Core Action Position: Offset

This Offset section is not applicable to the Read from screen core action. Instead, see Field label position (field offset).

At times, a wizard may need to interact with an object that is not unique (such as an empty text field or dropdown arrow) or one whose appearance may change (such as a dropdown list). Despite the fact that this is the object the robot needs to act on, the recorded click or keystroke on this object doesn't provide enough information to allow for accurate object detection.

In such cases, edit the step using an offset. This instructs the robot to detect a more easily identifiable object during runtime, then to perform the core action a fixed number of pixels (horizontally and vertically) away from it.

The offset settings for current step's core action appear in the Position tab of the Properties Pane. By default, offset is set to 0 pixels (both horizontally and vertically):

Adjusting offset

To adjust the offset:

  1. In the Display Pane, hover your mouse over the blue dot that identifies the detected object until it turns into a 4-way arrow

  2. Drag the dot to the object you want the robot to detect instead
    The blue dot and the Detected Object label move to the new location

  3. Hold down the <SHIFT> key and drag the dot again to the object you want the robot to act on

Results:

  • An orange dot is created (and appears over the object the robot will act on)

  • The icon representing the click action has moved with the orange dot

  • The offset settings as appear in the Position tab show the position of the orange dot relative to the blue dot

Horizontal setting:

  • Positive number → orange dot is right of the blue dot (i.e., click position is to the right of the detected object)

  • Negative number → orange dot is to the left of the blue dot (i.e., click position is to the left of the detected object)

Vertical setting:

  • Positive number → orange dot is below the blue dot (i.e., click position is below the detected object)

  • Negative number → orange dot is above the blue dot (i.e., click position is above the detected object)

  • You can directly adjust (or fine tune) offset position by manually changing the offset setting numbers in the Position tab

  • After adjusting offset, be sure that the highlight box is properly placed around the click target (and adjust as necessary)

Removing offset

To remove the offset:

  1. Click the Clear link in the Offset section of the Position tab

Results:

  • The offset settings in the Position tab are reset to 0 px horizontal, 0 px vertical

  • The orange dot representing the offset is removed from the Display Pane

Check the detected object!

When you clear the offset, the orange dot is removed, but any change you made to the position of the detected object (the blue dot) remains. To revert to using the originally recorded object, click the Use recorded object link in the Object section of the Position tab.