User Code Actions

Each recording module is made up of three files. You can find these files in the Projects view in Ranorex Studio or directly on your hard drive in the project folder. Double-click an item to open it.

1. Actions table with the repository in the Recorder view.
2. Code representation of the recording module. This is the machine-generated code representation of the recording module. It is automatically updated by Ranorex whenever the recording changes. Any modifications you make here are discarded. This file is read-only and should not be edited manually
3. User code representation of the recording module. This is the user code file for the recording module and its user code actions. Write all your user code in this file. User code methods from the user code library are automatically added to this file.

Note: The exact file extensions depend on the programming language (for example, .cs for C#, .vb for VB.NET).

To view the underlying code of an action:

1. Select an action
2. Right-click it and click View Code or press Ctrl + Enter
3. The action’s code appears

Note: The file is locked, so you can’t change it. It’s updated automatically by Ranorex.

You can convert standard actions to User code actions. To do so:

1. Right-click an action.
2. Click Convert to user code.
3. The action appears as a user code action with a default method name.
4. Double-click the user code action to view its code in the code editor.
   

You can configure arguments for user code actions in the argument editor or directly in code.

1. Button to open the argument editor of the code method.
2. The argument editor.
3. The argument in the action’s code.

Argument name

• Any name is possible.
• It is a best practice to use clear naming conventions, especially when working in a team.

Available argument types include

• String – text value; can be bound to a variable.
• Boolean – true or false; can be bound to a variable.
• DateTime – date/time value (for example, YYYY-MM-DD); can be bound to a variable.
• Duration – duration in milliseconds; can be bound to a variable.
• Int32 – integer value; can be bound to a variable.
• Location – logical position (for example, Center, Middle, …); can be bound to a variable.
• Point – coordinate value; can be bound to a variable.
• Rectangle – dimension value; can be bound to a variable.
• TimeSpan – time interval format; can be bound to a variable.
• Double – floating-point value; can be bound to a variable.
• Adapter – Ranorex adapter linked to a repository item.
• RepoItemInfo – repository item information, linked to a repository item.

User code methods do not return a value by default. However, you can specify one of the available data types as a method return value. To do so:

1. Replace the default void return value with the data type you need.
2. Implement your user code and add a line to return the specified value.
   
3. This causes a Return value column to appear in the action table. It contains the return value of the user code method and allows you to make it variable.

Alternatively, you can use the context menu to create a user code method with a return value:

1. Right-click an action.
2. Click Convert to user code with return value.
3. The new action appears in the action table, including a Return value column.
   

Two or more actions can be merged into a single user code action, as shown below:

1. Select the actions you want to merge
2. Right-click them to open the context menu
   a. Click Merge items to user code item to create a default user code method without return value
   b. Click Merge items to user code item with return value to create a user code method with a return value
3. Name the new user code action and press Enter
   

Result

The code of the actions appears in the code of the new user code action.

1. Default merged user code method without a return value
2. Merged user code method with Boolean return value