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AI Elements

note

Enable the AskUI Development Environment as described in AskUI Development Environment and then activate the experimental commands by running AskUI-ImportExperimentalCommands in your terminal.

AskUI-NewAIElement Command​

AskUI-NewAIElement allows you to capture elements from your screen. You can use these elements later in AskUI workflows. Accepted parameters:

  • Name (Optional): The name of the screenshot file. If defined, it indicates that only one element is being snipped. If not defined, you will be prompted to provide a name later. For snipping multiple elements, you must provide a name for each one.
  • WorkspaceId (Optional): By default, the command will use the Workspace ID specified in the settings file. If neither is set, an error will be thrown.
  • AlwaysPreview (Optional): Automatically opens the preview without prompting. Can not be used together with the NoPreview parameter.
  • NoPreview (Optional): Skips the preview and does not open it. *Can not be used with the AlwaysPreview parameter.
  • OneShot (Optional): The snipping ends after the first successful creation of an AI Element.
  • Annotate (Optional): Allows you to take a fullscreen capture and annotate regions on that screenshot.
AskUI-NewAIElement

# Output
Taking screenshots for project:
  WorkspaceId: <workspaceId>
Finished taking of 2 screenshots.
Do you want to preview screenshot #1? [y/n]: y
Screenshot #1 requires additional metadata.
  Enter a name for the screenshot 1: <name1>
Screenshot #1:
  Name:     <name1>
  File:     <askuiUserDirectory>\SnippingTool\AIElement\<workspaceId>\{26342074-5B2A-4695-09ED-41EE47992546}.png
  Metadata: <askuiUserDirectory>\SnippingTool\AIElement\<workspaceId>\{26342074-5B2A-4695-09ED-41EE47992546}.json
Do you want to preview screenshot #2? [y/n]: n
Screenshot #2 requires additional metadata.
  Enter a name for the screenshot 2: <name2>
Screenshot #2:
  Name:     <name2>
  File:     <askuiUserDirectory>\SnippingTool\AIElement\<workspaceId>\{644A00B8-1E27-7ADF-7C68-1751672A5931}.png
  Metadata: <askuiUserDirectory>\SnippingTool\AIElement\<workspaceId>\{644A00B8-1E27-7ADF-7C68-1751672A5931}.json

Snipping Workflow​

info

Should the selection overlay lose focus it needs a left click to make keyboard shortcuts work again.

Snipping is currently only supported on the primary screen.

Snipping Tool starts in rectangle mode:

  • Move mouse cursor to move the magnifier with the selection cursor.
  • Press & hold left mouse button to start the rubber band selection of a rectangle.
  • Optional: Press right mouse button to reset current action.
  • Move mouse to adjust rectangle.
  • Release left mouse button to confirm rectangle selection.

When in polygon mode:

  • Move mouse to move the magnifier with the selection icon.
  • Press left mouse button to set first polygon point.
  • Move mouse and repeat pressing left mouse button to add more points.
  • Optional: Press right mouse button to remove the last point.
  • Move mouse to the first point and press left mouse button to finish polygon.

When you called AskUI-NewAIElement with the OneShot parameter, the snipping ends after the first successful creation of an AI-element.

Otherwise snipping continues until ESC is pressed.

Keyboard Shortcuts​

General​

  • ESC End the snipping tool.
  • SPACE Same as left click on the current location.

Magnifier​

  • + / mouse wheel up Increase magnification up to x512.
  • - / mouse wheel down Decrease magnification down to x2.
  • up / w Move the magnifier (selection) one pixel up.
  • down / s Move the magnifier (selection) one pixel down.
  • left / a Move the magnifier (selection) one pixel to the left.
  • right / d Move the magnifier (selection) one pixel to the right.

Modes​

  • r Activate rectangle mode (when not active).
  • p Activate polygon mode (when not active).

AskUI-ShowAIElement Command​

AskUI-ShowAIElement shows a list of all available AI Elements. Accepted parameters:

  • NameFilter (Optional): Lists the AI Element with the provided name filter. If not set, all AI Elements are listed.
# Lists all AI Elements with the name 'logo'
AskUI-ShowAIElement -NameFilter "logo"

AskUI-RemoveAIElement Command​

AskUI-RemoveAIElement removes AI elements by name.

  • NameFilter (Mandatory): Specifies a name filter for the AI element to be removed.
  • NoPreview(Optional): Skips the preview of the filtered AI elements before removal.
  • AutoApproval (Optional): Automatically approves the deletion without prompting for confirmation.
# Removes AI Element with the name 'logo'
AskUI-RemoveAIElement -NameFilter "logo" -AutoApproval

AskUI-OpenAIElement Command​

AskUI-OpenAIElement shows AI Elements by name.

  • NameFilter (Mandatory): Specifies a name filter for the AI Element to be viewed.
# Opens all AI Elements with the name 'logo'
AskUI-OpenAIElement -NameFilter "logo"

Using AI Elements with Git​

AI Elements can be version controlled and shared across team members using Git. Here's how to set it up:

Current Behavior​

By default, AI Elements are stored in the Global AI Element Location under ~/.askui/SnippingTool/AIElement/<workspace-id>/. This location is not version controlled by Git.

Prerequisites​

  • Update askui to version 0.22.0 or higher:
npm install askui@latest

Configuration Steps​

  1. Create a folder in your Git project called <project>/ai-elements
  2. Update your askui_example/helpers/askui-helper.ts:
beforeAll(async () => {
  aui = await UiControlClient.build({
    // ... existing configuration ...
    aiElementArgs: {
      additionalLocations: [
        "./ai-elements/" // Add your local AI Element location here
      ]
    }
  });
});

Adding AI Elements to Git​

  1. Open askui-shell
  2. Get the global AI Element location:
    • Run AskUI-ShowAIElement
    • Copy the path from the Image File
  3. Open the path in File Explorer
  4. Copy all files from the Global AI Element Location to your Project AI Element Location
  5. Add and commit the files to Git

Current Limitations​

  • AskUI-NewAIElement command only stores elements in the Global AI Element Location. Manual copying is required
  • AskUI-*AIElement commands are only compatible with the Global AI Element Location