Pywinauto: wait Operation error

[rajarameshmamidi]

Hi Vasily,

I am trying to access outlook.

Based on docs and examples, I am trying below code with wait operation and getting timeout error before application open and visible. What might be best way to use wait operation?

from pywinauto.application import Application 
app = Application().start(r'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\OUTLOOK.EXE')
app.rctrl_renwnd32.wait('enabled', timeout = 20) 


Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:/Users/rrmamidi/Desktop/old Desktop/compress_1/python/basic python scripts/attache_mail.py", line 9, in <module>
    app.rctrl_renwnd32.wait('enabled', timeout = 20)
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\lib\site-packages\pywinauto-0.6.5-py3.6.egg\pywinauto\application.py", line 502, in wait
    lambda: self.__check_all_conditions(check_method_names, retry_interval))
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\lib\site-packages\pywinauto-0.6.5-py3.6.egg\pywinauto\timings.py", line 370, in wait_until
    raise err
pywinauto.timings.TimeoutError: timed out

Thanks,
Raja

[vasily-v-ryabov]

Hi @rajarameshmamidi the wait method call is correct, but it looks like you need Application(backend="uia") because default backend is "win32" and many Outlook elements won't be visible to pywinauto (and Spy++). Just in case: Getting Started Guide is the first document to read before "Waiting for long operations" chapter.

Method app.windows() may help to check titles (method .window_text()) of top level windows of the app.

[rajarameshmamidi]

Hi Vasily,

i gone through the guide and
i tried as below but not working...

import time
from pywinauto.application import Application 
app = Application(backend="uia").start(r'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\OUTLOOK.EXE')
app.rctrl_renwnd32.wait('active', timeout =10)

i have attached the controls of outlook and image which i am trying to ....for now i need to click on New Email button and attache a doc to that mail...this is what i am trying too.. sample code will be helpfull..

controls.docx

Thanks,
raja

[vasily-v-ryabov]

Well, the title of main window is obviously incorrect. Just run print app.windows() to see correct title. This code waits successfully:

from pywinauto.application import Application 
app = Application(backend="uia").start(r'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\OUTLOOK.EXE')
app.window(title_re='Inbox - .* - Outlook').wait('ready', timeout=10)
app.window(title_re='Inbox - .* - Outlook').dump_tree()

In the output of dump_tree() you will find children elements of the main window. It will be the second level of window specification. It's easy to copy-paste correct element description: child_window(title="New Email", control_type="Button") so further code should look so:

app.window(title_re='Inbox - .* - Outlook').child_window(title="New Email", control_type="Button").click()

Then you will see that New Email window is a top level window again:

>>> app.windows()
[<uiawrapper.UIAWrapper - 'Untitled - Message (HTML) ', Dialog, -88330517>,
 <uiawrapper.UIAWrapper - '', Pane, -1967265827>,
 <uiawrapper.UIAWrapper - '', Pane, -1984586227>,
 <uiawrapper.UIAWrapper - '', Pane, -1982421177>,
 <uiawrapper.UIAWrapper - '', Pane, 388596319>,
 <uiawrapper.UIAWrapper - 'Inbox - ### - Outlook', Dialog, 1139580923>]

So the next dump_tree() call will help you with further steps:

app.window(title="Untitled - Message (HTML) ", control_type="Window").dump_tree()

[rajarameshmamidi]

Hi Vasily,

i am getting below error after using above code while generating controls, Any reason why below error ?

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:/Users/rrmamidi/Desktop/old Desktop/compress_1/python/basic python scripts/attache_mail.py", line 5, in <module>
    app.window(title_re='Inbox - mailid - Outlook').dump_tree() # shows controls of the window
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\lib\site-packages\pywinauto-0.6.5-py3.6.egg\pywinauto\application.py", line 661, in print_control_identifiers
    print_identifiers([this_ctrl, ])
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\lib\site-packages\pywinauto-0.6.5-py3.6.egg\pywinauto\application.py", line 657, in print_identifiers
    print_identifiers(ctrl.children(), current_depth + 1, log_func)
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\lib\site-packages\pywinauto-0.6.5-py3.6.egg\pywinauto\application.py", line 657, in print_identifiers
    print_identifiers(ctrl.children(), current_depth + 1, log_func)
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\lib\site-packages\pywinauto-0.6.5-py3.6.egg\pywinauto\application.py", line 657, in print_identifiers
    print_identifiers(ctrl.children(), current_depth + 1, log_func)
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\lib\site-packages\pywinauto-0.6.5-py3.6.egg\pywinauto\application.py", line 657, in print_identifiers
    print_identifiers(ctrl.children(), current_depth + 1, log_func)
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\lib\site-packages\pywinauto-0.6.5-py3.6.egg\pywinauto\application.py", line 657, in print_identifiers
    print_identifiers(ctrl.children(), current_depth + 1, log_func)
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\lib\site-packages\pywinauto-0.6.5-py3.6.egg\pywinauto\application.py", line 615, in print_identifiers
    ctrl_id = all_ctrls.index(ctrl)
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\lib\site-packages\pywinauto-0.6.5-py3.6.egg\pywinauto\base_wrapper.py", line 608, in __eq__
    return self.element_info == other.element_info
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\lib\site-packages\pywinauto-0.6.5-py3.6.egg\pywinauto\uia_element_info.py", line 343, in __eq__
    return bool(IUIA().iuia.CompareElements(self.element, other.element))
_ctypes.COMError: (-2147220991, 'An event was unable to invoke any of the subscribers', (None, None, None, 0, None))

Thanks,
Raja

[vasily-v-ryabov]

