[UDF] AutoIt CDP UDF — A Modern, Playwright‑Style Chrome Test Automation Library

[gmmg]

Thx, for your work.

[seangriffin]

📢 Announcing Enterprise Mode — An extra Automation Architecture for the CDP UDF

A major new feature has been added to the CDP UDF: Enterprise Mode, a layered automation model designed for system‑level and acceptance‑level testing.

✔ UI Script Layer

Modular page‑level automation under UI\.

✔ Functional Area (FA) Layer

Business‑process automation under FA\.

✔ Hierarchical Datapools

CSV‑driven test data across Release → Environment → Functional Area tiers.

✔ Enterprise Logging

High‑precision datetime stamps and full script call‑chaining logs showing caller script, callee method, and line numbers.

Enterprise Mode allows you to build scalable, maintainable automation that mirrors real business workflows while keeping UI automation clean and modular.

This is an optional feature you can enable with the line:

$cdp.config.enterpriseMode = True

Examples are now available in the GitHub repository. Look for:

• Example Enterprise Mode Acceptance Tests.au3
• Example Enterprise Mode System Tests.au3

Documentation will be added in due course.

Edited June 28 by seangriffin

[alb19542006]

Thanks for this, it has great potential! Would it be possible to see an example using this with Edge Chromium?

[seangriffin]

20 hours ago, alb19542006 said:

Thanks for this, it has great potential! Would it be possible to see an example using this with Edge Chromium?

I expect that would be possible.  I know MS Edge is built on chromium so I would expect the underlying devtools protocol is the same.

Thanks for the suggestion I'll look into it.

[seangriffin]

📢 New Feature: Built‑in Video Capture for CDP UDF

A new feature has been added to the CDP UDF: automatic video capture of test runs using Chrome’s Page.screencastFrame stream and a lightweight FFmpeg‑based recorder.

This makes it easy to record UI behaviour during tests, debug failures, and archive visual evidence of test runs.

🎬 How to enable video capture

A new configuration flag has been added:

$cdp.config.video = $CDPVIDEO_ON

Setting this to ON enables video recording for any test block.

🧪 How video capture works

Video capture automatically starts when you enter a test block:

With test("Basic Inputs test")
    ; your test steps here
EndWith

And automatically stops when the EndWith is reached. No extra commands are required.

📁 Where videos are saved

Each test run writes its video to:

test-results\<test name>\video.webm

For example:

test-results\Basic Inputs test\video.webm

 

This keeps videos neatly organised per test.

📟 Console output

At the end of each test, the runner prints a message showing the full path of the captured video:

🎥 Video: C:\...\test-results\Basic Inputs test\video.webm

This makes it easy to locate and open the recording after the test completes.

📄 Example script included

A new example script has been added:

Example Video Capture.au3

 

[gmmg]

@alb19542006

in the CDP.udf, you can see the Settings for the _CDP_Browser_Launch. I think, you can change your favorite ChromeBrowser there.

Func _CDP_Browser_Launch($oSelf, $browser = Default, $port = Default, $startupSwitches = Default, $profile = Default, $windowSize = Default, $clearCookies = False)

    if $cdp.config.infoPopups = True Then SplashTextOn("AutoIt CDP", "Preparing browser ...", 420, 120)

    if $browser = Default Then $browser = @ProgramFilesDir & "\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"
    if $port = Default Then $port = 9222
    if $startupSwitches = Default Then $startupSwitches = "--no-first-run --no-default-browser-check --disable-gpu --disable-dev-shm-usage --disable-extensions --disable-background-networking --disable-renderer-backgrounding --disable-sync --metrics-recording-only --mute-audio --hide-crash-restore-bubble --noerrdialogs --disable-infobars --disable-popup-blocking --enable-automation --silent-launch"
    if $profile = Default Then $profile = @ScriptDir & "\chromeprofile"
    if $windowSize <> Default Then $startupSwitches = $startupSwitches & ' --window-size=' & $windowSize

KR, gmmg

[alb19542006]

2 hours ago, gmmg said:

@alb19542006

in the CDP.udf, you can see the Settings for the _CDP_Browser_Launch. I think, you can change your favorite ChromeBrowser there.

