cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
Reply
HEATFreight
Kudo Kingpin
Kudo Kingpin

Power Automate Desktop Fails in New Microsoft Edge Build Version 90.0.818.56 Due to Edge Window Title Changing Depending on Which Tabs Are Open

Power Automate Desktop Fails in New Microsoft Edge Build Version 90.0.818.56 Due to Edge Window Title Changing Depending on Which Tabs Are Open

ALL I WANT IS EDGE TO NEVER OPEN ANOTHER TAB BESIDES THE TARGET URL. 


I have the latest versions of Power Automate Desktop (2.8.73.21119) and Microsoft Edge (Version 90.0.818.56).

With previous builds, I never had a problem getting my flow to open a particular webpage in Edge and keep it refreshed.

That's all I need this flow to do: KEEP ME LOGGED INTO THIS WEBSITE. But the logic for that is more complex than you might think at first glance. The reason is because there are multiple states for which this flow may run:

*Already logged in with an active website session for the target URL and Edge Window is open (either minimized, restored, or maximized)

*Already logged in with an active website session for the target URL but Edge process not running (if for instance Edge has not been launched since last reboot of the Hyper-V VM in which I'm running PAD) -
In this case, launching Edge and navigating to the target URL should take me to an active session without needing to login again

*Not logged in, but target URL was the last website open -
In this case, launching Edge should take me to the login page for the target URL

*Whether logged in or not, the target URL is not the current webpage. i.e. some other Edge windows are open or the current Edge window has some other tab open instead of the target URL. This could be a blank new tab or it could be some other webpage.


So here is my problem: depending on which state the VM is in when the flow is launched, the Window Title of the open Edge browser will change. If Edge has already been launched since last reboot, my flow conditionals are able to differentiate between the login page for the target URL and the target URL itself (in an already logged-in session). Everything works as expected in this case. But the situation changes if the VM has been rebooted without launching Edge. Instead of a single Edge window with a single tab, we get whatever the last tab was + a new tab pointed at the target URL. THIS BREAKS THE FLOW, presumably because the Window Title changes depending on what tabs are open, even if the target URL is the open tab.

There's a relevant setting with three options that also contributes to the precise state of the Edge browser as it relates to PAD launching Edge. That setting is called "On startup" and the choices are OPEN NEW TAB, CONTINUE WHERE YOU LEFT OFF, or OPEN A SPECIFIC PAGE OR PAGES.

None of the three options fixes the problem! The problem is that flow actions which need to recognize the title of the Edge window can't do so if more than one tab is open, but the same issue happens regardless of which of those three settings we use.

OPEN A NEW TAB will cause a blank tab to open in the same window as the target URL.

CONTINUE WHERE YOU LEFT OFF will cause two tabs of the target URL to open (or if another webpage was previously open instead of the target URL, then you get one tab with the previous page and one tab pointed at the target URL).

OPEN A SPECIFIC PAGE OR PAGES (with the target URL as the sole webpage) will also result in two tabs -either one blank tab and one tab pointed at target URL or two tabs pointed at target URL, depending on the previous state of Edge.

As I said, if Edge has already launched since last reboot, the flow works fine (assuming the target URL or its login page is the only open Edge tab/window).

The flow fails if some other website is open in an Edge tab/window or if Edge has not been launched since last reboot. I can cause the flow to succeed if I open and close Edge after reboot. But depending on which "On startup" setting is selected, the flow may fail if the last open webpage was something besides the target URL or its login page. If Edge has been opened with a blank tab since last reboot, then I'm pretty sure my flow logic works. But if Edge has been opened with some website other than the target URL, whether that Edge window is still open or not, it seems that launching Edge pointed at the target URL will always result in two tabs: either one blank tab and one target URL tab or one tab with previous webpage and one tab with target URL.

ALL I WANT IS EDGE TO NEVER OPEN ANOTHER TAB BESIDES THE TARGET URL. 

