IBA Elements

Use IBA (Image-Based Analysis) to capture screen elements visually based on their appearance, location on the screen, and proximity to other items on the same screen. IBA is an alternative to standard screen element capture (object-based connectivity), which uses APIs and hooks to capture and identify screen elements.

The capture process is similar for both capture methods. As for standard screen elements, IBA elements are listed in the Assets Panel with similar assets (methods, properties, and events). The main difference between the two methods is in the way that the elements, once captured, are configured and then recognized during run-time.

The IBA capture is recommended as an alternative to standard screen element capture in the following cases:

  • No connector is available to support capture from the application.

  • The element to be captured is not recognized by the connector for the application.

  • The application is running remotely using virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), for example Citrix VDI, etc.

Prerequisites

The following are required for IBA:

  • NICE Advanced OCR Package: To perform an IBA capture you must install the NICE Advanced OCR Package.

    IBA capture identifies screen elements based on many factors, including the texts on the element itself and on anchor elements. The OCR package is required to recognize those texts. See Install NICE Advanced OCR.

  • An Advanced Automation License: The NICE Advanced OCR package requires an advanced automation license. See Install NICE Advanced OCR.

IBA Concepts

Before learning how to perform an IBA capture or configure an IBA element, the following concepts should be understood:

  • IBA Element: An IBA element is screen element captured using IBA capture. It is not possible to convert an IBA element to a standard screen element.

  • Frame: A frame is the space in which the IBA element is located within the application. For example, a frame is typically a window or tab. Each IBA element is located within a single frame only. Multiple IBA elements may be captured within the same frame.

  • Anchor: Anchors are the identification properties of a frame. Each anchor is usually associated with a specific IBA element. When you capture an IBA element, an anchor is captured for that element and is added to the frame. Anchors are usually static elements of the page, such as texts, images, buttons, etc. Although captured anchors can be removed, their presence improves performance during run-time. In most cases, there is no need to remove, modify, or add new anchors.

More Information

See the following topics on IBA elements: