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We have some projects which use an open source ribbon component for Winforms. This component was formerly on CodePlex, but is also available on CodeProject.

Our test group - who use Ranorex - have found this component does not support UI-Automation.

Maybe the best solution is to use a different ribbon control, but I am at least considering extending this ribbon control to support UI-Automation.

So far I have found lots of articles on using UI-Automation as a client, but almost nothing about implementing it as a provider.

Can anybody give me advise about how to do this?

Or is this completely the wrong approach? Should the ribbon elements be visible to UI-Automation anyway? Is it - for example - just missing some attributes?

Phil Jollans
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  • I have probably found the information I require in the topic on [Accessibility](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/ui-automation/) and more specifically on [Server-Side UI Automation Provider Implementation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/ui-automation/server-side-ui-automation-provider-implementation) and also [Expose a Server-side UI Automation Provider](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/ui-automation/expose-a-server-side-ui-automation-provider) – Phil Jollans Nov 11 '17 at 17:05
  • And this [series of articles](https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/winuiautomation/2010/05/10/custom-ui-automation-providers-in-depth-part-1/) looks helpful as well. – Phil Jollans Nov 12 '17 at 07:26

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To be honest there might be many reasons for this. It's hard to say from your information exactly but try to go through this list regarding the WinForms. Also you AUT might have security limitations for Ranorex (these need to be solved for WinForms automation).

But try to go through this list: https://www.ranorex.com/help/latest/technology-instrumentation/general-troubleshooting#GeneralTroubleshooting-.NETWinForms

Martin
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  • My understanding is that anything I can see with [Microsoft Inspect](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd318521(v=vs.85).aspx) is visible to Ranorex. Microsoft Inspect sees the Ribbon as a single element, without any internal structure. I'm pretty sure that it has to be extended to support the UI-Automation interfaces. – Phil Jollans Nov 10 '17 at 18:19
  • Yeah should be like that. But then you will probably have to find a solution to enable UIAutomation through the technologial perspective. WinForms should have this possibility. – Martin Nov 13 '17 at 07:53
  • This is strange because MS Paint app Ribbon controls are visible to Inspect.exe. What’s wrong with this WinForms Ribbon bar? – Vasily Ryabov Feb 10 '18 at 17:49