Automate multiple user actions that are performed by the mouse device using the Mouse component using the Mouse component in RPA Desktop Design Studio. You can automate actions such as move, left click, right click, middle click, double-click, drag, drop, and paste. The Mouse component uses hardware interrupts to simulate mouse device actions.

Before you begin

Role required: none

About this task

Many properties of the Mouse component are common with other Actions UI components, to configure these properties, see Properties of Actions (UI) components.

The properties unique to the Mouse component are given.
Table 1. Mouse component properties
Property Description
Mouse Action Type Type of mouse device action that the component will perform. The default action is Left Click.

Procedure

  1. In the Toolbox pane, navigate to Actions (UI) > Mouse.
  2. Drag the Mouse component to the Design surface.
  3. In the Mouse component, click the camera icon (Camera icon.).
    The Press "CTRL+SHIFT" for selection message appears.
  4. Press the Ctrl + Shift keys.
    The mouse device turns into a crossover icon (Crossover icon.)
  5. Drag the cursor over the application to capture the area where you want the component to perform an action.
    The selected part of the program is captured as an image in the Mouse component.
  6. Drag the green plus icon (Green plus icon.) over the captured image and place on the location where the component will perform an action.
  7. (Optional) In the Properties pane, select the mouse device action from the Type list.
    The Type list located under the Misc. heading. The default Mouse action is LeftClick.
  8. (Optional) Add an anchor to the captured image by doing the following actions:
    An anchor is a unique identifier that enables the Mouse component to identify the application where the component will perform an action. Although adding an anchor is a good approach, it's optional. If you don't add an anchor, the Mouse component treats the whole captured image as an anchor. To know more about the anchor, see the steps to use the Anchor.
    1. In the Mouse component, right-click the image and click Add Anchor.
      The anchor appears as a yellow rectangle with red borders.
    2. To identify the content for the Mouse component, drag and place the anchor at the unique location on the image.
      Tip:

      To change the dimensions of the anchor, position the mouse device along the edge of the anchor until the mouse device turns into a diagonal two-sided arrow (Two-sided arrow.) and then drag the anchor.

  9. (Optional) Capture alternate images by doing the following actions:
    Alternate images prevent an execution failure when the Mouse component does not find the image that was captured first. In that case, the Mouse component then searches for alternate images to execute. You can add as many alternate images as you need.
    1. In the Mouse component, click the component settings icon (Component settings icon.).
    2. In the ALTERNATE IMAGES window, click the add Image icon (Add image icon.).
    3. Click the camera icon (Camera icon.).
      The Press "CTRL+SHIFT" for selection message appears.
    4. Press the Ctrl + Shift keys.
      The cursor turns into a crossover icon (Crossover icon.).
    5. Drag the cursor over the part of the application program on which you want to perform a mouse device action and then release.
      The selected part of the program is captured as an image in the Mouse component.
    6. Drag the green plus icon (Green plus icon.) over the captured image and place on the location where the component will perform an action.
    7. Navigate to the Properties pane.
    8. In the Misc heading, select the mouse device action from the Type list.
    9. Click OK.
  10. (Optional) To test the component, right-click the component bar and then click Run From Here.

Example: Drag a folder to another folder

Two Mouse components are used in this example. The first identifies the folder and drags it. The second identifies the destination folder and moves the folder inside.Move a folder to another folder