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Core Concepts

This section explains the fundamental concepts that power Flow Master's automation capabilities. Understanding these concepts will help you create more effective and reliable automations.

Table of Contents

Components

What are Components?

Components are the building blocks of automation - they represent UI elements that Flow Master can recognize and interact with. Think of them as "snapshots" of buttons, input fields, icons, or any visual element on your screen.

Component Types

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Component Properties

Each component has several important properties:

  • Image Template: The visual representation captured from screen
  • Match Threshold: How closely a screen element must match (0-100%)
  • Search Region: Area of screen where component might appear
  • Action Type: What interaction is possible (click, type, read, etc.)
  • Context Information: Application and window details

Best Practices for Components

  • Capture Minimal Distinctive Areas: Include only the essential visual elements
  • Use High Contrast Elements: Sharp edges and clear boundaries work best
  • Avoid Dynamic Content: Don't capture elements that change frequently
  • Create Variations: Capture different states (normal, hover, disabled)
  • Test Across Conditions: Verify components work in different lighting/themes

Flows

Flow Fundamentals

A Flow is a sequence of automated actions that accomplishes a specific task. Flows combine components, actions, and logic to create powerful automations.

Flow Structure

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Flow Types

  • Linear Flows: Simple step-by-step sequences
  • Branching Flows: Multiple execution paths based on conditions
  • Looping Flows: Repeated operations with iteration control
  • Event-Driven Flows: Triggered by external events or conditions
  • Composite Flows: Combination of multiple sub-flows

Actions

Action Categories

Component Actions

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System Actions

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Action Parameters

Each action can be customized with various parameters:

  • Timing Controls: Delays before/after execution
  • Retry Logic: Number of attempts and retry delays
  • Validation Rules: Success/failure criteria
  • Error Handling: What to do when action fails
  • Variable Binding: Input/output data connections

Conditions and Logic

Conditional Statements

Flow Master supports sophisticated conditional logic:

Basic Conditions

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Logical Operators

  • AND: All conditions must be true
  • OR: At least one condition must be true
  • NOT: Condition must be false
  • XOR: Exactly one condition must be true

Control Structures

Branching Logic

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Loop Structures

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Variables and Data

Variable Types

Flow Master supports various data types:

Primitive Types

  • String: Text data ("Hello World")
  • Number: Numeric values (42, 3.14)
  • Boolean: True/false values
  • Date/Time: Temporal data with timezone support

Complex Types

  • Arrays: Ordered collections of values
  • Objects: Key-value data structures
  • Files: File system references
  • Images: Screenshot and image data

Variable Scope

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Data Operations

  • Assignment: Set variable values
  • Calculation: Mathematical operations
  • Concatenation: Combine string values
  • Transformation: Convert between data types
  • Validation: Check data integrity and format

Scheduling and Triggers

Trigger Types

Time-Based Triggers

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Event-Based Triggers

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Manual Triggers

  • User Interface: Click "Run" button in Flow Master
  • Hotkey: Keyboard shortcut activation
  • API Call: External system trigger via REST API
  • Command Line: Execute via CLI interface

Scheduling Concepts

  • Schedule Priority: Execution order when multiple flows trigger
  • Resource Conflicts: Managing concurrent flow execution
  • Dependency Management: Flows that depend on other flows
  • Retry Scheduling: Automatic rescheduling of failed executions

Error Handling

Error Types

Component Errors

  • Component Not Found: UI element not present on screen
  • Component Changed: Element appearance modified
  • Multiple Matches: Ambiguous component identification
  • Timeout Error: Component search exceeded time limit

System Errors

  • Application Not Available: Target program not running
  • Permission Denied: Insufficient access rights
  • Resource Unavailable: System resources exhausted
  • Network Error: Connection or communication failure

Logic Errors

  • Invalid Data: Variable contains unexpected value
  • Division by Zero: Mathematical operation error
  • Type Mismatch: Data type incompatibility
  • Null Reference: Attempting to use empty variable

Error Handling Strategies

Recovery Mechanisms

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Prevention Techniques

  • Pre-condition Validation: Check requirements before execution
  • Input Sanitization: Validate and clean input data
  • Resource Monitoring: Check system capacity before operations
  • State Verification: Confirm system state before proceeding

Best Practices

  • Fail Fast: Detect errors as early as possible
  • Meaningful Messages: Provide clear error descriptions
  • Recovery Guidance: Suggest corrective actions
  • Logging: Record detailed error information for debugging
  • User Communication: Keep users informed of issues and resolutions

These core concepts form the foundation of effective automation with Flow Master. Understanding how they work together enables you to create robust, reliable, and maintainable automation flows.