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Development Bot Failing on Virtual Machine (VM) Unless It's Specifically in Focus


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Is there a way to run a bot on a VM without it constantly failing because you don’t have the window specifically in focus? Have turned the clipboard off when signing into the VM, but if I minimize the window, if the screen goes to sleep, if I close the VM window after running a development bot or don’t have the VM window maximized and in focus it ALWAYS fails. If I keep the window open and in focus it will run just fine. I do have multiple screens. I need to be able to multitask without sitting there watching a bot run during development, as some runs can take an hour or more. Thanks for any tips!

Best answer by Aaron.Gleason

It looks like Windows 10 has multiple desktops too.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-multiple-desktops-windows-10

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Aaron.Gleason
Automation Anywhere Team
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  • Automation Anywhere Team
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  • January 17, 2025

Can you resize the window instead of minimizing it? I’m not sure which VM engine you’re using and how that would affect the operation of your automation. Maybe use Windows 11’s “New Desktop” feature and put the VM on that other desktop?


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  • January 17, 2025
Aaron.Gleason wrote:

Can you resize the window instead of minimizing it? I’m not sure which VM engine you’re using and how that would affect the operation of your automation. Maybe use Windows 11’s “New Desktop” feature and put the VM on that other desktop?

Using the capture action in some areas, so I cannot really resize the window without issues. Currently using Windows 10, not 11. 


Aaron.Gleason
Automation Anywhere Team
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  • Automation Anywhere Team
  • 503 replies
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  • January 17, 2025

It looks like Windows 10 has multiple desktops too.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-multiple-desktops-windows-10


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  • January 17, 2025

So I would use that on the local machine or the VM that bot runner is using?


Aaron.Gleason
Automation Anywhere Team
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  • Automation Anywhere Team
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  • January 17, 2025

You would do that on the local machine. It’s essentially like a second monitor that you can drag your VM onto. That would prevent you from having to minimize the window to do other things on your computer. You could always switch to that other desktop to check the VM’s progress too.


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  • January 17, 2025

Let me test that, not something I’ve done before. Will report back.


Aaron.Gleason
Automation Anywhere Team
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  • Automation Anywhere Team
  • 503 replies
  • January 17, 2025

I tried it using Oracle VirtualBox on my machine. Here’s my desktop 1 (on my second monitor):

And here’s desktop 2 (on my second monitor), running VirtualBox and Windows Server:

I hope you have the same success I did.


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  • January 20, 2025

That worked Aaron, appreciate the assist sir!


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