HTML Object Selector

The following HTML commands utilize Nintex's HTML object selector to make it easy to identify the HTML object you want to work with.

It's easiest to open your web browser and navigate to the desired page prior to using any the HTML commands. Once your browser is open to the page you want to work with, return to Nintex Studio and select the relevant command.

The dialog box for any of the above-listed commands will include a button prompting you to select an object:

Click the Select an object to invoke the HTML object selector.
The HTML object selector will appear with your web browser open behind it
As you roll over the open page in the web browser, the various HTML objects on the page will be highlighted

If the HTML object selector interferes with viewing or selecting the object you need, simply drag the dialog window to a more convenient location on the screen.
Click on the object you want to select

The object you selected will appear in the Selected object field, and additional options will be enabled, allowing you to work with your selection:

	Expands your selection to the next higher object (the "parent object") in the HTML hierarchy, if one exists
	Narrows your selection to the next lower object (the "child object") in the HTML hierarchy, if it one exists
	Briefly highlights the selected object in the browser
	Opens a dialog box allowing you to directly edit selectors used to identify the relevant object
	When toggled On, allows you to define a nearby anchor object that will help to identify the selected object

When you are satisfied with your selection, click OK to return to the main dialog window for the HTML command you are using

Support and Prerequisite: See HTML Commands Support and Prerequisites

Editing selectors

The button invokes a dialog for directly editing two types of selectors used by the robot to identify the relevant object on the webpage:

Object selectors
Inner text selectors

When you are finished editing the selectors, ensure that the correct object is identified by clicking the button. The selected object will be briefly highlighted in your browser.

Object selectors

The Object selectors section allows advanced users to directly edit the HTML object selectors identified during the process. By default, the robot will run through these selectors in the order they appear until a single matching object is detected.

You can use this dialog to:

Select/desect selectors: tick/untick the checkbox of any selector to choose whether it should or should not be used in identifying the relevant object
Change the order in which the selectors will be processed: reorder the selectors by dragging them into the desired order using the icon at the far left of each selector
Modify the selectors altogether: click in a selector's field to directly edit/overwrite its text (can be free text and/or values copied from variables)

Inner text selectors

The robot can also identify an HTML object by matching the text inside it. By default, Nintex's visual algorithm will determine whether matching inner text will improve accuracy. The Inner text section allows you to override the default setting of Decide for me by choosing:

Don't match using text; or
Match using this text

When this option is selected, you will be prompted to specify the text and the operator to be used for matching

Using an anchor object

What is an anchor object? When should you use one?

An anchor object is either a text label or another unique object that appears on the page somewhere near your "main" selected object (i.e., the object you need the robot to work with).

You should use an anchor object when this main object is identical or similar to another object on the page. The anchor object will be used to help the robot correctly identify the main object when the wizard is run.

When the Use an anchor object slider is toggled On, a second HTML selection field opens, allowing you to select the anchor object. Use this selection field exactly as you use the main HTML selector.