Move a UI Automation Element
Note
This documentation is intended for .NET Framework developers who want to use the managed UI Automation classes defined in the System.Windows.Automation namespace. For the latest information about UI Automation, see Windows Automation API: UI Automation.
This example demonstrates how to move a UI Automation element to a specified screen location.
Example
The following example uses the WindowPattern and TransformPattern control patterns to programmatically move a Win32 target application to discrete screen locations and track the BoundingRectangleProperty AutomationPropertyChangedEvent.
/// <summary>
/// The Startup handler.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="e">The event arguments</param>
protected override void OnStartup(StartupEventArgs e)
{
// Start the WindowMove client.
CreateWindow();
try
{
// Obtain an AutomationElement from the target window handle.
targetWindow = StartTargetApp(targetApplication);
// Does the automation element exist?
if (targetWindow == null)
{
Feedback("No target.");
return;
}
Feedback("Found target.");
// find current location of our window
targetLocation = targetWindow.Current.BoundingRectangle.Location;
// Obtain required control patterns from our automation element
windowPattern = GetControlPattern(targetWindow,
WindowPattern.Pattern) as WindowPattern;
if (windowPattern == null) return;
// Make sure our window is usable.
// WaitForInputIdle will return before the specified time
// if the window is ready.
if (false == windowPattern.WaitForInputIdle(10000))
{
Feedback("Object not responding in a timely manner.");
return;
}
Feedback("Window ready for user interaction");
// Register for required events
RegisterForEvents(
targetWindow, WindowPattern.Pattern, TreeScope.Element);
// Obtain required control patterns from our automation element
transformPattern =
GetControlPattern(targetWindow, TransformPattern.Pattern)
as TransformPattern;
if (transformPattern == null) return;
// Is the TransformPattern object moveable?
if (transformPattern.Current.CanMove)
{
// Enable our WindowMove fields
xCoordinate.IsEnabled = true;
yCoordinate.IsEnabled = true;
moveTarget.IsEnabled = true;
// Move element
transformPattern.Move(0, 0);
}
else
{
Feedback("Window is not moveable.");
}
}
catch (ElementNotAvailableException)
{
Feedback("Client window no longer available.");
return;
}
catch (InvalidOperationException)
{
Feedback("Client window cannot be moved.");
return;
}
catch (Exception exc)
{
Feedback(exc.ToString());
}
}
'' <summary>
'' The Startup handler.
'' </summary>
'' <param name="e">The event arguments</param>
Protected Overrides Sub OnStartup(ByVal e As StartupEventArgs)
' Start the WindowMove client.
CreateWindow()
Try
' Obtain an AutomationElement from the target window handle.
targetWindow = StartTargetApp(targetApplication)
' Does the automation element exist?
If targetWindow Is Nothing Then
Feedback("No target.")
Return
End If
Feedback("Found target.")
' Obtain required control patterns from our automation element
windowPattern = CType( _
GetControlPattern(targetWindow, windowPattern.Pattern), _
WindowPattern)
If (windowPattern Is Nothing) Then Return
' Make sure our window is usable.
' WaitForInputIdle will return before the specified time
' if the window is ready.
If (False = windowPattern.WaitForInputIdle(10000)) Then
Feedback("Object not responding in a timely manner.")
Return
End If
Feedback("Window ready for user interaction")
' Register for required events
RegisterForEvents( _
targetWindow, windowPattern.Pattern, TreeScope.Element)
' find current location of our window
targetLocation = _
targetWindow.Current.BoundingRectangle.Location
' Obtain required control patterns from our automation element
transformPattern = CType( _
GetControlPattern(targetWindow, transformPattern.Pattern), _
TransformPattern)
If (transformPattern Is Nothing) Then Return
' Is the TransformPattern object moveable?
If transformPattern.Current.CanMove Then
' Enable our WindowMove fields
xCoordinate.IsEnabled = True
yCoordinate.IsEnabled = True
moveTarget.IsEnabled = True
' Move element
transformPattern.Move(0, 0)
Else
Feedback("Window is not moveable.")
