DevExpress Grid inaccessible with Spy

[MrVitriol]

We are currently doing our first steps in development with DevExpress, I have to do a test for this and now I encountered a problem:

Ranorex cannot access the content of the table at all. I get to the TreeListView and not any further. Even though I can at least see some elements below that in the Spy, but they are grayed out...

We currently employ WpfOnly as our Plugin - could this have something to do with it?

[odklizec]

Hi,

Have you tried to switch to other WPF plugins?

Unfortunately, the DevExpress controls (especially complicated grids) are known for their lack of proper accessibility support. You can find many posts, regarding the DevExpress controls, which content cannot accessed...
cant-access-table-rows-in-desktop-app-t11241.html
how-to-find-devexpress-grid-and-it-s-ro ... t9188.html
wpf-grid-issue-t7445.html
cant-access-table-rows-in-desktop-app-t11241.html

All you can probably do, is to try to play with Ranorex settings (wpf related) and eventually try to access the controls via MS Inspect tool. If the grid and its cells can be accessed with this tools, then it's something Ranorex folks should look at. In case the content of grid cannot be accesses neither via Ranorex Spy or MS Inspect tool, then there is most probably nothing Ranorex folks can do about it. But you can always create an official Ranorex support ticket (here).

[MrVitriol]

Thanks for the fast reply.

Playing around with Wpf related settings did not help - maybe I just did not play around with the right things

It works with WpfImprovedOnly.

Unfortunately we have a huge repository, built with WpfOnly. As far as I understood it is not possible to now just switch to WpfImprovedOnly because we would then have to redo our complete repository.

Any idea what I can do now?

[odklizec]

Hi,

Well, I'm afraid, you will have to update the repository then? There is nothing like an automatic conversion of repository. This is the price we pay for improved wpf recognition. Eventually, you may be able switch from WpfOnly to WpfImprovedOnly (and back) via code (just before accessing the table)? But I don't think it's very practical solution in a long term run? Check for example this post, discussing similar issue:
live-tracking-elements-that-disappear-w ... tml#p43882

[MrVitriol]

I see...

What gets me though is that I can see the elements in the Ranorex spy - only I cannot select them.

Because we do not have any time left in this release I will have to use coordinates to do my test somehow. Later I will then have to redo our repository...

Thank you for your help.

[odklizec]

Hi,

Using coordinates is, in my opinion, useless. It will not work reliably. I think the approach with dynamical switching of WPF mode is way better solution.

I don't quite understand this:

What gets me though is that I can see the elements in the Ranorex spy - only I cannot select them.

Where do you see them, in the Spy tree? If you mean you cannot select them in Spy screenshot view or via Spy tracking, then it does not matter at all. You should still be able to copy the xpath from Ranorex Spy and create the appropriate repo element manually. Simply create a new repo item, then copy the xptah from spy (after expanding the tree manually, down to the item you want to use) and paste it in newly created repo element. Then try to highlight the element, just to confirm you copied correct xpath.

[MrVitriol]

Yes, in the tree there is a part that I can identify with the spy as usual. This part can also be used in a Ranorex Action.

The grey part of the tree (see below in the screenshot) cannot be selected by the spy. When I build it in the repository, I am still not able to highlight them or use them in actions because Ranorex does not find them at all.

[odklizec]

The grey part of the tree (in the first posted screenshot), seems to be related to the context menu, not the grid content as such? So I think this is not what you are after? I would definitely consider building new WpfImprovedOnly repo items for grid and then simply switch to WpfImprovedOnly via the above mentioned code. And after finishing grid-related actions, switch back to WpfOnly. Just as a temporary measure, before you rebuild old repo elements with WpfImprovedOnly.