IUIAutomation Getting Read-Only Selected Value from Combo Box

[Kharizmah]

Disabled WPF Combo Boxes are not selectable and cannot receive focus.

Despite that there is a value there and want to know if there is anyway to access it.

If I use Junkew's simplyspy.au3  both the program and simplespy.au3 will crash the moment I attempt to retrieve this combobox.

If I paste the capture before the crash, Simple Spy doesn't have any data registered for $UIA_SelectionSelectionPropertyId.

         AutoIt Error for simplyspy.au3:

---------------------------
AutoIt Error
---------------------------
Line 210  (File "E:\Program Files (x86)\AutoIt3\Examples\simplespy.au3"):

_UIA_DrawRect($t[1],$t[3]+$t[1],$t[2],$t[4]+$t[2])
_UIA_DrawRect($t[1],^ ERROR

Error: Array variable has incorrect number of subscripts or subscript dimension range exceeded.
---------------------------
OK   
---------------------------

If I use UI Spy or Inspect I do see a value named "list item" "Flat".

However, if I try:

 $comboBox.GetCurrentPropertyValue("SelectionSelection", $selection)

ConsoleWrite($selection)

Then ComboBox is highlighted but $selection is blank.

Is it imposible to retrieve this value when the comboBox is  disabled?

@junkew @LarsJ

Edited December 17, 2015 by Kharizmah

[junkew]

crashing most likely has to do that you are not running as admin. Run script in admin mode

 

[Kharizmah]

@junkew I might need clarification on this reply.

I do have administrator rights on the computer I am running the script from.

I tried inserting #requireadmin and looked for RunAs  and I am not seeing anything that would suggest that it needs to run in admin mode.

It works without crashing for all other fields except Read-Only WPF combo boxes.

In output it also has this line:

//TODO codetemplates.txt not available An error occurred when reading the file. & @CRLF

I'm not sure if that matters?

 

Edited December 17, 2015 by Kharizmah

[junkew]

Codetemplates.txt is not implemented. 

You can try inspect.exe.to see what that tool is returning. Its part of windows sdk.

[Kharizmah]

That's what I posted above.  I do see the selected item using Inspect.exe

I'll try one more verification technique to ensure the correct object is being viewed. 

The previous one I tried is insuring the object was of class comboBox. I'll also verify the AutomationID this time and see if it's able to pull the value.

[Kharizmah]

@junkew I cannot get any Selection data from that object.

 

Do you know if that's just the way it is for Disabled UI?

Is there a known way through AutoIt to do something like Snoop and Enable the object for reading and then Disable it later?

Try 2:

 

OutPut:

ComboBox exists!Selection: 

So, it finds this combobox but I can't get Selection.Selection data

ComboBox exists!Selection:  Class: ComboBox Automation Id: OptionalEnum

I also tried If IsArray($selection) because apparently the return value is an array.

This also returns blank.  I was wondering if GetCurrentPropertyValue will only returns bools and singular values?

Edited December 22, 2015 by Kharizmah

[LarsJ]

I can see, that the output in the png-image in first post is from UISpy.exe. You should not use UISpy.exe which is at least 10 years old and does not give any valuable information for newer applications. There is no direct connection between the information you get from UISpy.exe and the way you search for the same information through the UI Automation framework by junkew.

You should investigate the combo box with Inspect.exe. Then you'll probably see that Inspect.exe does not get the value in the combo box directly from the combo box but from an edit box which is a child control of the combo box. A combo box usually consists of an edit box and a list box.

With the information you get from Inspect.exe you can easily extract the same information through the UI Automation framework by junkew. And you'll probably see, that you have to extract the information from the edit box and not directly from the combo box.

[junkew]

Can you reproduce with Windows Application?

[Kharizmah]

@LarsJ

I generally do use Inspect.exe in conjunction with UISpy.exe and don't generally see a huge difference.

It saddens me that a program from 2003 can pull information that a newer one may not. 

I will install the latest Inspect.exe to see if that is true. Meanwhile here is Inspect from 2009.