How can I force Edge to always open just the webpage I want?

Remember, CONTINUE WHERE YOU LEFT OFF and OPEN A SPECIFIC PAGE OR PAGES do not work 100% of the time. They fail if Edge has not been launched since last reboot. In this case, WE ALWAYS GET TWO TABS.

The only way I can get it to just open the one tab is if Edge has already been launched and if the only open tab is either the target URL or its login page. In this case, the flow logic works flawlessly.

Previously, with other builds, we never had any trouble getting Edge to open just the one tab with our target URL.

Come on Microsoft, what gives? Why you gotta keep changing crap on us? My flows had to all be re-tagged because you guys got rid of the default Windows-style download dialogues and replaced them with a cleaner downloads button and dialogue built directly into Edge. Well that's great and all but you screwed us over by doing so!

But I fixed that, no big deal. Now it's the [one tab] vs. [multiple tabs] window title discrepancy that's killing us!

I don't suppose there will be a literal fix for the problem so much as a workaround. Can anyone help me think of some logic that would solve this problem? I have tried PowerShell scripts to look for and close all open Edge windows/tabs, but it's hard to make this work even when some Edge windows could be  minimized. And forcing Edge windows to close results in errors from Edge trying to CONTINUE WHERE YOU LEFT OFF or whatever it does. It's completely unclear to me how to get the "On startup" setting to work flawlessly with PAD. 

Oh and to further complicate matters, keep in mind that launching a PAD flow from the cloud vs. launching a PAD flow from the PAD editor vs. launching a PAD flow from the PAD console do not give you the same results! There are certain classes of errors that only happen if you launch from the cloud or maybe the console, but which will not happen when launched from the editor! WTF Microsoft!


ALL I WANT IS EDGE TO NEVER OPEN ANOTHER TAB BESIDES THE TARGET URL.
ALL I WANT IS EDGE TO NEVER OPEN ANOTHER TAB BESIDES THE TARGET URL.
ALL I WANT IS EDGE TO NEVER OPEN ANOTHER TAB BESIDES THE TARGET URL.
ALL I WANT IS EDGE TO NEVER OPEN ANOTHER TAB BESIDES THE TARGET URL.
ALL I WANT IS EDGE TO NEVER OPEN ANOTHER TAB BESIDES THE TARGET URL.
ALL I WANT IS EDGE TO NEVER OPEN ANOTHER TAB BESIDES THE TARGET URL.
ALL I WANT IS EDGE TO NEVER OPEN ANOTHER TAB BESIDES THE TARGET URL.
ALL I WANT IS EDGE TO NEVER OPEN ANOTHER TAB BESIDES THE TARGET URL.
ALL I WANT IS EDGE TO NEVER OPEN ANOTHER TAB BESIDES THE TARGET URL.
ALL I WANT IS EDGE TO NEVER OPEN ANOTHER TAB BESIDES THE TARGET URL.
ALL I WANT IS EDGE TO NEVER OPEN ANOTHER TAB BESIDES THE TARGET URL.
ALL I WANT IS EDGE TO NEVER OPEN ANOTHER TAB BESIDES THE TARGET URL.
ALL I WANT IS EDGE TO NEVER OPEN ANOTHER TAB BESIDES THE TARGET URL.
ALL I WANT IS EDGE TO NEVER OPEN ANOTHER TAB BESIDES THE TARGET URL.

