Merge pull request #8598 from iopanag/users/iopanag/RDP-docs

AB#5226: Added troubleshooting docs for Power Automate RPD/Citrix automation

Author: lucciz01

support/power-platform/power-automate/desktop-flows/ui-automation/ui-rdp-automation/error-remote-desktop-not-found.md

@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+---
+title: The Remote Desktop Wasn't Found Error
+description: Solves an error that occurs when you use Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) or Citrix automation in Microsoft Power Automate.
+ms.reviewer: amitrou
+ms.author: iopanag
+author: iopanag
+ms.custom: sap:Desktop flows\UI or browser automation
+ms.date: 04/29/2025
+---
+# A desktop flow fails with the "The remote desktop wasn't found" error
+
+This article helps you resolve an issue where a flow fails with the "The remote desktop wasn't found" error when using Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) or Citrix automation in Microsoft Power Automate.
+
+## Symptoms
+
+A flow using [Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) or Citrix automation](/power-automate/desktop-flows/virtual-desktops) that previously ran successfully might start failing with the following error:
+
+> The remote desktop wasn't found.
+
+This issue is more common in Citrix Virtual Apps.
+
+## Cause 1
+
+The names of the RDP window, Citrix Desktop, or Citrix Virtual Apps might have changed since the original [UI elements](/power-automate/desktop-flows/virtual-desktops#distinguish-ui-elements-captured-on-virtual-desktops) were captured. Tracking these elements with the old name can fail.
+
+### Resolution
+
+To solve this issue:
+
+1. Ensure the affected RDP window, Citrix Desktop, or Citrix Virtual Apps is active.
+2. Locate the desktop element causing the issue in the [UI elements](/power-automate/desktop-flows/ui-elements#ui-elements) pane in the flow designer. Double-click it to open the selector editor.
+
+   :::image type="content" source="media/error-remote-desktop-not-found/control-repo-desktop.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Power Automate elements section with a Citrix desktop element highlighted.":::
+
+3. Select the **Repair** button and capture the new desktop or app. Review the suggested changes and accept them. For more information, see [Repair a selector](/power-automate/desktop-flows/repair-selector).
+
+   :::image type="content" source="media/error-remote-desktop-not-found/rdp-selector-builder-repair.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Power Automate selector builder window with the Repair button highlighted.":::
+
+4. After accepting the changes, select **Test** to verify the new selector. For more information, see [Test a selector](/power-automate/desktop-flows/test-selectors).
+
+5. (Optional) Use the **New** button to add more fallback selectors for the desktop.
+
+## Cause 2
+
+When you use Citrix Virtual Apps with certain applications, especially when interacting with combo box lists, an incorrect target desktop selector might be created using an ordinal value (for example, **eq**) instead of a more robust selection method.
+
+### Resolution
+
+To solve this issue:
+
+1. Ensure the affected RDP window, Citrix Desktop, or Citrix Virtual Apps is active.
+2. Locate the desktop element causing the issue in the [UI elements](/power-automate/desktop-flows/ui-elements#ui-elements) pane in the flow designer. Double-click it to open the selector editor.
+
+   :::image type="content" source="media/error-remote-desktop-not-found/control-repo-desktop.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Power Automate elements section with a Citrix app element highlighted.":::
+
+3. Check if the selector is using an ordinal value (the **eq** is selected.) If it is, clear the value and save the change.
+
+   :::image type="content" source="media/error-remote-desktop-not-found/rdp-selector-builder-ordinal.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Power Automate selector builder window with an ordinal attribute checkbox cleared.":::
+
+4. Select **Test** to verify the new selector. For more information, see [Test a selector](/power-automate/desktop-flows/test-selectors).
+
+[!INCLUDE [Third-party disclaimer](../../../../../includes/third-party-disclaimer.md)]

support/power-platform/power-automate/desktop-flows/ui-automation/ui-rdp-automation/interactions-with-rdp-citrix-takes-long-and-fails.md