As you can see there is still data showing in Selection.Selection

Edited December 22, 2015 by Kharizmah

[Kharizmah]

@junkew It turns out it doesn't matter if it is enabled...

I will test a combo box  in a Windows app and get back to you

 

 

 

 

Edited December 21, 2015 by Kharizmah

[junkew]

hard to say. I made a dummy WPF application with visual studio 2013 one disabled combobox and one enabled and run under windows 10

Simple spy gives this 

first one IsEnable is false and for second one its true.

Spy doesn't break

advice to comment out this in your version of simplespy: _UIA_DrawRect($t[1],$t[3]+$t[1],$t[2],$t[4]+$t[2]) 

unfortunately cannot share the latest version as mine is unstable at the moment

expandcollapse popup

*** Detailed properties of the highlighted element ***
UIA_class:= <ComboBox>
UIA_regexpclass:= <ComboBox>
UIA_iaccessiblechildId:= <0>
UIA_handle:= <0>
UIA_RuntimeId:= <7;8388;35786431>
UIA_BoundingRectangle:= <171;136;120;22>
UIA_ProcessId:= <8388>
UIA_ControlType:= <50003>
UIA_LocalizedControlType:= <keuzelijst met invoervak>
UIA_HasKeyboardFocus:= <False>
UIA_IsKeyboardFocusable:= <False>
UIA_IsEnabled:= <False>
UIA_ClassName:= <ComboBox>
UIA_ClickablePoint:= <231;147>
UIA_Culture:= <0>
UIA_IsControlElement:= <True>
UIA_IsContentElement:= <True>
UIA_IsPassword:= <False>
UIA_NativeWindowHandle:= <0>
UIA_IsOffscreen:= <False>
UIA_Orientation:= <0>
UIA_FrameworkId:= <WPF>
UIA_IsRequiredForForm:= <False>
UIA_IsDockPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsExpandCollapsePatternAvailable:= <True>
UIA_IsGridItemPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsGridPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsInvokePatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsMultipleViewPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsRangeValuePatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsScrollPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsScrollItemPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsSelectionItemPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsSelectionPatternAvailable:= <True>
UIA_IsTablePatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsTableItemPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsTextPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsTogglePatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsTransformPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsValuePatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsWindowPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_ValueIsReadOnly:= <True>
UIA_RangeValueValue:= <0>
UIA_RangeValueIsReadOnly:= <True>
UIA_RangeValueMinimum:= <0>
UIA_RangeValueMaximum:= <0>
UIA_RangeValueLargeChange:= <0>
UIA_RangeValueSmallChange:= <0>
UIA_ScrollHorizontalScrollPercent:= <0>
UIA_ScrollHorizontalViewSize:= <100>
UIA_ScrollVerticalScrollPercent:= <0>
UIA_ScrollVerticalViewSize:= <100>
UIA_ScrollHorizontallyScrollable:= <False>
UIA_ScrollVerticallyScrollable:= <False>
UIA_SelectionCanSelectMultiple:= <False>
UIA_SelectionIsSelectionRequired:= <False>
UIA_GridRowCount:= <0>
UIA_GridColumnCount:= <0>
UIA_GridItemRow:= <0>
UIA_GridItemColumn:= <0>
UIA_GridItemRowSpan:= <1>
UIA_GridItemColumnSpan:= <1>
UIA_DockDockPosition:= <5>
UIA_ExpandCollapseExpandCollapseState:= <0>
UIA_MultipleViewCurrentView:= <0>
UIA_WindowCanMaximize:= <False>
UIA_WindowCanMinimize:= <False>
UIA_WindowWindowVisualState:= <0>
UIA_WindowWindowInteractionState:= <0>
UIA_WindowIsModal:= <False>
UIA_WindowIsTopmost:= <False>
UIA_SelectionItemIsSelected:= <False>
UIA_TableRowOrColumnMajor:= <2>
UIA_ToggleToggleState:= <2>
UIA_TransformCanMove:= <False>
UIA_TransformCanResize:= <False>
UIA_TransformCanRotate:= <False>
UIA_IsLegacyIAccessiblePatternAvailable:= <True>
UIA_LegacyIAccessibleChildId:= <0>
UIA_LegacyIAccessibleRole:= <46>
UIA_LegacyIAccessibleState:= <1025>
UIA_LegacyIAccessibleDefaultAction:= <Uitbreiden>
UIA_IsDataValidForForm:= <False>
UIA_ProviderDescription:= <[pid:8388,hwnd:0x0 Main(parent link):Unidentified Provider (managed:MS.Internal.Automation.ElementProxy, PresentationCore, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35)]>
UIA_IsItemContainerPatternAvailable:= <True>
UIA_IsVirtualizedItemPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsSynchronizedInputPatternAvailable:= <True>

