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Power Platform Community / Forums / Power Automate / Handle Custom dropdown...
Power Automate
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Handle Custom dropdown in Browser Automation

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Posted on by AS-29080441-0 13

Hi PAD community,

 

I'm working on frontend screen automation. In this screen they have custom dropdown made which have input text box combined with down arrow containing LOV(list of values) fetched from backend DB. For reference see the image below:

anshuman_singh_1-1705504603196.png

 

I was unable to use Set dropdown list value component as it is not exactly a dropdown so I'm handling this as follows:

 

1.Using 'Populate text field in web page component' to pass my value to this input box and also turning off 'Unfocus field after filling data' in this component properties.

anshuman_singh_0-1705503996480.png

2. Then using 'send key' component to send 'TAB' key to same browser instance. This will select the item in the below dropdown

anshuman_singh_2-1705504682196.png

This is working when I've exact match for the list of values present in this dropdown and only single item is there. 
Now here's the problem-

This is failing for few dropdown where it is not a exact match or where 2 or more than 2 dropdown values are coming. Let's say if I'm populating '840211' then then matches I'm getting for this is list is '8402114' '8402115' and '840211'(in this same order). By default the hover is on first item '8402114' and by sending tab key it will select '8402114' instead of my real value '840211' which at the last. (note this order is also not set) I need some way to recognize my data in this LOV(list of values)

I can't use down arrow key because this is not the only dropdown in this screen. There are similar kind of dropdowns and I'm using for each loop for all dropdowns and reusing the above mentioned steps within this loop.
Kindly suggest me some solution how to bring my mouse hover on the correct value.
(Note: Once i can hover on the value then it will take that value only by pressing tab key)

Kindly help me with this scenario. If there are any other approaches too I can surely test it out.

Categories:
Power Automate Desktop
I have the same question (0)
  • Nived_Nambiar Profile Picture
    Nived_Nambiar 18,138 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

    Hi @anshuman_singh 

     

    You can try using click link in web page action for this scenario.

     

    1. Use populate text to populate the value in input box.

    2. use click action to click the required value, use dynamic selector approach for this.

     

    Else

     

    Try using click link in webpage action to click/select the option, also try disabling below option as well 🙂

    Nived_Nambiar_0-1705517100728.png

     

    Thanks & Regards,

    Nived N 🚀

    LinkedIn: Nived N's LinkedIn
    YouTube: Nived N's YouTube Channel

    🔍 Found my answer helpful? Please consider marking it as the solution!
    Your appreciation keeps me motivated. Thank you! 🙌

     

     

  • cwischnewski Profile Picture
    cwischnewski 162 on at

    I think you need to use the browser Inspect tool to get a better understanding of the HTML of the page and how it changes.  That drop down, for instance, there are likely ways to distinguish the one you want to use.  But also, doing that populate and attempt to select the right one, you could inspect one of those scenarios and find how those three different options are displayed in the filtered result list.  I bet you could build in enough dynamic pieces into the CSS Selector to be able to click the one you are looking for.

  • Agnius Bartninkas Profile Picture
    Agnius Bartninkas Most Valuable Professional on at

    If the value elements in the list actually contain the values, you could try building a custom selector and send a click (or even use a JS function) to select the right value.

     

    Alternatively, you could use Extract data from web page to extract the list of values after populating the text field, then finding the correct one in the retrieved data, and sending as many keys as you need to navigate to it (based on its index in the list).

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    I also provide paid consultancy and development services using Power Automate. If you're interested, DM me and we can discuss it.

  • AS-29080441-0 Profile Picture
    AS-29080441-0 13 on at

    Hi Agnius,

    Thanks for the reply.