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
HEATFreight
Kudo Kingpin
Kudo Kingpin

I think I have it in a stable configuration with the following steps:

(1) >On startup >Continue where you left off [target URL] +

(2) Edge shortcut saved in my startup folder +

(3) this PowerShell command executed within my PAD flow right before the "Launch New Edge and navigate to target URL" action:

 

taskkill /im msedge.exe;

 

 
But this only works assuming no other Edge windows or tabs are left open besides the target URL. If it's in that configuration, then even though upon reboot Edge opens up with two tabs, my logic will kill the active two-tab Edge window GRACEFULLY and then relaunch Edge to just the one target URL. 👍👍

Quite an elaborate bit of logic to reliably achieve such a simple task of refreshing/logging into a website with only a single tab open. Here's some pseudocode:

 

if(Tab Example.com is open){
Launch New Edge and attach to tab Example.com and store instance into Browser;
Set Window State tab Example.com Maximized;
Send Keys {LControlKey}({R}) to the active window;
Stop Flow successfully;
}

if(Tab Login-Example.com is open){
Launch New Edge and attach to tab Login-Example.com and store instance into Browser;
Set Window State tab Example.com Maximized;
Click UI element in window Button 'LOGIN';
Stop Flow successfully;
}

if(Tab Example.com is not open){
Run PowerShell script taskkill /im msedge.exe;
Launch New Edge and navigate to tab Example.com and store instance into Browser;
Click UI element in window Button 'LOGIN';
Set Window State tab Example.com Maximized; //not sure why i maximize this one after clicking, but it's working so i hesitate to change anything ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Stop Flow successfully;
}

 

 

View solution in original post

2 REPLIES 2
HEATFreight
Kudo Kingpin
Kudo Kingpin

I have discovered that I can prevent Edge from opening with two tabs if I close it and re-open it.

I don't know how to make Edge open just the one desired tab on launch, but I added it to my startup folder anyway. So now if my "refresh" flow runs after the VM has rebooted, the Edge process is already running and this means I can close and relaunch it with just one tab.

What a frickin sh t show! Should not be this difficult to reliably open a single tab!

HEATFreight
Kudo Kingpin
Kudo Kingpin

I think I have it in a stable configuration with the following steps:

(1) >On startup >Continue where you left off [target URL] +

(2) Edge shortcut saved in my startup folder +

(3) this PowerShell command executed within my PAD flow right before the "Launch New Edge and navigate to target URL" action:

 

taskkill /im msedge.exe;

 

 
But this only works assuming no other Edge windows or tabs are left open besides the target URL. If it's in that configuration, then even though upon reboot Edge opens up with two tabs, my logic will kill the active two-tab Edge window GRACEFULLY and then relaunch Edge to just the one target URL. 👍👍

Quite an elaborate bit of logic to reliably achieve such a simple task of refreshing/logging into a website with only a single tab open. Here's some pseudocode:

 

if(Tab Example.com is open){
Launch New Edge and attach to tab Example.com and store instance into Browser;
Set Window State tab Example.com Maximized;
Send Keys {LControlKey}({R}) to the active window;
Stop Flow successfully;
}

if(Tab Login-Example.com is open){
Launch New Edge and attach to tab Login-Example.com and store instance into Browser;
Set Window State tab Example.com Maximized;
Click UI element in window Button 'LOGIN';
Stop Flow successfully;
}

if(Tab Example.com is not open){
Run PowerShell script taskkill /im msedge.exe;
Launch New Edge and navigate to tab Example.com and store instance into Browser;
Click UI element in window Button 'LOGIN';
Set Window State tab Example.com Maximized; //not sure why i maximize this one after clicking, but it's working so i hesitate to change anything ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Stop Flow successfully;
}

 

 

