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Google Chrome object recorder capture attributes

  • October 1, 2026
  • 2 replies
  • 17 views

Hello ,

 

We have a bot that logs into a web site and clicks various objects  (calendar picker, values from drop down lists, etc). Every so often one or more of the object capture actions fails and i have to recapture them especially after a google chrome update. 

 

I was wondering if maybe i’m just not selecting the right attributes. I recall there was a document that listed the best attributes to use and to de-select some of the ones the recorder automatically selects for me. For example, I leave the Dom Path selected but unselect the Path attribute.

Can anyone help me with this. I tried the AA document link but i keep getting an error stating it is unavailable or has moved.

2 replies

KhaledMostafaMe
Most Valuable Pathfinder
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  • KhaledMostafaMeMost Valuable Pathfinder
  • Most Valuable Pathfinder
  • October 2, 2026

You are absolutely on the right track. Your instinct to deselect Path and rely on DOMXPath is exactly what Automation Anywhere recommends as a best practice for web automation.

When Google Chrome updates, it often slightly alters how the browser renders its accessibility tree to the operating system. Because the Path attribute is just a numeric representation of an element's position in that tree, even a minor browser update can break your bot—even if the website itself hasn't changed at all.

Here is a quick cheat sheet for Recorder attributes on web applications:

Attributes to KEEP selected:

  • DOMXPath: This is the most reliable property for web automation. If the element is dynamic, try to use a Relative XPath (starting with //) rather than an Absolute XPath, and use wildcards (*) for changing numbers.

  • HTML Tag: Always good to keep (e.g., input, button, a).

  • ID or Name: Keep these only if they are static. If the ID looks like a randomly generated string of numbers and letters that changes every session, deselect it.

Attributes to DESELECT:

  • Path: Always uncheck this for web applications. It is highly brittle.

  • HTML Href / HTML Value: Uncheck these if they contain dynamic session tokens or URLs that change every time you log in.

 

Khaled Mostafa - Automation Anywhere MVP - Intelligent Automation RSDM https://botstore.automationanywhere.com/vendor/the-bots-father-khaled-mostafa
    Aaron.Gleason
    Automation Anywhere Team
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    • Aaron.Gleason
    • Automation Anywhere Team
    • October 2, 2026

    ​@DavdB106684 The other thing to do is to use a VM for your bot runners where you can control the updates to Chrome and other applications. Does Chrome need to be on the bleeding edge version for your application to run? Probably not. And since you’re using this as an automation browser, not a general surf-the-web browser, you’re not going to be affected by the zero day vulnerabilities that you might with the browser you use to visit all sorts of sites.

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