    I'm going with the first approach.
    Actually I'm able to build custom selector from this dropdown value so i can hover to that value in dropdown. Here is the preview---

     

    div:contains('{field}')>div>div>div>div>div>div>div:contains('{value}')

     

    So I'm dynamically passing field name and the value to the above custom selector using variables in place of {field} and {value}.
    and I'm able to hover to the element after that I'm giving tab to select that value. It's working for all of my dropdowns.
    But in one dropdown which is in the extreme down left corner of the screen. Even I'm able to hover to the dropdown value but the hover is by default going to the last value. Just for eg-- in this case my dropdowns values are 'Washer' 'Dryer' and 'Washer & Dryer' (same order). If I'm entering 'Washer' using populate field component then the available values in my dropdowns are 'Washer' and 'Washer & Dryer'. After Hovering bot can hover to 'Washer' but I don't know why is it happening maybe because of the position of dropdown in the web-page, It is hovering by default to the last Item i.e. 'Washer & Dryer' and by giving tab key it select the wrong value. I've also tried bringing my mouse pointer to side of the screen i thought pointer is there so it is hovering but it didn't worked. Please remember this is working for all dropdown as these dropdown actions are in loop and I'm reusing this same actions for all the dropdowns on the screen. 

    anshuman_singh_0-1705587611910.pnganshuman_singh_1-1705587654920.png

     


    Kindly provide me some way or solution to handle this situation. The click is also not working in my case. it is able to populate or click in the input box but after clicking to the desired dropdown value ( same selector using for hovering ) it doesn't click and nothing is populated then.here's my click on the web page component preview-

    anshuman_singh_3-1705588445366.png

    anshuman_singh_4-1705588471067.png

     

    Please help😥

     

  • AS-29080441-0 Profile Picture
    AS-29080441-0 13 on at

    Hi Nived N,

    Thanks for the reply.

    I'm going with the first approach.
    Actually I'm able to build custom selector from this dropdown value so i can hover to that value in dropdown. Here is the preview---

     

    div:contains('{field}')>div>div>div>div>div>div>div:contains('{value}')

     

    So I'm dynamically passing field name and the value to the above custom selector using variables in place of {field} and {value}.
    and I'm able to hover to the element after that I'm giving tab to select that value. It's working for all of my dropdowns.
    But in one dropdown which is in the extreme down left corner of the screen. Even I'm able to hover to the dropdown value but the hover is by default going to the last value. Just for eg-- in this case my dropdowns values are 'Washer' 'Dryer' and 'Washer & Dryer' (same order). If I'm entering 'Washer' using populate field component then the available values in my dropdowns are 'Washer' and 'Washer & Dryer'. After Hovering bot can hover to 'Washer' but I don't know why is it happening maybe because of the position of dropdown in the web-page, It is hovering by default to the last Item i.e. 'Washer & Dryer' and by giving tab key it select the wrong value. I've also tried bringing my mouse pointer to side of the screen i thought pointer is there so it is hovering but it didn't worked. Please remember this is working for all dropdown as these dropdown actions are in loop and I'm reusing this same actions for all the dropdowns on the screen. 

    anshuman_singh_0-1705587611910.pnganshuman_singh_1-1705587654920.png

     


    Kindly provide me some way or solution to handle this situation. The click is also not working in my case. it is able to populate or click in the input box but after clicking to the desired dropdown value ( same selector using for hovering ) it doesn't click and nothing is populated then.here's my click on the web page component preview-

    anshuman_singh_3-1705588445366.png

    anshuman_singh_4-1705588471067.png

     

    Please help😥

     

  • Nived_Nambiar Profile Picture
    Nived_Nambiar 18,138 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

    Hi @anshuman_singh 

     

    I think issue happened with your selector 

    div:contains('{field}')>div>div>div>div>div>div>div:contains('{value}')

     

    as it is checking whether the value is contained in ui element or not  

     

    May be try this approach, see whether this works,

     

    Once you input the text in dropdown, suggestions will appear, then use extract data from webpage to extract all possible suggestions, then find what is position of required option u need to select, then make the selector to select that using :eq() option in selector 

    Refer below for selectors

    jQuery Selectors 

     

    Hope it helps !

    Thanks & Regards,

    Nived N 🚀

    LinkedIn: Nived N's LinkedIn
    YouTube: Nived N's YouTube Channel

    🔍 Found my answer helpful? Please consider marking it as the solution!
    Your appreciation keeps me motivated. Thank you! 🙌

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