If

The If action A feature that supplies the instructions in a botflow. adds an If Statement to botflows A file that stores the actions and variables designed to automate tasks. executing or skipping a sequence of actions depending on a specific condition.

Use If statements to configure botflows to check:

Add an If action to a botflow using the:

Also review:

Add an If action to a botflow using the Project Pane

This example provides the steps necessary to add an If action to a botflow using the Project Pane.

To add an If action to a botflow:

  1. On the Actions list, click Flow and then click If from the Logic list.
  2. The If Action Builder window displays.
  3. Set the If settings.

    • More/Less view: Click the More/Less toggle to include or exclude multiple If statements.
    • If: Select the first half of the If group statement from the drop-down list.
    • Of these are: Select the second half of the If group statement from the drop-down list.
    • Plus Sign: Select to add a Condition or Group to the If statement.
    • Condition (number): Type a value to compare in the first box. Select the comparison from the drop-down list. Type a value in the second box to compare against the value in the first box.
    • If needed, click the Rules checkmark.

    • Include "Else": Check to include an Else clause in the If statement.

  4. If needed, adjust the Run Switch setting to create the action without running it.
  5. Optionally, add an action note.
  6. Click OK to add the If action to the botflow.

Add an If action to a botflow using the Target Tool

This example provides the steps necessary to add an If action to a botflow using the Selector tool.

To add an If action to a botflow:

  1. Drag the Selector tool from the Build Pane Area to add new actions and edit existing actions. and drop it onto an application to display the Target Preview.
  2. Click If from the Logic list.

    3. The If Action Builder window displays.

  1. Set the If settings.

    • More/Less view: Click the More/Less toggle to include or exclude multiple If statements.
    • If: Select the first half of the If group statement from the drop-down list:
    • Of these are: Select the second half of the If group statement from the drop-down list:
    • Plus Sign: Select to add a Condition or Group to the If statement.
    • Condition (number): Type a value to compare in the first box. Select the comparison from the drop-down list. Type a value in the second box to compare against the value in the first box.
    • If needed, click the Rules checkmark.

    • Include "Else": Check to include an Else clause in the If statement.

  2. If needed, adjust the Rule settings to modify how Nintex RPA finds the application target.
  3. If needed, adjust the Timing settings to fine tune how the action runs.
  4. View the action Details settings.
  5. If needed, adjust the Run Switch setting to create the action without running it.
  1. Optionally, add an action note.
  2. Click OK to add the If action to the botflow.

If Action Builder field and button descriptions

Field or button Description
Selector Tool

The Selector Tool allows you to choose the target element the botflow interacts with, such as a button, text field or check box.

Ensure your machine's Windows Settings (Start Menu > Settings) are set as follows when using the Selector Tool:

  • Windows Display Scale and layout set to 100% (Settings->System->Display).
  • Windows Display Make text bigger set to 100% (Settings->Ease of Access->Display).

You can use the Selector tool to do things such as:

  • Click a button in an application.
  • Send information to a web page or Windows application.
  • Copy information from a web or Windows application.

Drag the Selector tool from the Task Pane Area to create and manage actions within a specific task. onto the desired application target An element within an application Nintex RPA interacts with, such as a button, text field, or checkbox. and choose the appropriate action from the Build Pane Area to add new actions and edit existing actions..

Selector Tool

The following options are available:

Item to Compare Available When Targeting Used to Evaluate

the target

Anything

The existence of a target

the target's text

Anything

The text of a target

the target's value

A checkbox or radio button

The checked or unchecked status of the target

the target's item count

A listbox

The total number of items in a listbox target

the highlight

A web table

The location of a highlight in the targeted table
Build Pane

The Build Pane displays after you select a targeted element in a Windows application.

The Build Pane lets you:

Selected target elements display in the Build Pane with a list of actions supported by the targeted item. The Build Pane also displays how long the item has been targeted.

Build Pane rules

Rule Description
Auto Automatically makes a text or numeric comparison.
Text Compares items alphabetically.
Numeric Compares items mathematically.
Date Compares items by date.
Case sensitive Consider an item's case.
Ignores surrounding spaces Ignore spaces.
Remove ampersands Displays when an If statement requires a target.