Func _CDP_Browser_Launch($oSelf, $browser = Default, $port = Default, $startupSwitches = Default, $profile = Default, $windowSize = Default, $clearCookies = False)

    if $cdp.config.infoPopups = True Then SplashTextOn("AutoIt CDP", "Preparing browser ...", 420, 120)

    if $browser = Default Then $browser = @ProgramFilesDir & "\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"
    if $port = Default Then $port = 9222
    if $startupSwitches = Default Then $startupSwitches = "--no-first-run --no-default-browser-check --disable-gpu --disable-dev-shm-usage --disable-extensions --disable-background-networking --disable-renderer-backgrounding --disable-sync --metrics-recording-only --mute-audio --hide-crash-restore-bubble --noerrdialogs --disable-infobars --disable-popup-blocking --enable-automation --silent-launch"
    if $profile = Default Then $profile = @ScriptDir & "\chromeprofile"
    if $windowSize <> Default Then $startupSwitches = $startupSwitches & ' --window-size=' & $windowSize

KR, gmmg

@gmmg

Thanks, I saw that and have been trying to get it to work with Edge, but I must be doing something wrong - no luck so far. I will keep trying though.....lol

BR, alb19542006

[gmmg]

Hello @alb19542006,

for a test, a copied the CDP.au3 to CDP_Edge.au3 and changed the Line from chrome in msedge. (line 456)

;if $browser = Default Then $browser = @ProgramFilesDir & "\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"
    if $browser = Default Then $browser = "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe"

In the script self, i changed also the include to #include "CDP_Edge.au3"

And it works.

Greetings,

gmmg

 

 

Edited July 16 by gmmg

[gmmg]

A better way is to edit the CDP.au3 and add the following code in the _CDP_Browser_Launch Func.

    if $browser = Default Then $browser = @ProgramFilesDir & "\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"
    if $browser = "msedge" Then $browser = "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe"

Example:

 

#Region ;**** Directives created by AutoIt3Wrapper_GUI ****
#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y
#AutoIt3Wrapper_Change2CUI=y
#EndRegion ;**** Directives created by AutoIt3Wrapper_GUI ****

#include "CDP.au3"

;VOR DEM START ALLE EVENTUELLEN COOKIE-DATEIEN IM PROFILRADIKAL LÖSCHEN ---
Local $sProfile = @TempDir & "\chromeprofile"
FileDelete($sProfile & "\Default\Cookies")
FileDelete($sProfile & "\Default\Cookies-journal")
FileDelete($sProfile & "\Default\Network\Cookies")
FileDelete($sProfile & "\Default\Network\Cookies-journal")
FileDelete($sProfile & "\Cookies")
FileDelete($sProfile & "\Cookies-journal")

;$chrome = $browser.launch(Default, 9299, Default, Default)
;$chrome = $browser.launch(Default, 9299, Default, @TempDir & "\chromeprofile")
$chrome = $browser.launch("msedge", 9299, Default, @TempDir & "\chromeprofile")
$page = $chrome.newPage()

; Window maximieren
WinWait("[CLASS:Chrome_WidgetWin_1]")
WinSetState("[CLASS:Chrome_WidgetWin_1]", "", @SW_MAXIMIZE)

$page.goto("https://autoit.de/wcf/login/")

$page.locator("//*[@id='username']").sendKeys("username")
Sleep(1000)
$page.locator("//*[@id='password']").sendKeys("password")
Sleep(1000)
$page.locator("//*[@id='submitButton']").click()

;$chrome.close()

gmmg

[seangriffin]

On 7/16/2026 at 6:18 PM, gmmg said:

A better way is to edit the CDP.au3 and add the following code in the _CDP_Browser_Launch Func.

    if $browser = Default Then $browser = @ProgramFilesDir & "\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"
    if $browser = "msedge" Then $browser = "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe"

Example:

 

