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"Run Desktop Flow" and Output Browser Instance

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Posted on by Ernie-Velazquez

Hi All,

I have about 15 different flows where the first step involves signing into a webpage before proceeding on running various other tasks. That login page was just redesigned and i've decided to take advantage of the Run Desktop Flow action instead of updating the individual flows.

My parent flow has the updated actions and elements for the new website, and I've created an output variable which i use the "Set Variable" to set to the browser instance variable generated when the chrome browser is open. In the child flow, I run the desktop flow, and set it to create a variable. However, when those subsequent actions need to click on the browser elements, I get the "Argument 'BrowserInstance' must be 'Web browser instance' error.

Can someone point me to what i'm doing wrong?

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Power Automate Desktop

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MichaelAnnis 5,727 Moderator on at

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My guess is your output is a text variable type, not a web browser variable type, so it's not identifying that.

I have the same instance. Honestly, I think you would be better off having your entire login as a single subflow. Then you you can just put this subflow in each flow, rather than have to call a completely different flow and deal with inputs/outputs.

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Ernie-Velazquez 52 on at

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Thanks Michael. I have it as a subflow (the logging in portion) in 15 other flows that accomplish different tasks, and that are triggered on different schedules. Wouldn't I have to manually update those "logging in" subflows on each of the 15 flows?

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MichaelAnnis 5,727 Moderator on at

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Right, but it is 1 time, and you can copy and paste an entire subflow. I'm actually doing it right now, and I have about 50 flows that all use this, but my LoginAPX subflow is the subflow I always use to Login to APX.

But I simply fixed it once, and just copy and paste my entire subflow overwriting the existing subflow that I had:

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yoko2020 495 on at

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@Ernie-Velazquez

You already in correct direction.
Currently "Run Desktop Flow" can not produce Output Variable "BrowserInstance", this is the limitation.

Solution is:

After you call your desktop flow login routine, combine it with action attach to browser using url.
You still manage the browser instance from the flow who call it but all code for login routine is in its own flow, so in the future you don't need to wasting your time editing your flow one by one if there is a css change in the website.
You just need to edit/update your login flow routine 1 time.

ps: - Make note of reusable action when designing a process. (a.k.a library)

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Ernie-Velazquez 52 on at

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What a bummer, Run Desktop Flow seems like it would be perfect to prevent this. Because next time the login screen changes you'd have to copy and paste the updated flow into those 50 flows again right?

Okay, I just got it to work by opening a new instance of chrome and then having it attach to the tab by title. Should be a decent work around for now.

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MichaelAnnis 5,727 Moderator on at

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He is right, an attach to web browser action should work in this scenario.

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MichaelAnnis 5,727 Moderator on at

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yeah, unfortunately, I'm on 2.8. Run Desktop Flow doesn't exist. 😞

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Ernie-Velazquez 52 on at

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Ha! I'd literally just said this was going to be my workaround for now. Thanks Yoko, at least I wasn't totally far off. Was hoping i didn't have to create that new attach to chrome instance...but better than nothing 🙂

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yoko2020 495 on at

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@Ernie-Velazquez

Tune your attach to browser action with retry 20 Times and wait 1

WebAutomation.LaunchChrome.AttachToChromeByUrl TabUrl: $'''google.com''' BrowserInstance=> Browser ON ERROR REPEAT 20 TIMES WAIT 1 END

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BoredFish 26 on at

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Several updates later and still unable to pass browser instance natively, don't think it's going to be added soon either. This work-around is the best alternative I've found.

One small addition, I pass the URL as an output variable from the dedicated login flow to make it more dynamic so the calling flow will always be able to find the browser instance just created even if the URL changes.

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