Tip: Comparing Text and Numeric variables:
x = 12
y = 5
Compared as Text, x is less than y because alphabetically "12" starts with "1" and displays before "5".
Compared as Numeric, x is greater than y because numerically 12 is greater than 5.

Tip: Check Remove ampersands when targeting a shortcut key. When displayed as a menu item or button, where it can be partially underlined, an ampersand often takes the place of the partial underline in shortcut keys.
Recent Target

The most recent target may be accessed by clicking the Recent Target button to the right of the Selector.

This is useful when creating Excel, Emulator, and Web Table Targets allowing you to create new actions with existing targets.
Field or button Description
Action Builder Options/Settings General

More/Less view: Click the More/Less toggle to include or exclude multiple If statements.

  • If: Select the first half of the If group statement from the drop-down list:
    • All: Sets the if statement to all.
    • Any: Sets the if statement to any.
    • None: Sets the if statement to none.
  • Of these are: Select the second half of the If group statement from the drop-down list:
    • True: Sets the if statement to true.
    • False: Sets the if statement to false.
  • Plus Sign: Select to add a Condition or Group to the If statement.
  • Condition (number): Type a value to compare in the first box. Select the comparison from the drop-down list. Type a value in the second box to compare against the value in the first box.
    • Use the Expression Builder to build the action settings using variables or other token values.
    • Click the Rules checkmark to select:

      • Auto: Automatically makes a text or numeric comparison.

      • Text: Compares items alphabetically.

      • Numeric: Compares items mathematically.

      • Date: Compares items by date.

      • Case sensitive: Consider an item's case.

      • Ignores surrounding spaces: Ignore spaces.

      • Remove ampersands: Displays when an If statement requires a target.

Options

  • Include "Else": Check to include an Else clause in the If statement.

Preview: Provides a live true or false evaluation of the If statement.
Selector Tool Options/Settings General

More/Less view: Click the More/Less toggle to include or exclude multiple If statements.

  • If: Select the first half of the If group statement from the drop-down list:
    • All: Sets the if statement to all.
    • Any: Sets the if statement to any.
    • None: Sets the if statement to none.
  • Of these are: Select the second half of the If group statement from the drop-down list:
    • True: Sets the if statement to true.
    • False: Sets the if statement to false.
  • Plus Sign: Select to add a Condition or Group to the If statement.
  • Condition (number): Type a value to compare in the first box. Select the comparison from the drop-down list. Type a value in the second box to compare against the value in the first box.
    • Use the Expression Builder to build the action settings using variables or other token values.
    • Click the Rules checkmark to select:

      • Auto: Automatically makes a text or numeric comparison.

      • Text: Compares items alphabetically.

      • Numeric: Compares items mathematically.

      • Date: Compares items by date.

      • Case sensitive: Consider an item's case.

      • Ignores surrounding spaces: Ignore spaces.

      • Remove ampersands: Displays when an If statement requires a target.

Options

  • Include "Else": Check to include an Else clause in the If statement.
Rules

Some actions have rules required to locate a target and vary based on the targeted application.

Rules of a targeted application element are configured and saved with the action. The rules are then used to locate the proper targeted element, such as an Microsoft Excel workbook.

Common rules

To set the most common rule type:

  1. Click Rules from the Build Pane Area to add new actions and edit existing actions. or the Action Builder The Action Builder window provides access to the tools needed to create and modify Actions or instructions within a botflow. window.

    2. The Rules window displays the Rules available for the selected target application.

  2. Adjust the available Rules as required.
  1. Click OK to save the Rules.
  • Some targets provide no rules.
  • Most targets provide at least the text of the target, such as 'Log in' for a log in screen action (see image above).
  • Some targets provide a name to identify the target (a unique developer-defined control name).
  • Some targets provide an ID (a unique identifier that locates an item based on how it appears in the target).
  • All targets use the following rules:
    • Ignore - Ignores the value of the selected rule.
    • Exact Match - Uses an exact match when considering the value of the rule.
    • Best Match - Uses a best match when considering the value of the rule and uses a variety of information to locate the target.
    • Left Match - Uses leading characters when considering the value of the rule based on a specified number of leading characters.
    • Right Match -  Uses trailing characters when considering the value of the rule based on a specified number of trailing characters.

