the entire process.
Automatically Sync Target Property pane edits with the OR object
Previously, edits made to a local object in the Target Properties panel required manual updates to be reflected in the Descriptor within the OR. Now, any changes made to a local Object will automatically propagate to the corresponding Descriptor in OR.
Disabled Target properties for objects which are linked to read-only libraries
Previously, properties linked to read-only objects remained active in the Property pane, potentially leading to confusion. Now, these properties are automatically disabled when the target of an activity is linked to a read-only object, clarifying which settings are managed at the repository level and enhancing usability.
If a user wishes to edit the Target properties, they now have the option to unlink the object and make local edits. These changes will not propagate to the actual descriptor in the OR.
All Menu Functionality for OR-Connected Activities
We’ve enhanced the functionality within the burger menu of UI Automation Activities which have Targets connected to a local OR. Previously, certain features such as “Indicate/Edit target” were unavailable for these. With this release, we’ve ensured that all regular options are now accessible, aligning the properties of usual Activities and those which are connected to local OR.
Semantic Activities
Dive into the simplicity and power of form automation with our latest Semantic Activities: specifically designed for working with forms, offering a direct and powerful method for data extraction and input. They cut through complexity, allowing you to utilize a semantically flexible approach that leaves the intricacies to our AI and advanced internal components:
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AI-Powered DOM Extraction Engine: not only extracts form data with but also streamlines the capture of UI elements for the Object Repository.
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Semantic Matching Engine: adds resilience to your automations by semantically matching text labels, ensuring robustness against UI changes.
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Semantic Targeting and Execution Engine: eliminates traditional selector-based challenges, enabling seamless targeting and execution without the usual complexities.
By focusing specifically on forms, Semantic Activities are set to revolutionize the way you interact with and automate form-based tasks.
Semantic Set Value
‘Set Value’ simplifies the process of data entry. Regardless of the form element — be it text boxes, dropdowns, checkboxes, radio buttons, etc. — this single activity adapts to the element type, enhancing your form automation process with unprecedented efficiency and uniformity.
Extract Form Data
This activity is designed with form data in mind, creating custom type objects that are ideal tokens for passing structured data along your automation pipeline — perfect for use in ‘Set Value’ or ‘Fill Form’ activities or for populating Data Entities.
Computer Vision
New Vision Transformer AI Model for Cloud
This update introduces our new Vision Transformer AI model, making UI element detection more powerful than ever.
Key Highlights:
- Enhanced Detection Accuracy: Thanks to the new Vision Transformer architecture, our model now detects UI elements more accurately across the board, reducing errors and speeding up your automation workflows.
- Superior Table Detection: For those of you who frequently work with tables, the improvements are particularly noticeable. Our model handles varying table structures and sizes with ease, making your data extraction tasks smoother and more reliable.
- Cloud-Only Deployment: Due to the more demanding GPU requirements of this powerful new model, it will be deployed exclusively on the UiPath Cloud Server.
UIAutomation Autopilot
Execution Support & Enhanced Prompt Continuation
In 24.4 we focused on simplifying the transitions between the multiple states typically associated to an UIAutomation. We can now also execute the generated activities and use the suggestion for continuing the previously introduced prompt; this way, you can seamlessly scaffold an end-to-end automation starting from a single prompt.
Simplified Scaffolding with Execution Support:
Our newest addition, the ‘Test’ button, found in the upper right corner of the Recorder, activates execution support for the activities suggested by UIA Autopilot. This is particularly useful when you’re working with busy screens, like extensive forms, enabling you to quickly fill them in and test the transition to the next state of your UI automation. The AI assists by generating relevant in-context static values, so you can see how the sequence operates in a live environment.
Intelligent ‘Continue Prompt’ for End-to-End Scaffolding:
When the AI model detects that the current automation sequence is incomplete, a ‘Continue Prompt’ button surfaces as a suggestion. This button, when clicked, re-sends the prompt to the AI model, which then re-evaluates and generates any additional required activities. This ensures thorough coverage of the current state and paves the way for a smooth extension to the subsequent phase of your automation flow.
