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MarcusBe's avatar
MarcusBe
Occasional Contributor
25 days ago

Unable to click second item/object in File Explorer

Hello ! I just want the test automation to navigate to second folder (RT1.0) in this case, it is always changing name so cant go on that. I tried using keyboard nagivation but sometimes it goes ...
keyword tests
Hassan_Ballan's avatar
Hassan_Ballan
Icon for Champion Level 3 rankChampion Level 3
25 days ago

The inconsistency happens because File Explorer sometimes isn’t focused when the keys are sent. You can fix this directly in your Keyword Test with a simple, stable sequence:

  1. Click on a fixed folder (e.g. BAS-Extra) to set focus.
  2. Delay – 500 to 1000 ms (wait for Explorer to stabilize).
  3. Keys – Down (move to the next folder).
  4. Delay – 300 ms.
  5. Keys – Enter (open it).

This gives Explorer a reliable starting point and ensures the second folder is opened consistently.

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Hassan_Ballan's avatar
Hassan_Ballan
Icon for Champion Level 3 rankChampion Level 3
24 days ago

Another idea:

If the folder name changes but it’s always the second item, you can avoid keyboard timing issues by clicking it directly through the File Explorer object. For example:

let explorer = Sys.Process("explorer");
let list = explorer.Window("CabinetWClass").Window("DirectUIHWND");
list.Child(1).DblClick(); // Opens the 2nd folder

This skips the need for focus or delays and stays stable even if folder names change.
You can also wrap it in a small routine and call it from your keyword test.

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