@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+---
+title: Operation Takes a Long Time and Fails During Runtime
+description: Solves an issue where interactions with Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) or Citrix applications take a long time and fail during runtime in Power Automate.
+ms.reviewer: amitrou
+ms.author: iopanag
+author: iopanag
+ms.custom: sap:Desktop flows\UI or browser automation
+ms.date: 04/29/2025
+---
+# Interactions with RDP or Citrix applications take a long time and fail
+
+This article provides guidance to resolve issues where operations take a long time to run and eventually time out. It describes the settings that can be modified to accommodate longer timeout periods.
+
+## Symptoms
+
+When you try to highlight, capture, test a [UI element](/power-automate/desktop-flows/ui-elements), or interact with UI elements during runtime in Power Automate, the operation might take a significant amount of time and ultimately fail. This issue occurs when interacting with Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) or Citrix applications.
+
+## Cause
+
+The default time-out settings in Power Automate might be insufficient. The time-outs might need to be adjusted to accommodate the increased time required for communication between the local and remote environments.
+
+## Resolution
+
+To resolve the issue, modify the following keys as needed. For more information about configuring the values, see [time-out configuration for UI and browser automation](/power-automate/desktop-flows/how-to/ui-automation-change-timeout-cofiguration).
+
+- **Java.Bridge.Client.ReadWriteTimeout**
+
+  - Use this setting if the target application is Java-based.
+  - This time-out increases the waiting time for responses from Java applications.
+  - For remote Java applications (for example, on RDP or Citrix), configure this time-out on the remote machine.
+
+- **BrowserNativeMessageHost.MessageTimeout** and **WebExtensionsMessageProxy.SendTimeout**
+  - Use these settings if web automation is used.
+  - These time-outs increase the maximum waiting time for webpages to respond.
+  - For webpages in remote environments (for example, RDP or Citrix), configure these time-outs on the remote machine.
+
+- **RDP.Client.CallTimeOut**
+  - Use this setting when interacting with applications or webpages on a remote machine via RDP or Citrix.
+  - This time-out increases the maximum waiting time for responses from remote applications or webpages.
+
+## Other time-out settings
+
+Depending on whether the issue occurs during design time or runtime, the following time-out settings might need to be configured:
+
+- For design-time issues (for example, failing to capture an element from the designer), adjust the following setting:
+
+  - **AutomationServerEndpoint.DesignTime.CallTimeout**: This setting increases the time the Power Automate Designer waits for a response.
+
+- For runtime issues (for example, failing during the execution of a flow), adjust the following setting:
+
+  - **AutomationServerEndpoint.Runtime.CallTimeout**: This setting increases the maximum waiting time during runtime for an action to be executed.
+
+[!INCLUDE [Third-party disclaimer](../../../../../includes/third-party-disclaimer.md)]

support/power-platform/power-automate/desktop-flows/ui-automation/ui-rdp-automation/media/error-remote-desktop-not-found/control-repo-desktop.png

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+---
+title: Can't Click Elements in Citrix Virtual Apps
+description: Solves an issue where hovering over elements in Citrix Virtual Apps works, but clicking the elements during runtime doesn't work.
+ms.reviewer: amitrou
+ms.author: iopanag
+author: iopanag
+ms.custom: sap:Desktop flows\UI or browser automation
+ms.date: 04/29/2025
+---
+# Elements are highlighted in Citrix Virtual Apps, but clicking them at runtime doesn't work 
+
+This article provides steps to resolve an issue where UI element interactions don't work when running actions in Citrix Virtual Apps, even though the UI elements are properly highlighted and captured.
+
+## Symptoms
+
+When you use the [UI element picker](/power-automate/desktop-flows/ui-elements#ui-elements-types) to interact with Citrix Virtual Apps, you can highlight and capture elements successfully. However, when these captured elements are used in an action (for example, **Click Element in Window**), the interaction doesn't execute, and no error message is displayed. The [Test Selector](/power-automate/desktop-flows/test-selectors) functionality works as expected.
+
+## Cause
+
+The Citrix Workspace High DPI (HIDPI) settings might interfere with Power Automate for desktop interactions. This issue is commonly observed in setups involving multiple monitors.
+
+## Resolution
+
+To solve this issue, follow these steps:
+
+1. Disable the Citrix Workspace HIDPI option:
+
+    1. From the system tray, right-click the Citrix Workspace app icon.
+    1. Select **Advanced Preferences** > **High DPI**.
+    1. In the **High DPI** settings, select the **Let the operating system scale the resolution** option.
+    1. Select **Save** and close the Citrix Workspace preferences windows.
+
+1. Close any active Citrix Desktops or Virtual Apps.
+1. Restart the Citrix Desktops or Virtual Apps.
+
+1. (Optional) Adjust the desktop scaling of the machine running Power Automate for desktop to 100%. For unattended machines, see [Set screen resolution on unattended mode](/power-automate/desktop-flows/how-to/set-screen-resolution-unattended-mode).
+
+[!INCLUDE [Third-party disclaimer](../../../../../includes/third-party-disclaimer.md)]

support/power-platform/power-automate/desktop-flows/ui-automation/ui-rdp-automation/media/error-remote-desktop-not-found/rdp-selector-builder-ordinal.png