Helpful resources

Announcements

Back to Basics Tuesday Tip #10: Community Support

This is the TENTH post in our ongoing series dedicated to helping the amazing members of our community--both new members and seasoned veterans--learn and grow in how to best engage in the community! Each Tuesday, we feature new content that will help you best understand the community--from ranking and badges to profile avatars, from Super Users to blogging in the community. Our hope is that this information will help each of our community members grow in their experience with Power Platform, with the community, and with each other!   This Week: All About Community Support   Whether you're a seasoned community veteran or just getting started, you may need a bit of help from time to time! If you need to share feedback with the Community Engagement team about the community or are looking for ways we can assist you with user groups, events, or something else, Community Support is the place to start.   Community Support is part of every one of our communities, accessible to all our community members.     Power Apps: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Community-Support/ct-p/pa_community_support Power Automate: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Community-Support/ct-p/mpa_community_support Power Pages: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Community-Support/ct-p/mpp_community_support Copilot Studio: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Community-Support/ct-p/pva_community-support   Within each community's Community Support page, you'll find three distinct areas, each with a different focus to help you when you need support from us most.     Community Accounts & Registration is the go-to source for any and all information related to your account here in the community. It's full of great knowledge base articles that will help you manage your community account and know what steps to take if you wish to close your account.  ●  Power Apps  ●  Power Automate  ●  Power Pages, ●  Copilot Studio      Using the Community is your source for assistance with everything from Community User Groups to FAQ's and more. If you want to know what kudos are, how badges work, how to level up your User Group or something else, you will probably find the answers here. ●  Power Apps   ● Power Automate    ●  Power Pages  ●  Copilot Studio      Community Feedback is where you can share opportunities, concerns, or get information from the Community Engagement team. It's your best place to post a question about an issue you're having in the community, a general question you need answered. Whatever it is, visit Community Feedback to get the answers you need right away. Our team is honored to partner with you and can't wait to help you!   ●  Power Apps  ● Power Automate   ● Power Pages   ● Copilot Studio  

Microsoft Ignite 2023: The Recap

What an amazing event we had this year, as Microsoft showcased the latest advancements in how AI has the potential to reshape how customers, partners and developers strategize the future of work. Check out below some of our handpicked videos and Ignite announcements to see how Microsoft is driving real change for users and businesses across the globe.   Video Highlights Click the image below to check out a selection of Ignite 2023 videos, including the "Microsoft Cloud in the era of AI" keynote from Scott Guthrie, Charles Lamanna, Arun Ulag, Sarah Bird, Rani Borkar, Eric Boyd, Erin Chapple, Ali Ghodsi, and Seth Juarez. There's also a great breakdown of the amazing Microsoft Copilot Studio with Omar Aftab, Gary Pretty, and Kendra Springer, plus exciting sessions from Rajesh Jha, Jared Spataro, Ryan Jones, Zohar Raz, and many more.     Blog Announcements Microsoft Copilot presents an opportunity to reimagine the way we work—turning natural language into the most powerful productivity tool on the planet. With AI, organizations can unearth value in data across productivity tools like business applications and Microsoft 365. Click the link below to find out more.     Check out the latest features in Microsoft Power Apps that will help developers create AI-infused apps faster, give administrators more control over managing thousands of Microsoft Power Platform makers at scale, and deliver better experiences to users around the world. Click the image below to find out more.     Click below to discover new ways to orchestrate business processes across your organization with Copilot in Power Automate. With its user-friendly interface that offers hundreds of prebuilt drag-and-drop actions, more customers have been able to benefit from the power of automation.     Discover how Microsoft Power Platform and Microsoft Dataverse are activating the strength of your enterprise data using AI, the announcement of “plugins for Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365”, plus two new Power Apps creator experiences using Excel and natural language.       Click below to find out more about the general availability of Microsoft Fabric and the public preview of Copilot in Microsoft Fabric. With the launch of these next-generation analytics tools, you can empower your data teams to easily scale the demand on your growing business.     And for the rest of all the good stuff, click the link below to visit the Microsoft Ignite 2023 "Book of News", with over ONE HUNDRED announcements across infrastructure, data, security, new tools, AI, and everything else in-between!        

