C# TestStack.White - Get Window.Items correctly from an minimized Window

Question

I am currently using the TestStack.White framework to retrieve informations from an external Window.

When the Window.DisplayState is Restored or Maximized, I can perfectly get the items that I want...but when it is Minimized, I am not able to see every item from the Window... the following examples shows the Google Chrome Items using commands in the Visual Studio Immediate Window:

MAXIMIZED WINDOW:

Window.DisplayState (COMMAND)
Maximized
Window.Items (COMMAND)

Count = 35
[0]: {Panel. AutomationId:183101736, Name:Chrome Legacy Window, ControlType:painel, FrameworkId:Win32}
[1]: {MenuBar. AutomationId:SystemMenuBar, Name:Barra de menus do sistema, ControlType:barra de menus, FrameworkId:Win32}
[2]: {Button. AutomationId:Minimize, Name:Minimizar, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:Win32}
[3]: {Button. AutomationId:Restore, Name:Restaurar, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:Win32}
[4]: {Button. AutomationId:Close, Name:Fechar, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:Win32}
[5]: {CustomUIItem. AutomationId:, Name:Google Chrome, ControlType:personalizado, FrameworkId:}
[6]: {CustomUIItem. AutomationId:, Name:, ControlType:personalizado, FrameworkId:}
[7]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:Murilo, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[8]: {CustomUIItem. AutomationId:, Name:, ControlType:personalizado, FrameworkId:}
[9]: {CustomUIItem. AutomationId:, Name:, ControlType:personalizado, FrameworkId:}
[10]: {CustomUIItem. AutomationId:, Name:, ControlType:personalizado, FrameworkId:}
[11]: {Tab. AutomationId:, Name:, ControlType:guia, FrameworkId:}
[12]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:Nova guia, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[13]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:Fechar, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[14]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:Fechar, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[15]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:Fechar, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[16]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:Fechar, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[17]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:Fechar, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[18]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:Fechar, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[19]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:Fechar, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[20]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:Fechar, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[21]: {ToolStrip. AutomationId:, Name:main, ControlType:barra de ferramentas, FrameworkId:}
[22]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:Recarregar, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[23]: {CustomUIItem. AutomationId:, Name:, ControlType:personalizado, FrameworkId:}
[24]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:Adicionar esta página aos favoritos, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[25]: {CustomUIItem. AutomationId:, Name:Extensões, ControlType:personalizado, FrameworkId:}
[26]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:AdBlock - clique para detalhes, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[27]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:Tampermonkey, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[28]: {ToolStrip. AutomationId:, Name:Favoritos, ControlType:barra de ferramentas, FrameworkId:}
[29]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:AAA, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[30]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:BBB, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[31]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:CCC, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[32]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:DDD, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[33]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:EEE, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[34]: {CustomUIItem. AutomationId:, Name:, ControlType:personalizado, FrameworkId:}

MINIMIZED WINDOW:

Window.DisplayState (COMMAND)
Minimized
Window.Items (COMMAND)

Count = 19
[0]: {MenuBar. AutomationId:SystemMenuBar, Name:Barra de menus do sistema, ControlType:barra de menus, FrameworkId:Win32}
[1]: {Button. AutomationId:Restore, Name:Restaurar, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:Win32}
[2]: {Button. AutomationId:Maximize, Name:Maximizar, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:Win32}
[3]: {Button. AutomationId:Close, Name:Fechar, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:Win32}
[4]: {CustomUIItem. AutomationId:, Name:Google Chrome, ControlType:personalizado, FrameworkId:}
[5]: {CustomUIItem. AutomationId:, Name:, ControlType:personalizado, FrameworkId:}
[6]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:Murilo, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[7]: {CustomUIItem. AutomationId:, Name:, ControlType:personalizado, FrameworkId:}
[8]: {CustomUIItem. AutomationId:, Name:, ControlType:personalizado, FrameworkId:}
[9]: {CustomUIItem. AutomationId:, Name:, ControlType:personalizado, FrameworkId:}
[10]: {Tab. AutomationId:, Name:, ControlType:guia, FrameworkId:}
[11]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:Nova guia, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[12]: {ToolStrip. AutomationId:, Name:main, ControlType:barra de ferramentas, FrameworkId:}
[13]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:Recarregar, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[14]: {CustomUIItem. AutomationId:, Name:, ControlType:personalizado, FrameworkId:}
[15]: {Button. AutomationId:, Name:Adicionar esta página aos favoritos, ControlType:botão, FrameworkId:}
[16]: {CustomUIItem. AutomationId:, Name:Extensões, ControlType:personalizado, FrameworkId:}
[17]: {ToolStrip. AutomationId:, Name:Favoritos, ControlType:barra de ferramentas, FrameworkId:}
[18]: {CustomUIItem. AutomationId:, Name:, ControlType:personalizado, FrameworkId:}

As you guys can see, the above example shows 35 items when the Windowis Maximized, meanwhile the Minimized Window is showing only 18 items.

If I want the Panel183101736 (first position in Maximized Window), it can be easily get using the following code:

TestStack.White.UIItems.Panel panel = Window.Get<TestStack.White.UIItems.Panel>(SearchCriteria.ByAutomationId("183101736"));

If the Windowis Minimized, I have to change its state manually using Window.DisplayState = DisplayState.Maximized... otherwise, it will raise the following Exception. Is there a way to get "every" item without forcing the Windowto be opened?

Answer 1

I think UIItems are only around, if they are rendered. A minimized window does not get rendered, so there are no UIItems to be found. To get the Items the window needs to be active, not minimized and in the foreground.

Here is a question about the last part: Is there any way to activate a window with White?

It is essentially like WebScraping with these modern javascript-pages, you can't scrape something, that is not loaded in dom yet. As opposed to an rest-service (or for windows-automation a proper ipc) it handles with the rendered interface, 'emulating' a human user - and limited to the items he would be presented.