AutomationElement.Cached Property

Reference

Definition

Namespace:: System.Windows.Automation

Assembly:: UIAutomationClient.dll

Important

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Gets the cached UI Automation property values for this AutomationElement object.

public:
 property System::Windows::Automation::AutomationElement::AutomationElementInformation Cached { System::Windows::Automation::AutomationElement::AutomationElementInformation get(); };

public System.Windows.Automation.AutomationElement.AutomationElementInformation Cached { get; }

member this.Cached : System.Windows.Automation.AutomationElement.AutomationElementInformation

Public ReadOnly Property Cached As AutomationElement.AutomationElementInformation

Property Value

AutomationElement.AutomationElementInformation

A structure containing the cached property values for the AutomationElement.

Exceptions

InvalidOperationException

There are no cached properties.

ElementNotAvailableException

The UI for the AutomationElement no longer exists.

Examples

The following example shows how the Name property can be cached and then retrieved by using the Cached property.

/// <summary>
/// Gets a list box element and caches the Name property of its children (the list items).
/// </summary>
/// <param name="elementMain">The UI Automation element for the parent window.</param>
void CachePropertiesWithScope(AutomationElement elementMain)
{
    AutomationElement elementList;

    // Set up the CacheRequest.
    CacheRequest cacheRequest = new CacheRequest();
    cacheRequest.Add(AutomationElement.NameProperty);
    cacheRequest.TreeScope = TreeScope.Element | TreeScope.Children;

    // Activate the CacheRequest and get the element. Note that the scope of the CacheRequest
    // is in relation to the object being retrieved: the list box and its children are 
    // cached, not the main window and its children.
    using (cacheRequest.Activate())
    {
        // Load the list element and cache the specified properties for its descendants.
        Condition cond = new PropertyCondition(AutomationElement.ControlTypeProperty, ControlType.List);
        elementList = elementMain.FindFirst(TreeScope.Children, cond);
    }
    if (elementList == null) return;

    // The following illustrates that the children of the list are in the cache.
    foreach (AutomationElement listItem in elementList.CachedChildren)
    {
        Console.WriteLine(listItem.Cached.Name);
    }

    // The following call raises an exception, because the IsEnabled property was not cached.
    /*** Console.WriteLine(listItem.Cached.IsEnabled); ***/

    // The following illustrates that because the list box itself was cached, it is now
    // available as the CachedParent of each list item.
    AutomationElement child = elementList.CachedChildren[0];
    Console.WriteLine(child.CachedParent.Cached.Name);
}

''' <summary>
''' Gets a list box element and caches the Name property of its children (the list items).
''' </summary>
''' <param name="elementMain">The UI Automation element for the parent window.</param>
Sub CachePropertiesWithScope(ByVal elementMain As AutomationElement)
    Dim elementList As AutomationElement

    ' Set up the CacheRequest.
    Dim cacheRequest As New CacheRequest()
    cacheRequest.Add(AutomationElement.NameProperty)
    cacheRequest.TreeScope = TreeScope.Element Or TreeScope.Children

    ' Activate the CacheRequest and get the element. Note that the scope of the CacheRequest
    ' is in relation to the object being retrieved: the list box and its children are 
    ' cached, not the main window and its children.
    Using cacheRequest.Activate()
        ' Load the list element and cache the specified properties for its descendants.
        Dim myCondition As New PropertyCondition(AutomationElement.ControlTypeProperty, ControlType.List)
        elementList = elementMain.FindFirst(TreeScope.Children, myCondition)

        If elementList Is Nothing Then
            Return
        End If

        ' The following illustrates that the children of the list are in the cache.
        Dim listItem As AutomationElement
        For Each listItem In elementList.CachedChildren
            Console.WriteLine(listItem.Cached.Name)
        Next listItem

        ' The following call raises an exception, because the IsEnabled property was not cached.
        '** Console.WriteLine(listItem.Cached.IsEnabled) **

        ' The following illustrates that because the list box itself was cached, it is now
        ' available as the CachedParent of each list item.
        Dim child As AutomationElement = elementList.CachedChildren(0)
        Console.WriteLine(child.CachedParent.Cached.Name)
    End Using
End Sub

Remarks

The accessors for UI Automation properties are represented as properties of the structure returned by Cached. You do not need to retrieve the structure; you can access its members directly, as in the example below. For specific information on the properties available and their use, see AutomationElement.AutomationElementInformation.

To get the current value of UI Automation properties on this element use the Current property.

Applies to