Web-based match rules

For web applications, the persistent data available to identify an element or control are the HTML tags. The tags provide a standardized format that allows Pega Robot Studio™ to match the element consistently. While there exists web-based default match rules uniquely associated to each object type, default web control match rules also exist. A developer can use any of these rules if the object match rules do not work.

Below is a sample of the web object default match rules.

If Pega Robot Studio cannot match the control based solely on the web object rules, it uses standard default match rules:

• Attribute Value
• Control Children
• Element ID
• Element Index
• Element Inner Text
• Element Path

Pega Robot Studio may use one or more of the above match rules to match a target in combination with the web object match rules as well.

The most used default match rule is the Element ID match rule. HTML designates every object on the web page with a unique identifier, as a result Pega Robot Studio uses this rule the most. However, there are instances where it may cause trouble.

If a developer lets the web page assign the element ID for all objects, the web page creates a new element ID for the objects each time the pages loads. Therefore, on the initial interrogation, the Element ID rule may have an initial value. When testing the solution, the object fails to match when the application runs because the element ID is now different.

All HTML tags have predefined properties or attributes for a developer to use to distinguish one similar tag from another. Since web developers can decide which attribute to use, when to use the attribute, as well as what value to apply for the attributes, a developer can use the Attribute Value match rule to define a unique attribute and value.

The Element Index match rule simply generates the index of the HTML tag of the control relative to the other tabs of the same type. The index numbering starts at zero. If three <p> tags exist on the web page, the first tag has an index of 0, the second of 1, and the third of 2. Use this rule sparingly and as a last quick fix. Web pages are too dynamic, and the index can change too often.

The Element Path match rule is the routing of the HTML tags surrounding the interrogated object. Using the Select Element function during interrogation displays the element path of the interrogated object on the context menu.