#Region ;**** Directives created by AutoIt3Wrapper_GUI ****
#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y
#AutoIt3Wrapper_Change2CUI=y
#EndRegion ;**** Directives created by AutoIt3Wrapper_GUI ****

#include "CDP.au3"

;VOR DEM START ALLE EVENTUELLEN COOKIE-DATEIEN IM PROFILRADIKAL LÖSCHEN ---
Local $sProfile = @TempDir & "\chromeprofile"
FileDelete($sProfile & "\Default\Cookies")
FileDelete($sProfile & "\Default\Cookies-journal")
FileDelete($sProfile & "\Default\Network\Cookies")
FileDelete($sProfile & "\Default\Network\Cookies-journal")
FileDelete($sProfile & "\Cookies")
FileDelete($sProfile & "\Cookies-journal")

;$chrome = $browser.launch(Default, 9299, Default, Default)
;$chrome = $browser.launch(Default, 9299, Default, @TempDir & "\chromeprofile")
$chrome = $browser.launch("msedge", 9299, Default, @TempDir & "\chromeprofile")
$page = $chrome.newPage()

; Window maximieren
WinWait("[CLASS:Chrome_WidgetWin_1]")
WinSetState("[CLASS:Chrome_WidgetWin_1]", "", @SW_MAXIMIZE)

$page.goto("https://autoit.de/wcf/login/")

$page.locator("//*[@id='username']").sendKeys("username")
Sleep(1000)
$page.locator("//*[@id='password']").sendKeys("password")
Sleep(1000)
$page.locator("//*[@id='submitButton']").click()

;$chrome.close()

gmmg

Thanks gmmg.  I can recognise the issues in _CDP_Browser_Launch so I've redesigned it.  I hope this helps ...

🚀 New Browser Launch API (Cleaner, Typed, Extensible)

The browser launch function has been redesigned to use typed enums for browser selection and a JSON options object for configuration:

Func _CDP_Browser_Launch($browser = $CDPBROWSER_CHROME, $jOptions = Null)

Browser selection via enums:

$CDPBROWSER_CHROME
$CDPBROWSER_EDGE
$CDPBROWSER_FIREFOX
$CDPBROWSER_CHROMIUM
$CDPBROWSER_CHROME_BETA
$CDPBROWSER_CHROME_DEV
$CDPBROWSER_CHROME_CANARY
$CDPBROWSER_EDGE_BETA
$CDPBROWSER_EDGE_DEV
$CDPBROWSER_EDGE_CANARY

Optional configuration via JSON:

Local $opts = _JsonC_Object()
$opts.add("port", 9299)
$opts.add("windowSize", "1280,800")
$opts.add("version", 119)

$chrome = $browser.launch($CDPBROWSER_CHROME, $opts)

This design:

• avoids parameter explosion
• is self‑documenting
• supports pre‑installed browsers
• supports portable browsers
• supports Selenium Manager for versioned downloads
• is easy to extend

[seangriffin]

And here is another significant architectural change ...

🧭 New Locator Architecture (Playwright‑Style)

Locators now resolve elements at method invocation time, not at locator creation time.

This matches Playwright’s behaviour and fixes:

• stale element handles
• navigation timing issues
• scrollIntoView misalignment
• boundingBox failures
• screenshot coordinate drift

Example:

$oPage.locator("#login").click()

Internally:

1. _locate() (auto‑wait)
2. scrollIntoViewIfNeeded() (fast locate)
3. boundingBox() (fast locate)
4. Input.dispatchMouseEvent() (click)

This makes the UDF significantly more reliable and modern.