expandcollapse popup

*** Detailed properties of the highlighted element ***
UIA_class:= <ComboBox>
UIA_regexpclass:= <ComboBox>
UIA_iaccessiblechildId:= <0>
UIA_handle:= <0>
UIA_RuntimeId:= <7;8388;57957548>
UIA_BoundingRectangle:= <291;295;120;22>
UIA_ProcessId:= <8388>
UIA_ControlType:= <50003>
UIA_LocalizedControlType:= <keuzelijst met invoervak>
UIA_HasKeyboardFocus:= <False>
UIA_IsKeyboardFocusable:= <True>
UIA_IsEnabled:= <True>
UIA_ClassName:= <ComboBox>
UIA_ClickablePoint:= <351;306>
UIA_Culture:= <0>
UIA_IsControlElement:= <True>
UIA_IsContentElement:= <True>
UIA_IsPassword:= <False>
UIA_NativeWindowHandle:= <0>
UIA_IsOffscreen:= <False>
UIA_Orientation:= <0>
UIA_FrameworkId:= <WPF>
UIA_IsRequiredForForm:= <False>
UIA_IsDockPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsExpandCollapsePatternAvailable:= <True>
UIA_IsGridItemPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsGridPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsInvokePatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsMultipleViewPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsRangeValuePatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsScrollPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsScrollItemPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsSelectionItemPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsSelectionPatternAvailable:= <True>
UIA_IsTablePatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsTableItemPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsTextPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsTogglePatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsTransformPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsValuePatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsWindowPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_ValueIsReadOnly:= <True>
UIA_RangeValueValue:= <0>
UIA_RangeValueIsReadOnly:= <True>
UIA_RangeValueMinimum:= <0>
UIA_RangeValueMaximum:= <0>
UIA_RangeValueLargeChange:= <0>
UIA_RangeValueSmallChange:= <0>
UIA_ScrollHorizontalScrollPercent:= <0>
UIA_ScrollHorizontalViewSize:= <100>
UIA_ScrollVerticalScrollPercent:= <0>
UIA_ScrollVerticalViewSize:= <100>
UIA_ScrollHorizontallyScrollable:= <False>
UIA_ScrollVerticallyScrollable:= <False>
UIA_SelectionCanSelectMultiple:= <False>
UIA_SelectionIsSelectionRequired:= <False>
UIA_GridRowCount:= <0>
UIA_GridColumnCount:= <0>
UIA_GridItemRow:= <0>
UIA_GridItemColumn:= <0>
UIA_GridItemRowSpan:= <1>
UIA_GridItemColumnSpan:= <1>
UIA_DockDockPosition:= <5>
UIA_ExpandCollapseExpandCollapseState:= <0>
UIA_MultipleViewCurrentView:= <0>
UIA_WindowCanMaximize:= <False>
UIA_WindowCanMinimize:= <False>
UIA_WindowWindowVisualState:= <0>
UIA_WindowWindowInteractionState:= <0>
UIA_WindowIsModal:= <False>
UIA_WindowIsTopmost:= <False>
UIA_SelectionItemIsSelected:= <False>
UIA_TableRowOrColumnMajor:= <2>
UIA_ToggleToggleState:= <2>
UIA_TransformCanMove:= <False>
UIA_TransformCanResize:= <False>
UIA_TransformCanRotate:= <False>
UIA_IsLegacyIAccessiblePatternAvailable:= <True>
UIA_LegacyIAccessibleChildId:= <0>
UIA_LegacyIAccessibleRole:= <46>
UIA_LegacyIAccessibleState:= <1049600>
UIA_LegacyIAccessibleDefaultAction:= <Uitbreiden>
UIA_IsDataValidForForm:= <False>
UIA_ProviderDescription:= <[pid:8388,hwnd:0x0 Main(parent link):Unidentified Provider (managed:MS.Internal.Automation.ElementProxy, PresentationCore, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35)]>
UIA_IsItemContainerPatternAvailable:= <True>
UIA_IsVirtualizedItemPatternAvailable:= <False>
UIA_IsSynchronizedInputPatternAvailable:= <True>