End If
Catch exc As ElementNotAvailableException
Feedback("Client window no longer available.")
Catch exc As InvalidOperationException
Feedback("Client window cannot be moved.")
Return
Catch exc As Exception
Feedback(exc.ToString())
End Try
End Sub
/// <summary>
/// Handles the 'Move' button invoked event.
/// By default, the Move method does not allow an object
/// to be moved completely off-screen.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="src">The object that raised the event.</param>
/// <param name="e">Event arguments.</param>
private void btnMove_Click(object src, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
try
{
// If coordinate left blank, substitute 0
if (xCoordinate.Text == "") xCoordinate.Text = "0";
if (yCoordinate.Text == "") yCoordinate.Text = "0";
// Reset background colours
xCoordinate.Background = System.Windows.Media.Brushes.White;
yCoordinate.Background = System.Windows.Media.Brushes.White;
if (windowPattern.Current.WindowVisualState ==
WindowVisualState.Minimized)
windowPattern.SetWindowVisualState(WindowVisualState.Normal);
double X = double.Parse(xCoordinate.Text);
double Y = double.Parse(yCoordinate.Text);
// Should validate the requested screen location
if ((X < 0) ||
(X >= (SystemParameters.WorkArea.Width -
targetWindow.Current.BoundingRectangle.Width)))
{
Feedback("X-coordinate would place the window all or partially off-screen.");
xCoordinate.Background = System.Windows.Media.Brushes.Yellow;
}
if ((Y < 0) ||
(Y >= (SystemParameters.WorkArea.Height -
targetWindow.Current.BoundingRectangle.Height)))
{
Feedback("Y-coordinate would place the window all or partially off-screen.");
yCoordinate.Background = System.Windows.Media.Brushes.Yellow;
}
// transformPattern was obtained from the target window.
transformPattern.Move(X, Y);
}
catch (ElementNotAvailableException)
{
Feedback("Client window no longer available.");
return;
}
catch (InvalidOperationException)
{
Feedback("Client window cannot be moved.");
return;
}
}
'' <summary>
'' Handles the 'Move' button invoked event.
'' By default, the Move method does not allow an object
'' to be moved completely off-screen.
'' </summary>
'' <param name="src">The object that raised the event.</param>
'' <param name="e">Event arguments.</param>
Private Sub btnMove_Click( _
ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As RoutedEventArgs)
Try
' If coordinate left blank, substitute 0
If (xCoordinate.Text = "") Then xCoordinate.Text = "0"
If (yCoordinate.Text = "") Then yCoordinate.Text = "0"
' Reset background colours
xCoordinate.Background = System.Windows.Media.Brushes.White
yCoordinate.Background = System.Windows.Media.Brushes.White
If (windowPattern.Current.WindowVisualState = WindowVisualState.Minimized) Then
windowPattern.SetWindowVisualState(WindowVisualState.Normal)
End If
Dim X As Double = Double.Parse(xCoordinate.Text)
Dim Y As Double = Double.Parse(yCoordinate.Text)
' Should validate the requested screen location.
If (X >= (SystemParameters.WorkArea.Width - targetWindow.Current.BoundingRectangle.Width)) Then
Feedback("X-coordinate would place the window all or partially off-screen.")
xCoordinate.Background = System.Windows.Media.Brushes.Yellow
End If
If (Y >= (SystemParameters.WorkArea.Height - targetWindow.Current.BoundingRectangle.Height)) Then
Feedback("Y-coordinate would place the window all or partially off-screen.")
yCoordinate.Background = System.Windows.Media.Brushes.Yellow
End If
' transformPattern was obtained from the target window.
transformPattern.Move(X, Y)
Catch exc As ElementNotAvailableException
Feedback("Client window no longer available.")
Catch exc As InvalidOperationException
Feedback("Client window cannot be moved.")
Return
Catch exc As Exception
Feedback(exc.ToString())
End Try
End Sub