Input Dialog

Input Dialog

Type: input-dialog  ·  Package: UI Activities v1.0.4  ·  Output: string

Shows a dialog with a text field and returns the value the user types. It is used to ask for a piece of data at the start or in the middle of an assisted automation: a document number, a date, a path.

Attended mode only

It blocks the execution until the user types something and confirms. Don’t use it in unattended processes; for those, receive the data through a process input argument, a queue, or a file.

How it works

It shows a Windows window centered on the screen, with the prompt text above an input field (pre-filled with default, if you set it) and the Aceptar (OK) and Cancelar (Cancel) buttons. It waits with no time limit for the person to answer:

• Aceptar (or the Enter key) returns the text in the field as it was left; it can be "" if it was left empty.
• Cancelar, the Esc key or closing the window return null and log a warning: Dialog cancelled by the user.

It needs an interactive Windows desktop: it does not work when the Agent runs as a Windows service (Session 0) or on robots without a user interface.

Required parameters

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
prompt	string	—	Label text above the field. Fixed text in quotes or an expression. About two lines fit.

Optional parameters

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
title	string	"Zoan Automation"	Window title.
default	object	""	Initial value pre-filled in the field. It can be of any type: it is shown as text.

Output

Type	Description
string	The text the user entered when clicking Aceptar ("" if left empty), or null if they cancelled or closed the window.

The value is always text: if you ask for a number, convert it (for example with num(...)) before using it.

Example

Ask for a customer number, stop if the person cancels, and use it in a query:

Input Dialog   prompt = "Customer number:"   title = "Balance lookup"   → output: number
If   condition = isEmpty(number)          // empty or cancelled
 └─ then:
      Throw   message = "No customer number was entered."   errorType = "BusinessRuleException"
DB Query   sql = "SELECT * FROM Customers WHERE Number = @n"   params = { "n": number }   → output: customer

Common errors

Message	Cause and fix
Could not show the input dialog. UI activities (input-dialog, message-box) require an interactive desktop and do not work when the Agent runs as a Windows service (Session 0). …	There is no desktop to show the window on. Run the Agent in an interactive Windows session, or replace the dialog with a process input argument.
The execution keeps waiting	The dialog waits for an answer with no time limit. Use it only when a person is in front of the screen.
The next query fails with null	The person cancelled. Check isEmpty(number) (true for null and for empty text) before using the value.

Related activities

• Message Box — show a message or ask for confirmation.
• Throw — stop the process if the data is missing.