[alb19542006]

On 7/16/2026 at 4:18 AM, gmmg said:

A better way is to edit the CDP.au3 and add the following code in the _CDP_Browser_Launch Func.

    if $browser = Default Then $browser = @ProgramFilesDir & "\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"
    if $browser = "msedge" Then $browser = "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe"

Example:

 

#Region ;**** Directives created by AutoIt3Wrapper_GUI ****
#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y
#AutoIt3Wrapper_Change2CUI=y
#EndRegion ;**** Directives created by AutoIt3Wrapper_GUI ****

#include "CDP.au3"

;VOR DEM START ALLE EVENTUELLEN COOKIE-DATEIEN IM PROFILRADIKAL LÖSCHEN ---
Local $sProfile = @TempDir & "\chromeprofile"
FileDelete($sProfile & "\Default\Cookies")
FileDelete($sProfile & "\Default\Cookies-journal")
FileDelete($sProfile & "\Default\Network\Cookies")
FileDelete($sProfile & "\Default\Network\Cookies-journal")
FileDelete($sProfile & "\Cookies")
FileDelete($sProfile & "\Cookies-journal")

;$chrome = $browser.launch(Default, 9299, Default, Default)
;$chrome = $browser.launch(Default, 9299, Default, @TempDir & "\chromeprofile")
$chrome = $browser.launch("msedge", 9299, Default, @TempDir & "\chromeprofile")
$page = $chrome.newPage()

; Window maximieren
WinWait("[CLASS:Chrome_WidgetWin_1]")
WinSetState("[CLASS:Chrome_WidgetWin_1]", "", @SW_MAXIMIZE)

$page.goto("https://autoit.de/wcf/login/")

$page.locator("//*[@id='username']").sendKeys("username")
Sleep(1000)
$page.locator("//*[@id='password']").sendKeys("password")
Sleep(1000)
$page.locator("//*[@id='submitButton']").click()

;$chrome.close()

gmmg

Thanks gmmg! I've got it working with Edge. Now to learn more about how to use this UDF.

Best regards,

alb19542006

[seangriffin]

📢 New: AutoIt extension for VS Code (companion to the CDP UDF)

Hi everyone,

Alongside the AutoIt CDP UDF I've been building a companion VS Code extension that brings a SciTE-like AutoIt experience into VS Code — with IntelliSense that understands the CDP UDF's Playwright-style objects. It's now at the point where it's genuinely pleasant to work in daily, so I'd like to share it with the community.

Editing

• Syntax highlighting for AutoIt (case-insensitive, as AutoIt itself is), including #cs/#ce block comments (nesting supported) with comments shown in grey italics, SciTE-style
• A matching dark colour theme ("AutoIt Matte")

IntelliSense

• Completion for AutoIt's built-in functions (parsed from au3.api) with signature help and parameter hints as you type
• Completion for keywords, all @macros, and #directives / special commands — with documentation shown for each
• Hover help: point at any function, macro, directive, or keyword to see its signature and description
• CDP UDF-aware completion: $cdp, browser/page objects, and the full Locator API (.locator(...).click, .fill, .waitFor, getByRole, and friends) with parameter hints

Running scripts (SciTE-style)

• F5 runs the current script: Au3Check runs first (quiet mode), and if it reports errors the script does not run — just like SciTE
  • Look for the "Run AutoIt" button in the VS Code status bar
• Only one script runs at a time; Stop (Ctrl+Break or the status-bar button) terminates only the script the editor started, nothing else
  • Look for the "Stop" button in the VS Code status bar
• Console output (including ConsoleWrite) streams live into VS Code's output pane

SciTE conveniences

• Alt+D debug-to-console: highlight an expression and a ConsoleWrite('@@ Debug(...) line with @error reporting is inserted below, correctly indented
• Ctrl+F1 context help: opens the AutoIt help file at the topic for the word under the cursor (works for functions, macros, and directives; F1 itself is taken by VS Code). Falls back to the online docs if the help file isn't installed

It's an early release, so some things (e.g. the go-to-definition or debugging you'd find in mature extensions) aren't there yet.

I haven't yet released this to the VS Code marketplace.  You will need to install manually into VS Code via the "Install from VSIX..." option.

The file in the Github repository is named autoit-lsp-0.0.1.vsix.  Here's a direct link: https://github.com/seanhaydongriffin/autoit-cdp-udf/blob/main/autoit-lsp-0.0.1.vsix

Edited 4 hours ago by seangriffin