power automate attach browser with wildcard rul

Daniel Parker

2 min read

·

21-02-2025

13

0

Share

Power Automate's browser automation capabilities are powerful, but controlling which browser windows it interacts with can be tricky. This article focuses on using wildcard characters within Power Automate's "Attach Browser" action to improve flexibility and efficiency when automating tasks across multiple browser instances. We'll explore how wildcards enable you to target specific browsers even when their titles change dynamically.

Understanding the "Attach Browser" Action

The core of our solution lies within the "Attach Browser" action in Power Automate Desktop. This action allows you to connect your flow to an already-open browser window. Without wildcards, you'd need to know the exact title of the browser window – a significant limitation when dealing with dynamic content.

The Limitations of Exact Matching

Imagine you're automating a process that opens several browser tabs with titles containing slightly different information, like order numbers or timestamps. Specifying the exact title in the "Attach Browser" action would force you to create separate flows or conditional logic for each variation. This is inefficient and cumbersome.

Leveraging Wildcard Characters

Wildcards provide a more elegant solution. Power Automate supports the following wildcard characters:

• * (asterisk): Matches any sequence of characters (including zero characters).
• ? (question mark): Matches any single character.

By incorporating these wildcards into the "Title" field of the "Attach Browser" action, you can create flexible rules that capture multiple browser windows.

Practical Examples

Let's illustrate with some scenarios:

Scenario 1: Targeting all Chrome windows:

Let's say you want to attach to any Chrome window, regardless of its specific title. You could use the following wildcard rule:

*Chrome*

This rule would match browser titles like:

• "Google Chrome"
• "Order #123 - Chrome"
• "New Tab - Chrome"

Scenario 2: Targeting specific applications with dynamic titles:

Suppose you're working with a web application whose title changes based on the user's actions. The title might look like this: MyWebApp - User: John Doe. If "MyWebApp" is constant, and you want to capture any windows with that text, use:

MyWebApp*

This would match titles such as:

• "MyWebApp - User: John Doe"
• "MyWebApp - Dashboard"
• "MyWebApp - Loading..."

Scenario 3: More precise matching:

For finer control, combine wildcards and specific text. If you only want to interact with browser windows related to "Order #123," use:

Order #123*

This would only match browser windows with titles starting with "Order #123".

Advanced Techniques and Considerations

• Multiple Browser Instances: If you have multiple browsers open (e.g., Chrome and Firefox), be careful with your wildcard rules to ensure you're targeting the correct browser. Consider using more specific criteria if needed.
• Timing: Ensure your "Attach Browser" action follows the action that opens the target browser window. Allow sufficient time for the browser to fully load.
• Error Handling: Implement error handling to gracefully manage scenarios where the target browser window isn't found. Use a "Try Catch" block to prevent your flow from abruptly stopping.

Conclusion

Using wildcard characters within the "Attach Browser" action in Power Automate Desktop dramatically improves your ability to automate browser-based tasks. This flexibility is crucial when dealing with dynamic browser window titles. Mastering these techniques allows for more robust and maintainable automation flows. By strategically incorporating wildcards, you can create efficient and adaptable Power Automate solutions for various browser-related automation needs. Remember to always test your wildcard rules thoroughly to ensure they accurately target the desired browser windows.