AutomationElement

AutomationElement represents a control or element on the user interface that is accessible through UI Automation. It serves as a handle or reference to a specific UI element, allowing automation clients to interact with and query information about it. When you work with UI Automation, you typically obtain an AutomationElement object to target a particular button, text box, menu item, or any other UI component.

Each AutomationElement has a set of properties that describe its characteristics, such as its name, control type, bounding rectangle, and current state. These properties are crucial for identifying and differentiating elements. For example, you might find an element by its control type and then by its name to ensure you are interacting with the correct instance.

AutomationElement also supports patterns, which define the actions that can be performed on an element and the information that can be retrieved from it. Common patterns include InvokePattern for clickable elements like buttons, ValuePattern for elements that hold editable text, and SelectionPattern for list-like controls. By accessing these patterns, automation clients can programmatically click buttons, set text in input fields, or select items from lists.

In essence, AutomationElement is the fundamental building block for UI Automation clients, providing the means to discover, identify, and interact with UI elements in a standardized and programmatic way.