Hi @rajarameshmamidi can you reproduce the same error with current master branch? It can be installed so:

pip uninstall pywinauto
pip install https://github.com/pywinauto/pywinauto/archive/master.zip

[rajarameshmamidi]

Hi Vasily,

i performed above 2 steps and ran the code again and got below error,

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:/Users/rrmamidi/Desktop/old Desktop/compress_1/python/basic python scripts/attache_mail.py", line 7, in <module>
    app.window(title_re='Inbox - mailid - Outlook').child_window(title="New Email", control_type="Button").click()
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\Lib\site-packages\pywinauto\controls\uia_controls.py", line 119, in click
    self.invoke()
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\Lib\site-packages\pywinauto\controls\uiawrapper.py", line 513, in invoke
    self.iface_invoke.Invoke()
_ctypes.COMError: (-2147467259, 'Unspecified error', (None, None, None, 0, None))

and most of times below error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:/Users/rrmamidi/Desktop/old Desktop/compress_1/python/basic python scripts/attache_mail.py", line 5, in <module>
    app.window(title_re='Inbox - mailid - Outlook').wait('ready', timeout=10)
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\Lib\site-packages\pywinauto\application.py", line 512, in wait
    lambda: self.__check_all_conditions(check_method_names, retry_interval))
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\Lib\site-packages\pywinauto\timings.py", line 375, in wait_until
    raise err
pywinauto.timings.TimeoutError: timed out

Thanks,
Raja

[vasily-v-ryabov]

For the second error it looks like timeout 10 seconds is insufficient. Use .wait('ready', timeout=30) for example.

For the first error I need more details: Python version + 32/64-bit of Python, Windows 32/64-bit?

[rajarameshmamidi]

Hi Vasily,

i have installed 3.6.5 (v3.6.5:f59c0932b4, Mar 28 2018, 17:00:18) [MSC v.1900 64 bit (AMD64)] of python and windows7 64-bit operating system.

Thanks,
Raja

[rajarameshmamidi]

Hi Vasily,

could please share an update on this request...

Thanks,
raja

[airelil]

@rajarameshmamidi, as you can see the issue has been labeled to be fixed only in the next release of pywinauto 0.7 Any issues that need a deeper investigation are usually postponed as we try to focus on upcoming release 0.6.6

BTW: I noticed in your doc a warning about trying to automate 32-bit application with 64-bit version of python. You may consider giving a try to 32-bit Python.

[rajarameshmamidi]

Hi Airelil / Vasily,

now i am able to get controls of outlook -64-bit and getting element not found error with below codes,

Below code is to click insert of an Untitled - Message (HTML)

app.window(title_re="Untitled - Message (HTML)", control_type="Window").child_window(title="Insert", control_type="TabItem").click()

Below code is to click Attache File of an Untitled - Message (HTML)

app.window(title_re="Untitled - Message (HTML)", control_type="Window").child_window(title="Message", control_type="Group").child_window(title="Attach File...", control_type="MenuItem").click()

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "c:/Users/rrmamidi/Desktop/old Desktop/compress_1/python/basic python scripts/about tikinter/attache_mail.py", line 15, in <module>
    app.window(title_re="Untitled - Message (HTML)", control_type="Window").child_window(title="Message", control_type="Group").child_window(title="Attach File...", control_type="MenuItem").click()
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\Lib\site-packages\pywinauto\application.py", line 362, in __getattribute__
    ctrls = self.__resolve_control(self.criteria)
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\Lib\site-packages\pywinauto\application.py", line 259, in __resolve_control
    raise e.original_exception
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\Lib\site-packages\pywinauto\timings.py", line 458, in wait_until_passes
    func_val = func(*args, **kwargs)
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\Lib\site-packages\pywinauto\application.py", line 201, in __get_ctrl
    dialog = self.backend.generic_wrapper_class(findwindows.find_element(**criteria[0]))
  File "C:\Users\rrmamidi\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36\Lib\site-packages\pywinauto\findwindows.py", line 87, in find_element
    raise ElementNotFoundError(kwargs)
pywinauto.findwindows.ElementNotFoundError: {'title_re': 'Untitled - Message (HTML)', 'control_type': 'Window', 'backend': 'uia', 'process': 13876}

new mail controlls.docx

Thanks,
Raja

[airelil]

Hi @rajarameshmamidi, just a side note. Did you consider using other ways to automate your task? For example, MS Outlook can be automated through COM interface. I was able to google several examples just in no time.
You can use VBA as described here:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-nz/help/209948/how-to-use-automation-to-send-a-microsoft-outlook-message-using-access
Or have a look at this article, if you prefer stick to Python:
https://pbpython.com/windows-com.html

Here a short example heavily based on the above example:

import win32com.client as win32
from pathlib import Path

# Open up an outlook email
outlook = win32.gencache.EnsureDispatch('Outlook.Application')
new_mail = outlook.CreateItem(0)

# Label the subject
new_mail.Subject = "Test Outlook COM automation"

# Add the to and cc list
new_mail.To = "[email protected]"

with open("test.txt", mode="w") as f:
    f.write("Test attachment")

out_file = Path.cwd() / "test.txt"

# The file needs to be a string not a path object
new_mail.Attachments.Add(Source=str(out_file))

# Display the email
new_mail.Display(True)

You can use new_mail.Send() method to actually send the mail

[rajarameshmamidi]

Thank you very much Airelil. it was helpful.

[nydennish]

Hi @rajarameshmamidi

Were you able to find the cause of that error "pywinauto.findwindows.ElementNotFoundError" ?

or @vasily-v-ryabov / @airelil would you have any suggestions?