Trying to retrieve content from a Microsoft Word document results in COM Error

Hi,

As apart of our tests we access the text content of a Microsoft Word document.

We do so by calling

driver.FindElementsByTagName("Edit")
or
driver.FindElementsByName("Page 1")
etc.

This had worked but recently we tried to use it and both method return zero items and on the WinAppDriver server we have the following message:

POST /wd/hub/session/DE94DF8D-67BB-40D4-A74D-FADF2F7CDFBF/element/42.67100/elements HTTP/1.1
Accept: application/json, image/png
Content-Length: 35
Content-Type: application/json;charset=utf-8
Host: 127.0.0.1:4723
User-Agent: selenium/3.141.0 (.net windows)

{"using":"tag name","value":"Edit"}

### SearchMultipleElements exception: Error HRESULT E_FAIL has been returned from a call to a COM component.

Anybody have any ideas what this is todo with? The rest of our test app works fine, we can open up Microsoft Word and click on buttons etc.

Something else to mention when I did a PageSource dump, I WAS able to see these items in the XML and I CAN see these Items using the Inspector.exe tool

[DLightstone]

I took a different approach to testing Word applications.

I completely ignore the Word ribbon commands, and use Word Automation for all testing operations The key is to realize that the Application under test, and the testing application do not run concurrently. That is the testing application starts an event and CAN wait for the Application under test to respond.

[DLightstone]

@hicks86

re - When you say Word Automation are you referring to Microsoft UI Automation ?

No

see https://stackoverflow.com/questions/37062670/read-content-from-microsoft-word-files-in-c-sharp or https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/office/troubleshoot/office-developer/automate-word-create-file-using-visual-c or https://www.gemboxsoftware.com/document/articles/c-sharp-microsoft-office-interop-word-automation

re - “So just to make sure I understand correctly, in situation like this (where WinAppDriver isn’t providing what we want), another strategy is to make use of the UI Automation or some other system to get what we want.”

I do not know UI Automation. If it gives you access to the information you want, use it If some other mechanism gives you access to the information you want, use it.