Back to Basics Tuesday Tip #9: All About the Galleries

This is the ninth post in our series dedicated to helping the amazing members of our community--both new members and seasoned veterans--learn and grow in how to best engage in the community! Each Tuesday, we feature new content that will help you best understand the community--from ranking and badges to profile avatars, from Super Users to blogging in the community. Our hope is that this information will help each of our community members grow in their experience with Power Platform, with the community, and with each other!     Today's Tip: All About the Galleries Have you checked out the library of content in our galleries? Whether you're looking for the latest info on an upcoming event, a helpful webinar, or tips and tricks from some of our most experienced community members, our galleries are full of the latest and greatest video content for the Power Platform communities.   There are several different galleries in each community, but we recommend checking these out first:   Community Connections & How-To Videos Hosted by members of the Power Platform Community Engagement  Team and featuring community members from around the world, these helpful videos are a great way to "kick the tires" of Power Platform and find out more about your fellow community members! Check them out in Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Pages, and Copilot Studio!         Webinars & Video Gallery Each community has its own unique webinars and videos highlighting some of the great work being done across the Power Platform. Watch tutorials and demos by Microsoft staff, partners, and community gurus! Check them out: Power Apps Webinars & Video Gallery Power Automate Webinars & Video Gallery Power Pages Webinars & Video Gallery Copilot Studio Webinars & Video Gallery   Events Whether it's the excitement of the Microsoft Power Platform Conference, a local event near you, or one of the many other in-person and virtual connection opportunities around the world, this is the place to find out more about all the Power Platform-centered events. Power Apps Events Power Automate Events Power Pages Events Copilot Studio Events   Unique Galleries to Each Community Because each area of Power Platform has its own unique features and benefits, there are areas of the galleries dedicated specifically to videos about that product. Whether it's Power Apps samples from the community or the Power Automate Cookbook highlighting unique flows, the Bot Sharing Gallery in Copilot Studio or Front-End Code Samples in Power Pages, there's a gallery for you!   Check out each community's gallery today! Power Apps Gallery Power Automate Gallery Power Pages Gallery Copilot Studio Gallery

Unlocking the Power of Community: A Journey with Featued User Group leaders Geetha Sivasailam and Ben McMann

In the bustling world of technology, two dynamic leaders, Geetha Sivasailam and Ben McMann, have been at the forefront, steering the ship of the Dallas Fort Worth Power Platform User Group since its inception in February 2019. As Practice Lead (Power Platform | Fusion Dev) at Lantern, Geetha brings a wealth of consulting experience, while Ben, a key member of the Studio Leadership team at Lantern, specializes in crafting strategies that leverage Microsoft digital technologies to transform business models.   Empowering Through Community Leadership Geetha and Ben's journey as user group leaders began with a simple yet powerful goal: to create a space where individuals across the DFW area could connect, grow their skills, and add value to their businesses through the Power Platform. The platform, known for its versatility, allows users to achieve more with less code and foster creativity.   The Power of Community Impact Reflecting on their experiences, Geetha and Ben emphasize the profound impact that community engagement has had on both their professional and personal lives. The Power Platform community, they note, is a wellspring of resources and opportunities, fostering continuous learning, skill enhancement, and networking with industry experts and peers.   Favorite Moments and Words of Wisdom The duo's favorite aspect of leading the user group lies in witnessing the transformative projects and innovations community members create with the Power Platform. Their advice to aspiring user group leaders? "Encourage diverse perspectives, maintain an open space for idea-sharing, stay curious, and, most importantly, have fun building a vibrant community."   Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers Geetha and Ben encourage others to step into the realm of user group leadership, citing the rewarding experience of creating and nurturing a community of like-minded individuals. They highlight the chance to influence, impact, and positively guide others, fostering connections that extend beyond mere technology discussions.   Joining a User Group: A Gateway to Growth The leaders stress the importance of joining a user group, emphasizing exposure to diverse perspectives, solutions, and career growth opportunities within the Power Platform community. "Being part of such a group provides a supportive environment for seeking advice, sharing experiences, and navigating challenges."   A Year of Milestones Looking back at the past year, Geetha and Ben express pride in the group's growth and global participation. They recount the enriching experience of meeting members in person at the Microsoft Power Platform conference, showcasing the diverse range of perspectives and guest speakers that enriched the community's overall experience.   Continuous Learning on the Leadership Journey As user group leaders, Geetha and Ben recognize the continuous learning curve, blending interpersonal skills, adaptability, and dedication to foster a vibrant community. They highlight the importance of patience, persistence, and flexibility in achieving group goals, noting the significance of listening to the needs and suggestions of group members.They invite all tech enthusiasts to join the Dallas Fort Worth Power Platform User Group, a thriving hub where the power of community propels individuals to new heights in the dynamic realm of technology.

