Action Builder

The Action Builder window provides access to the tools needed to add and modify actions or instructions within a botflow Automated steps that you can design for each bot that will run.. Each action has a unique Action Builder window with its own settings. Additionally, an Action Builder window will have some or all of the elements defined below.

Field or button Description
Rules Some actions have rules required to locate a target and vary based on the targeted application.
Preview All actions created using the Target Selector include a preview of the targeted element.
Details Some actions have details that provide technical information about a target and vary based on the targeted application.
Options/Settings

Some actions contain options or settings that are used to set action behaviors. These can vary for each action.
Wait

Some actions contain timing settings used to set the wait time when executing an action. Instead of executing an action as soon as possible, an action can be set to wait to execute until a target becomes available.
Run error task

Some actions contain run error task settings that are used to set a response when an action fails.
Note

(Optional) Add a note to an action to document any special instructions or functionality.
Run (Default)

The Run Switch toggle controls how Nintex Bot runs an action when adding or editing an action in a botflow.
OK/Cancel Click OK to save the action or click Cancel to discard the action or any changes.

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 a Microsoft Excel workbook. Other notes about 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.
  • 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).
  • Some rules include parents to aid in finding the targets.
  • 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.

To set up the most common rules:

  1. Click Rules on the Build Pane Area to add new actions and edit existing actions. The Build Pane displays after you select a targeted element in a Windows application. The center of the Build Pane is referred to as the Task Editor Pane. or Action Builder Provides access to the tools needed to add and modify actions or instructions within a botflow. Located on the left side of the Nintex Bot window. .

    2. The Rules window displays the rules available for the selected targeted application.

  2. Select Use Smart Targeting to enable smart targeting with up to six rules. With this feature, you can:

    • Select to Ignore or find an Exact Match for rules.

    • Click the arrows next to the rules to change the order and priority in which the rules are followed. After the target has been found, the rest of the rules are ignored.

    • Manually edit rules. This is an advanced feature should only be used if you know how Google Chrome queries work.

    • If tables can be bridged, select Yes or No next to Table Bridge to turn on or off this feature. Bridging web table searches allows you to search, move highlight, get list, and complete other actions across multiple tables on a web page that have the same number of columns. It also improves targeting on web pages and apps (for example, in Salesforce and Navigator).

    • If you want to enable legacy smart targeting rules, select Apply Fallback Legacy Targeting. This option allows you to enable old targeting rules when the Nintex Bot Target Selector fail to find the target. Nintex Bot will fail the action instead of using the Best Match rule. The default is deselected.

  3. Adjust the available rules, as required.
  4. Select Ignore Invisible Elements to turn on a legacy targeting rule that ensures that Nintex Bot only considers visible elements (elements that can be seen) and disregards all invisible elements (elements that have "visible:hidden" and/or "display:none" style properties) during action execution. When selected, this setting disregards all cached/invisible elements in the dom as these elements can be the original target (the target element used to create the action). Selecting this setting can improve reliability during the action execution when interacting with elements that look identical but are actually overlaid. Note that this feature is only available for targeting using Google Chrome technology (Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge).
  5. Click OK to save the rules.

Rules used when targeting tables in a web environment may interact with dynamic collections of data within the web tables. Actions for web tables often require adjustments to the rules to properly locate the target.

To adjust web table rules:

  1. Click Rules.

    2. The Rules window displays with additional table rules.

  2. Adjust the web table rules, as required:

    • Show Less/Show All: Toggles the table display.
    • Bridge: This option is available if tables can be bridged. The default is No. Selecting Yes bridges web table searches and allows you to search, move highlight, get list, and complete other actions across multiple tables on a web page that have the same number of columns. Bridging web table searches improves targeting on web pages and apps (for example, in Salesforce and Navigator).
    • Ignore Position (default): The default setting is set to ignore the position of dynamic positoned web tables. Click the drop-down to select Exact Position if the target web table position is static, which could increase the action speed. Click the X to close the drop-down and save the setting.
    • <number> Columns: The number of columns the targeted web table displays by default. Click the drop-down to change from Exact Count to Ignore Count if the number of web table columns could change.
    • Left Match (default): Click the drop-down to Ignore (if table headers contain dynamic information) or Ignore (column). Otherwise, use Left Match to define the column header length.
    • Length: Type the required column header length or use the up and down arrows to adjust the value.
  3. Click OK to save the settings.

Rules used when targeting Microsoft Excel control the connection letter to an Excel workbook.

To change the connection letter:

  1. Click Rules.

    2. The Excel-specific Rules Window displays.

  2. Type the Connection Letter.
  3. Click OK to save the rule with the connection letter.

Rules used when targeting a terminal emulator control the connection letter to the targeted emulator.

To change the connection letter:

  1. Click Rules.

    2. The Emulator-specific Rules Window displays.

  2. Type the Connection Letter.
  3. Click OK to save the rule with the connection letter.

Rules used when targeting an FTP action control the connection letter to the targeted FTP action.

To change the connection letter:

  1. Click Rules.

    2. The FTP-specific Rules Window displays.

  2. Type the Connection Letter.
  3. Click OK to save the rule with the connection letter.

Rules used when targeting an Adobe form control the connection letter to the targeted Adobe form.

To change the connection letter:

  1. Click Rules.

    2. The Adobe-specific Rules Window displays.

  2. Type the Connection Letter.
  3. Click OK to save the rule with the connection letter.

Rules used with UIA targets may interact with dynamic collections of data within tables. Actions for tables often require adjustments to the rules to properly locate the target.

To adjust rules with UIA targets:

  1. Click Rules.

    2. The Rules window displays with additional table rules.

  2. Adjust the table rules, as required:

    • Row #: Select Auto to use the text values in the columns of each row to determine which row should be targeted. The text of the row must match the rules in the Column Text. Select Exact to specify a specific row number that will always be targeted in the table.
    • Match: Type a number to tell the algorithm when to stop looking for matching rows. For example, type 1 to find the first matching row or 2 to find the second matching row.
    • Show Less/Show All: Toggles the table display.
  3. Click OK to save the 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.

Some actions contain options or settings that are used to set action behaviors. These can vary for each action.

  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.

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

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

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

  • Don't Run: If you do not want to run the action automatically when you click OK, switch the toggle to Don't Run.