 

[Kharizmah]

@junkew So I noticed that $UIA_SelectionSelectionPropertyId is missing from your capture.

It doesn't even show as blank.

When I comment out the _UIA_DrawRect($t[1],$t[3]+$t[1],$t[2],$t[4]+$t[2]) , I notice that $UIA_SelectionSelectionPropertyId is missing in my capture also.

So, with your wrapper will I be unable to capture this information?

I know that the return value of  $UIA_SelectionSelectionPropertyId is an array.

Yet I also see that scenario should be handled here:

 

 

Edited December 21, 2015 by Kharizmah

[Kharizmah]

Okay, so just for fun, I changed the code to say:

If IsArray($tval) Then

_ArrayDisplay($tval)

EndIf

The return was an array of numbers:

Row|Col 0
[0]|1746
[1]|1086
[2]|120
[3]|21

 

[junkew]

Its a safearray and to make life easier i make them a semicolon stringlist so easier to deal with under general assumption it are small arrays returned. I assume when you get the combobox itself you could play with a treewalker to iterate thru childs of the combobox beeing an edit and listcontrol. Of thise childcontrols you should be able to get the values.

[Kharizmah]

@junkew Yes, when the ComboBox is enabled that is how I get the value.

After I select the ComboBox, I use Treewalker to view the children and select a child object or verify the object

$UIA_SelectionIsSelectionRequiredPropertyId = true

That workaround works fine for an enabled comboBox.

However, it does not work for a disabled comboBox.  

Edited December 21, 2015 by Kharizmah

[junkew]

If uispy is giving you the information its very likely you can somehow get the info with iuiautomation or thru iaccessible interface.

[junkew]

As IsItemContainerPatternAvailable is true you should be able to do

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ee671280(v=vs.85).aspx

 IItemContainerProvider interface

IItemContainerProvider::FindItemByProperty method

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ee671259(v=vs.85).aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

I never used these interfaces but reading some google documentation they could work

or it cannot work ;-) 

https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/vstudio/en-US/68339ec2-7d62-419f-963d-f2cd8172db3f/automation-disabled-combobox-has-no-value?forum=wpf

 

[Kharizmah]

@junkew

Okay apparently I do NOT fully read things.

Did you know that $UIA_SelectionSelectionPropertyId does NOT return as an array but as an IUIAutomationElementArray pointer.  That's why the _ArrayDisplay showed a series of numbers.

Okay... I see your above comment that's why you're suggesting using a ContainerPattern

 

Edited December 22, 2015 by Kharizmah

[Kharizmah]

@LarsJ

In speaking with @junkew he suggested I try to access the $UIA_SelectionIsSelectionRequiredPropertyId by using an ItemContainerProvider.  I noticed you had assisted someone with something similar in the thread below.

I was wondering what the variables represented in your FindItemByProperty method are, as there are 4 variables and the MSDN https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.windows.automation.itemcontainerpattern.finditembyproperty(v=vs.110).aspx

only seem to be referring to 3 variables.

In changing the code around to reflect your example, $selection is showing a result of 0.

I can only assume this is because of the variables I am putting in.

Edited December 22, 2015 by Kharizmah

[LarsJ]

Your link above refer to the function in the .NET framework. The functions which junkew implements are the functions in the Windows API. You can find the documentation for FindItemByProperty here.