Visit the Community Lounge at Microsoft Ignite!

Are you attending Microsoft Ignite in Seattle this week? If so, we'd love to see you at the Community Lounge! Hosted by members of our Community team, it's a great place to connect, meet some Microsoft executives, and get a sticker or two. And if you're an MVP there are some special opportunities to meet up!     The Community Lounge is more than just a space—it's a hub of activity, collaboration, and camaraderie. So, dive in, explore, and make the most of your Microsoft Ignite experience by immersing yourself in the vibrant and dynamic community that awaits you.Find out the schedule and all the details here: Community Lounge at Ignite! See you at #MSIgnite!    

Back to Basics Tuesday Tip #8: Subscriptions & Notifications

This is the eighth post in our series dedicated to helping the amazing members of our community--both new members and seasoned veterans--learn and grow in how to best engage in the community! Each Tuesday, we feature new content that will help you best understand the community--from ranking and badges to profile avatars, from Super Users to blogging in the community. Our hope is that this information will help each of our community members grow in their experience with Power Platform, with the community, and with each other!   This Week: All About Subscriptions & Notifications Subscribing to a CategorySubscribing to a TopicSubscribing to a LabelBookmarksManaging & Viewing your Subscriptions & BookmarksA Note on Following Friends on Mobile   Subscriptions ensure that you receive automated messages about the most recent posts and replies. There are multiple ways you can subscribe to content and boards in the community! (Please note: if you have created an AAD (Azure Active Directory) account you won't be able to receive e-mail notifications.)   Subscribing to a Category  When you're looking at the entire category, select from the Options drop down and choose Subscribe.   You can then choose to Subscribe to all of the boards or select only the boards you want to receive notifications. When you're satisfied with your choices, click Save.   Subscribing to a Topic You can also subscribe to a single topic by clicking Subscribe from the Options drop down menu, while you are viewing the topic or in the General board overview, respectively.   Subscribing to a Label You can find the labels at the bottom left of a post.From a particular post with a label, click on the label to filter by that label.          This opens a window containing a list of posts with the label you have selected. Click Subscribe.   Note: You can only subscribe to a label at the board level. If you subscribe to a label named 'Copilot' at board #1, it will not automatically subscribe you to an identically named label at board #2. You will have to subscribe twice, once at each board.   Bookmarks Just like you can subscribe to topics and categories, you can also bookmark topics and boards from the same menus! Simply go to the Topic Options drop down menu to bookmark a topic or the Options drop down to bookmark a board.   The difference between subscribing and bookmarking is that subscriptions provide you with notifications, whereas bookmarks provide you a static way of easily accessing your favorite boards from the My subscriptions area.   Managing & Viewing Your Subscriptions & Bookmarks To manage your subscriptions, click on your avatar and select My subscriptions from the drop-down menu. From the Subscriptions & Notifications tab, you can manage your subscriptions, including your e-mail subscription options, your bookmarks, your notification settings, and your email notification format.     You can see a list of all your subscriptions and bookmarks and choose which ones to delete, either individually or in bulk, by checking multiple boxes.     A Note on Following Friends on Mobile Adding someone as a friend or selecting Follow in the mobile view does not allow you to subscribe to their activity feed. You will merely be able to see your friends’ biography, other personal information, or online status, and send messages more quickly by choosing who to send the message to from a list, as opposed to having to search by username.              

Users online (4,337)