Software robots for programmatically controlling computer programs to perform tasks

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one hardware processor, cause the at least one hardware processor to perform a method for controlling at least one application program to perform a task, the method comprising:

• controlling a first application program to perform a first action associated with the task at least in part by:
• automatically accessing, in an object hierarchy comprising a plurality of objects corresponding to active graphical user interface (GUI) elements of the first application program, a first object corresponding to a first active GUI element of the first application program, the accessing comprising searching for the first object in the object hierarchy, the searching comprising:
• searching for a second object in the object hierarchy;
• modifying the object hierarchy, when the first application program's graphical user interface has changed, by adding one or more new objects to the object hierarchy as descendants of the second object and/or removing one or more objects from the object hierarchy to obtain a modified hierarchy;
• and
• searching for the first object in the modified object hierarchy;
• and
• automatically using the first object to cause, via the first active GUI element, the first application program to at least partially perform the first action.

A method for controlling at least one application program to perform a task, the method comprising:

• using at least one computer hardware processor to perform:
• controlling a first application program to perform a first action associated with the task at least in part by:
• automatically accessing, in an object hierarchy comprising a plurality of objects corresponding to active graphical user interface (GUI) elements of the first application program, a first object corresponding to a first active GUI element of the first application program, the accessing comprising searching for the first object in the object hierarchy, the searching comprising:
• searching for a second object in the object hierarchy;
• modifying the object hierarchy, when the first application program's graphical user interface has changed, by adding one or more new objects to the object hierarchy as descendants of the second object and/or removing one or more objects from the object hierarchy to obtain a modified hierarchy;
• and
• searching for the first object in the modified object hierarchy;
• and
• automatically using the first object to cause, via the first active GUI element, the first application program to at least partially perform the first action.