Document Understanding
We’re happy to announce the latest we’ve brought to activities and hope they improve the experience for you and for the business users, validating documents! The new release comes with the following enhancements:
Validate Document Classification in the new cross-platform Activities
The newest DocumentUnderstanding.Activities package provides 3 new activities:
- Create Classification Validation Task
- Create Classification Validation Task and Wait
- Wait for Classification Validation Task and Resume
which create Classification Tasks in Action Center so business users can validate the result of classifications and manually split documents. The result of the split documents can be found as part of the DocumentData#SubDocuments property. Read more about them in their official documentation.
Support validator notes at a field level
Introducing Validator Notes, a new feature that empowers users to add contextual notes during document validation in the Validation Station. With Validator Notes, users can articulate their decisions, specify additional checks, or flag specific conditions for downstream processing. Whether it’s acknowledging missing but acceptable elements like a signature field or indicating the need for secondary validation due to discrepancies in extracted data, the Validator Notes feature provides valuable insights for subsequent steps in the business process.
The settings will persist on the Extraction Result and be accessible in the Validation Station. Read more about configuring the feature and using it in the Validation Station in the corresponding documentation and forum post.
Auto Validation
The Auto Validation feature provides a streamlined approach to validating the extracted data based on different business rules. In its first version, the feature will compare extraction results provided by the used extraction methods (i.e. a specialized extraction models, form extractions, and regex extractions) falling below a certain confidence score, against the result of the generative extractor: if both results are equal, then the extraction confidence is boosted to the set confidence threshold. By boosting the confidences for matching values and lowering them for discrepancies, RPA developers can optimize workflows, reduce manual efforts, and minimize false positives.
The feature is available in preview in Cloud APIs, as part of the Data Extraction Scope in the IntelligentOCR package as well as part of the Extract Document Data Activity in the DocumentUnderstanding.Activities package.
Coded Automation Improvments
New overload methods for verifications
So far, the Testing API for Coded Automation provided a separate method for each activity available…
The feedback we have received was that while those methods are useful, they can be a little cumbersome to configure in coded automation.
This is why we are now introducing additional overload methods in coded automation, that should make verifications in coded automations easier.
Here is the list of new available methods :
Invoke workflows
Studio allows you to create coded workflows side by side with low code worfklows and invoke them vice versa. This is important in order to allow collaboration between users with different skillsets in the very same project.
So far, invocation of workflows from a coded workflow was available via the extension method ‘RunWorkflow(“string workflow path”).
The feedback we recieved was, that is very easy to make mistakes or misspell the workflow path, which leads to runtime errors. What is more, handing over parameters was done as a dictionary, which further complicated the code.
Due to this, we have added a new way to invoke workflows out of code.
Every workflow within your project (coded or low-code) is now accessible as an object directly, by calling workflows.
When invoking the corresponding workflow method, you will be able to handover the right arguments with the right type, without having to wrap them in an additional dictionary.
In order to recieve the return value of such an invocation, simply assign it a variable.
Auto-import namespaces
In order to use an object within a coded workflow it is required to add a using statement for the namespace the class is located onto your class header section.
So far, users had to add those using statements e.g. via using the refactor methods in the context menu.
In order to make development easier and more efficient, we now try to auto-import those using statements whenever possible, specifically for objects that live in the current project.
Auto-update Object Repository references in Code
The easiest way to perform UIAautomation within coded automation is to use references to Object Repository items.
So far however, when Object Repository items changed their name, coded automations referencing the item failed during execution.
We have introduced automatic refactoring now, making sure that coded automations are updated with the latest selector references.
Mobile Automation
Allow copying text from log panel in MDM
Mobile Device Manager offers detailed logs for every test execution in order to help users debug issues quickly, however so far this information was visible within the log panel, but not accessible in any other way.
This is why we now allow the user to copy text directly from the log panel in order to e.g. google for further information or share it with others.
Please tell us what you think
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