Updates to Desktop Applications Libraries #49
Description
https://docs.robotframework.org/docs/different_libraries/how_to_find_library#desktop-applications currently includes the following libraries:
- White Library, and
- Zoomba Library
White Library has the following in their README:
Deprecation notice
Please note that the underlying White framework has been deprecated (Dec 2019). That means we will stop developing this wrapper library and encourage users to migrate to other tools. Please check White automation framework project page for suggestions.
The White automation framework project page suggests using FlaUI. And the list of robot libraries alreaddy has robotframework-flaui at the top. So I think delete the link to White Library.
Zoomba Library have the following in their README:
Looking for our extension of AppiumLibrary (DesktopLibrary and MobileLibrary)? Check out our new repo RobotFramework-ApplicationLibrary!
So perhaps the Zoomba link should be replaced with a link to ApplicationLibrary.
The above ApplicationLibrary uses the webdriver protocol to talk to Microsoft's WinAppDriver. Microsoft still advocate using their WinAppDriver paired with Appium. Though Selenium can also be used directly if Appium is not required for also testing mobile devices. However there is an open issue here in that WinAppDriver development has been stalled since Selenium 3, meaning you cannot use Selenium 4 (or the latest Appium).
So an alternative to this might be to use Selnium 4 and this alternate AppDriver by the FlaUI project. Though it does say it's experimental and currently only supporting UIA3.