Power Automate Desktop - Failed to assume control of Internet Explorer (navigation to URL failed).

[改善]

Hello,

I have some issues trying to open/control an IE browser window. This is actually my first step in the desktop flow.

I can see that it opens the given link, but then it stops the flow. If i change that link with say google.com it will have no issues in moving to the next step.

I assume the problem might be coming from the website address i`m trying to access, but i don`t have access to the backend so can`t really do any troubleshooting. Any idea what could be causing this? And would there be any workarounds?

Detailed error below:

Robin.Core.ActionException: Failed to assume control of Internet Explorer (navigation to URL failed). ---> System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException: Error HRESULT E_FAIL has been returned from a call to a COM component.
at SHDocVw.IWebBrowser2.get_Document()
at Robin.Plugin.IE.WatiN.Core.Native.InternetExplorer.IENativeBrowser.get_IsOKWithIHtmlWindowPermissions()
at Robin.Plugin.IE.WatiN.Core.Native.InternetExplorer.IEWaitForComplete.WaitForCompleteOrTimeout()
at Robin.Plugin.IE.WatiN.Core.InternetExplorer.WaitForComplete(Int32 waitForCompleteTimeOut, Int32 fallbackWaitingTimeForReadyStateWorkaroundInMilliseconds, Boolean waitForFramesToCompleteAsWell)
at Robin.Plugin.IE.WatiN.Core.Browser.GoTo(Uri url)
at Robin.Plugin.IE.WatiN.Core.InternetExplorer.FinishInitialization(Uri uri)
at Robin.Plugin.IE.WatiN.Core.InternetExplorer.CreateNewIEAndGoToUri(Uri uri, Boolean createInNewProcess, Nullable`1 jumpstartShowStyle)
at Robin.Modules.WebAutomation.Actions.WebAutomationActions.LaunchNewInternetExplorer(Variant initialUrl, Variant internetExplorerTabTitle, Variant internetExplorerTabUrl, Variant dialogButtonToPress, Variant customUserAgentString, Variant& webBrowserInstance, Int32 operation, Int32 windowState, Int32 attachMode, Boolean waitForWebPageToLoad, Int32 courseOfActionIfDialogAppears, Boolean clearCache, Boolean clearCookies, Boolean userAgentStringCustomNotAutomatic)
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at Robin.Modules.WebAutomation.Actions.LaunchInternetExplorerBase.Execute(ActionContext context)
at Robin.Runtime.Engine.ActionRunner.RunAction(String action, Dictionary`2 inputArguments, Dictionary`2 outputArguments, IActionStatement statement)

[PrasadAthalye]

Did you install Power Automate Desktop Extension? Tools - Browser Extensions...

[frankc9]

I had a lot of the similar error in failing to take control with with IE, Chrome, and Edge when I had enabled clear cache and cookies.  Do you have that turned on by chance? Once I turned both off I no longer received the error message.

[Henrik_M]

Have you turned off Enable Protected Mode in IE?

[改善]

As far as i`m aware there is no extension for internet explorer? The security options are all deactivated too.

[PrasadAthalye]

Can you try Chrome extension?

[ryule]

Did you ever get a resolution to this? I am needing to use Internet Explorer and keep getting this error as well.

[改善]

Yep, migrated/rebuilt everything around Microsoft Edge. Given Internet Explorer is no longer supported i`d suggest this.

[ryule]

Ugh, yeah, that's a side project we have going on, but will still be a bit, so was really hoping to get some automation in the meantime. 

It actually works just fine on my laptop, however when I try to run it, or even rebuild it on my VM, it doesn't like IE (or the built in automation browser) for some reason.....

[Highboy]

I see it, on all the browsers from time to time.

So to work around this problem, I made my own browser initialization rutine, because it is a bit annoying.

What it does is bacically

Close browser if it's open
Start a browser, and go to a homepage with one input field. (hosted inhouse)
Populate input field

If success then we are ready (it can actually communicate with the browser)
Otherwise go to top of script (repeat 4 times before failing.)

Doing this I never see the problem in my scripts, and I know that I have a working browser I can use in my script.

[ryule]

Interesting, if you have it handy, would you mind sharing a screenshot of how that looks in Power Automate? I still seem to not have any luck even if I try opening up Internet Explorer by just clicking it in the taskbar. It opens, but then I'm still unable to use any web/window/UI elements; so I'm having to resort to using images, which isn't ideal.

Also maybe related maybe not, on my laptop, PAD picks up Java elements verify easily (see the elements below beginning with J) , but doesn't on my VM. Very frustrating.