@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@ ms.reviewer: amitrou
 ms.author: nimoutzo
 author: NikosMoutzourakis
 ms.custom: sap:Desktop flows\UI or browser automation
-ms.date: 03/03/2025
+ms.date: 04/29/2025
 ---
 # UI element isn't highlighted or an error occurs when hovering over a UI or web element
 
-This article helps you resolve issues you might encounter when using the UI element picker in virtual desktops, such as Citrix or Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) environments.
+This article helps you resolve issues you might encounter when using the UI element picker in virtual desktops, such as Citrix or Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) environments.
 
 ## Symptoms
 
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ The communication with the remote agent components doesn't work.
 
    1. Run **Troubleshoot UI/Web automation issues** to view the diagnostics for the communication. If an error appears in the Citrix or RDP section, expand it for more details and solutions.
 
+   1. If the error details indicate "Access is denied," policies on the remote machine prohibit running a specific agent component from the user profile folder. Contact your administrator to allow the executables to run from these directories.
+
+      :::image type="content" source="media/rdp-no-highlight/rdp-access-denied.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Power Automate troubleshooter that shows the Access is denied error details.":::
+
 2. If the troubleshooter indicates that the remote agent isn't running, check if the agent is running in the Citrix or RDP session.
 
    Check the tray icon for the agent icon when the virtual desktop platform is active. If the icon exists, hover over it to confirm it's still running. If it is, right-click the tray icon to open the menu and select **Status**. The agent's status and the reason for the error will be displayed.
@@ -65,11 +69,13 @@ The communication with the remote agent components doesn't work.
      Set the **Virtual channel allow list for DVC** policy with the following values:
 
       - `C:\Program Files (x86)\Power Automate agent for virtual desktops\PAD.RDP.ControlAgent.exe,Microsoft.Flow.RPA.Desktop.UIAutomation.RDP.DVC.Plugin,PAD\CONTROL`
-  
+
       - `C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Power Automate Desktop\RDP Automation Agents\*\PAD.RDP.AutomationAgent.exe,Microsoft.Flow.RPA.Desktop.UIAutomation.RDP.DVC.Plugin,PAD\UIA`
 
       Ensure Citrix machines are restarted after applying the policy.
 
 ## More information
 
 [Automate on virtual desktops](/power-automate/desktop-flows/virtual-desktops)
+
+[!INCLUDE [Third-party disclaimer](../../../../../includes/third-party-disclaimer.md)]

support/power-platform/power-automate/desktop-flows/ui-automation/ui-rdp-automation/media/error-remote-desktop-not-found/rdp-selector-builder-repair.png

@@ -90,18 +90,24 @@
           href: desktop-flows/ui-automation/desktop-application-crashes-ui-automation.md
         - name: Can't access the elements of a Java application
           href: desktop-flows/ui-automation/cannot-access-java-application-elements.md
+        - name: Clicking elements doesn't work during runtime
+          href: desktop-flows/ui-automation/ui-rdp-automation/no-clicks-on-runtime.md
         - name: Focus window action can't bring a window to focus
           href: desktop-flows/ui-automation/focus-window-action-not-working.md
         - name: Failed to get UI element
           href: desktop-flows/ui-automation/failed-get-ui-element.md
         - name: Failed to get element/window or Element/Window wasn't found errors
           href: desktop-flows/ui-automation/ui-automation-action-fails-errors.md
+        - name: Interactions with RDP or Citrix applications take a long time and fail
+          href: desktop-flows/ui-automation/ui-rdp-automation/interactions-with-rdp-citrix-takes-long-and-fails.md
         - name: SAP UI element click issue
           href: desktop-flows/ui-automation/ui-sap-automation/sap-click-element-dpi.md
         - name: Set drop-down list value in window/on web page action fails
           href: desktop-flows/ui-automation/set-drop-down-list-value-fails.md
         - name: UI element highlighting or hovering issues in virtual desktops
           href: desktop-flows/ui-automation/ui-rdp-automation/rdp-no-highlight.md
+        - name: '"The remote desktop was not found" error'
+          href: desktop-flows/ui-automation/ui-rdp-automation/error-remote-desktop-not-found.md
         - name: UIPI issues with UI and web automation actions
           href: desktop-flows/ui-automation/uipi-issues.md
     - name: '"Could not read the application certificate" error when creating a connection'