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Get relative element in window

Sophie avatar
Written by Sophie
Updated over 2 weeks ago

Definition and Usage

This command allows you to locate and retrieve a specific related element (parent, sibling, or descendant) of a given element within a window. It enables you to navigate the DOM hierarchy by specifying relationships between elements, making it useful for complex UI automation scenarios where target elements need to be accessed based on their relationship to known elements.


Parameter Values

Input parameters

Parameter

Description

Possible Values

Required

Options / Notes

Element

Select or capture an element to operate on

Any valid UI element

Yes

This is the base element from which the relative element will be found

Relationship

Specify how the element will be related

Parent element, Previous sibling element, Following sibling element, First descendant element, All child elements, Specific child element

Yes

Determines the type of relationship to search for

Relative XPath

Relative xpath of the child element relative to the selected element

Valid XPath expression

Conditional

Required when "Specific child element" is selected

Index of child

Index of child in the parent element

Integer value

Conditional

Required when selecting a specific child by index

Advanced settings

Parameter

Description

Possible Values

Required

Options / Notes

Element timeout (s)

Wait time for element to appear (seconds)

Positive number

No

Default is usually 20 seconds; determines how long to wait for the element to be found

Error handling

Parameter Name

Description

Throw error & stop

When an error occurs, the action will trigger an error and stop the execution of the entire app.

Retry command

If an error occurs, the action will retry the command in an attempt to resolve the issue and continue the process.

Ignore error & continue

When an error occurs, the action will be ignored, and the workflow will continue without interruption.

Variables produced

This action produces a variable that contains the found relative element. The variable can be used in subsequent actions to perform operations on.


Using Variables in Conditions

When you see a field with {x} icon, you can insert previously defined variables. This allows you to dynamically determine elements or parameters at runtime. For example, you might use a variable to specify which relationship type to use or to dynamically construct an XPath expression.

Variables can be used in conditions to make decisions based on whether elements were successfully found. For instance, you might check if the "Save element as" variable exists before proceeding with actions that depend on it.


Notes

  • Before using this command, ensure that the base element is properly identified and exists on the page.

  • The relationship type determines which relative element will be retrieved:

    • Parent element: Gets the direct parent of the selected element

    • Sibling elements: Gets elements at the same level in the DOM hierarchy

    • Descendant elements: Gets elements contained within the selected element

  • For "Specific child element" relationship, you need to provide either a relative XPath or an index.

  • If the relative element cannot be found within the timeout period, the action will fail according to the selected error handling option.

  • This command is particularly useful for navigating complex web page structures where direct element selection might be difficult or unreliable.

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