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Group Control Type

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This topic provides information about Microsoft UI Automation support for the Group control type.

A group control represents a node within a hierarchy. The Group control type creates a separation in the UI Automation tree so items that are grouped together have a logical division within the UI Automation tree.

The following sections define the required UI Automation tree structure, properties, control patterns, and events for the Group control type. The UI Automation requirements apply to all group controls where the UI framework/platform integrates UI Automation support for control types and control patterns.

This topic contains the following sections.

Typical Tree Structure

The following table depicts a typical control and content view of the UI Automation tree that pertains to group controls and describes what can be contained in each view. For more information about the UI Automation tree, see UI Automation Tree Overview.

Control View Content View
  • Group
    • 0 or many controls
  • Group
    • 0 or many controls

 

Group controls typically include UI Automation support for control types found below them in the subtree, including the ListItem, TreeItem, and DataItem control types. Because a group control is a generic container, it is possible for any type of control to be under the group control in the tree.

Relevant Properties

The following table lists the UI Automation properties whose value or definition is especially relevant to the group controls. For more information about UI Automation properties, see Retrieving Properties from UI Automation Elements.

UI Automation Property Value Notes
UIA_AutomationIdPropertyId See notes. The value of this property must be unique among all peer elements in the raw view of the UI Automation tree.
UIA_BoundingRectanglePropertyId See notes. The outermost rectangle that contains the whole control.
UIA_ClickablePointPropertyId See notes. Supported if there is a bounding rectangle. If not every point within the bounding rectangle is clickable, and the element performs specialized hit testing, override and provide a clickable point.
UIA_ControlTypePropertyId Group
UIA_IsContentElementPropertyId TRUE The group control is always included in the content view of the UI Automation tree.
UIA_IsControlElementPropertyId TRUE The group control is always included in the control view of the UI Automation tree.
UIA_IsKeyboardFocusablePropertyId See notes. If the control can receive keyboard focus, it must support this property.
UIA_LabeledByPropertyId See notes. Group controls are typically self-labeling. In these cases, return NULL. If the group has a static text label, return the label as the value of the LabeledBy property.
UIA_LocalizedControlTypePropertyId See notes. Localized string corresponding to the Group control type. The default value is "group" for en-US or English (United States).
UIA_NamePropertyId See notes. The group control typically gets its name from the text that labels the control.

 

Required Control Patterns

The following table lists the UI Automation control patterns required to be supported for the Group control type. For more information on control patterns, see UI Automation Control Patterns Overview.

Control Pattern Support Notes
IExpandCollapseProvider Depends Group controls that can be used to show or hide information must support the ExpandCollapse control pattern.

 

Required Events

The following table lists the UI Automation events that group controls are required to support. For more information on events, see UI Automation Events Overview.

UI Automation Event Notes
UIA_AutomationFocusChangedEventId
UIA_BoundingRectanglePropertyId property-changed event.
UIA_ExpandCollapseExpandCollapseStatePropertyId property-changed event. If the control supports the ExpandCollapse control pattern control pattern, it must support this event.
UIA_IsEnabledPropertyId property-changed event. If the control supports the IsEnabled property, it must support this event.
UIA_IsOffscreenPropertyId property-changed event. If the control supports the IsOffscreen property, it must support this event.
UIA_ToggleToggleStatePropertyId property-changed event. If the control supports the Toggle control pattern, it must support this event.
UIA_StructureChangedEventId

 

Conceptual

UI Automation Control Types Overview

UI Automation Overview