Alternatively, use the Expression Builder to build your action rules.
Preview All actions created using the Selector Tool include a Preview of the targeted element.
Details

When directed by Nintex Support, click Details from the Preview Panel of the Action Builder. If needed, Nintex Support will supply additional information.
Timing Settings

Some actions have timing settings and vary based on the targeted application. The timing settings of a targeted application element are configured and saved with the action. The timing settings are then used to control when the action starts.

  1. Click Wait up to 1 sec.
  1. Open the Time drop-down list and select the required setting:
    • Do not wait: Immediately attempts to execute the action and applies any error settings or rules.
    • Wait up to: Waits up to one (1) second to execute the action per any configured rules. The time specified is the wait time prior to continuing the botflow. In the event of an application being unavailable, the action adheres to the error settings. Time units include numeric settings for seconds, minutes, and hours.
    • Wait forever: Waits until the target application is in a ready state and applies any error settings or rules.
  1. Click X to close the drop-down list and save the setting.
Run error task
  1. Click Run error task.
  2. Open the On Error drop-down list and select the required setting:
    • Run error task: A botflow containing an error task automatically runs the error task in the event of an error. If the botflow does not contain an error task, the botflow stops in the event of an error.
    • Stop on error: The botflow stops in the event of an error.
    • Ignore errors: The action is skipped in the event of an error and the botflow attempts to execute the next action
  1. Click X to close the drop-down and save the setting.
Note

(Optional) Type a Note to document any special instructions or functionality.    
Run Switch

The Run Switch toggle controls how Nintex RPA runs an action when adding or editing an action in a botflow.

  • Run: To run the action automatically when you click OK, turn the toggle to Run.

  • Don't Run: If you do not want to run the action automatically when you click OK, turn the toggle to Don't Run.
OK/Cancel Click OK to save the action or click Cancel to discard the action or any changes.

Comparison option descriptions

Comparison statement Returns true

is found

The target appears on the screen

is not found

The target does not appear on the screen
Comparison statement Returns true

is blank

The item to compare is blank

is not blank

The item to compare is not blank

is numeric

The item to compare is numeric, and does not contain any alphabetic characters

is not numeric

The item to compare is not numeric, or contains at least one alphabetic character

is equal to

The two items are equal

is not equal to

The two items are not equal

is greater than

The first item is greater than the second item

is greater than or equal to

The first item is greater than or equal to the second item

is less than

The first item is less than the second item

is less than or equal to

The first item is less than or equal to the second item

contains

The first item contains the second item

does not contain

The first item does not contain the second item

begins with

The first item begins with the second item

does not begin with

The first item does not begin with the second item

ends with

The first item ends with the second item

does not end with

The first item does not end with the second item
Comparison statement Returns true

is in the First Row

The highlight is in the first row

is in the Last Row

The highlight is in the last row

is in the First Column

The highlight is in the first column

is in the Last Column

The highlight is in the last column

is not in the First Row

The highlight is not in the first row

is not in the Last Row

The highlight is not in the last row

is not in the First Column

The highlight is not in the first column

is not in the Last Column

The highlight is not in the last column

If statement configuration descriptions

Button Description
More/Less toggle More displays by default in Expert and Professional mode. Less displays by default in Beginner mode. Click to toggle between More and Less.
Add Condition With More enabled, click Plus and then click Add Condition.
Add Group With More enabled, click Plus and then click Add Group.

A Condition is a single statement to be evaluated.

Example: A condition evaluates a MaxValue Variable against 50. A second condition evaluates a MinValue Variable against 25. The If Statement enters when both Conditions are true.

A Group consists of one or many conditions to be evaluated.

Example: A first group evaluates two Conditions, while a second group evaluates a single condition. The If Statement enters when all of the conditions are true.

The following Group Options are available:

  • All of these are True or False
  • Any of these are True or False
  • None of these are True or False

Note: 
- If the If action evaluates as True, the actions under the If action execute.
- If the If action evaluates as False, the actions under the If action do not execute.
-  For Complex statements when the If action evaluates as False, the actions under the Else statement execute.

An Else statement is a statement entered when the superseding If statement evaluates as False. If the Else option is selected, and the If action evaluates as False, the Actions under Else execute.

Example: If 1 is equal to 2, perform Action 1, Else perform Action 2.

Because 1 never equals 2, Action 1 between If and Else is skipped and Action 2 between Else and End If executes.