Window Wait | MuleSoft Documentation
# Window Wait
The action step _Window Wait_ pauses the Workflow until a certain window is displayed or not displayed. This window is recognized by its window title and can be specified by _Window Text_ additionally. Different modes allow for checking if the window is appearing, disappearing or activated.
You can deploy _Window Wait_ after the action step _Run Program_ or if you anticipate a dialog window as result of a preceding action. This enables you to continue the _Workflow_ and stop or start a timer at exactly the right moment.
Often the title of a window changes. In particular, the title of Internet Explorer windows is dependent on the webpage that is shown. This means that if you want to use Window wait for a certain URL, be sure to capture the correct title with the wizard, use regular expressions, or use only a part of the window title.
## Properties
  * **Enable Wait Delay**
If this option is activated you can use an individual time value while waiting for a stable state. If this option is not activated this value is 50ms.
  * **Use Regex**
Enables regular expressions for the _Window title_ field. You can further distinguish between window titles by selecting this checkbox. For a brief introduction to regular expressions, see section Using Regular Expressions.
  * **Use window text**
Also captures the _Window text_ of the window
  * **Wait Delay**
The time to wait until window system is in a stable state if **Enable Wait Delay** is enabled. The default value is 50ms and you can reduce it down to 1ms.
  * **Wait for**
Defines the mode of the window search
  * **Window text**
Contains the captured _Window text_ to wait for in addition to the _Window title_ (only works if **Use window text** is selected).
  * **Window title**
Contains the captured _Window title_ to wait for.


## Inbound Variables
  * **Window title**
  * **Window text**


## Outbound Variables
  * **Window Handle**
The hexadecimal reference value of the found window in text format. If no matching window was found this value is 0.
  * **Process ID**
The process ID of the found window in text format. If no matching window was found this value is 0.


## Wizard
The _Window Wait wizard_ allows for the comfortable selection of _Window Title_ and other selection criteria.
You can choose the _Window Title_ directly by clicking in the appropriate window. For this purpose open the window, click on the button _Start_ and then click on the window’s frame. After the correct title is adopted in the field _Window Title_ click _Stop_.
_Window Title_ and _Window Text_ can also be bound to preceding action steps via Pin Variables.
  * **Start**
Starts the recording of the _Window Title_. If you click a window after clicking this button the window’s title is entered automatically in the corresponding text field.
  * **Stop**
Ends the recording of the _Window Title_.
  * **Collect Window Titles**
Click this button to show all window titles available now in the drop-down menu of the text field _Window Title_
  * **Hide window**
Hides the wizard while recording the window title
  * **Hide main window**
Hides the RPA Builder while recording the window title
  * **Use window text**
If checked _Window Text_ will be used for the identification of the window
  * **Use Regex**
If this option is activated, the entered window title has to be formed according to the rules of a correct regular expression. If the regular expression is not correct validation returns an error. The use of regular expressions also facilitates a case-insensitive search. You can find further information on this topic in Using Regular Expressions.
  * **Window Title**
Title of the window to be found.
The entered title needs to be considered as part of the window title to be searched for. For example the entered title _Pad_ will find all windows whose title contains the text _Pad_ (like `NotePad - MyText.txt`).
The search is case-sensitive. If this field remains empty all windows are considered.
If the option **Use Regex** is activated, the entered window title has to be formed according to the rules of a correct regular expression. If the regular expression is not correct the validation returns an error. The use of regular expressions also facilitates a case-insensitive search. You can find further information on this topic in chapter Using Regular Expressions.
  * **Timeout**
Length of time before a not successful search is aborted
  * **Wait for**
Defines the mode of the window search
    * **Window Appears (with Activation)**
_Window Wait_ waits at most for the given _Timeout_ time until a window matching the search criteria is found.
If one or more windows are found, the first from this list will be activated.
If the _Timeout_ is exceeded without the window having appeared, the action step returns an error.
    * **Window Disappears** +_Window Wait_ waits at most for the given _Timeout_ time until a window matching the search criteria cannot be found (anymore).
If the _Timeout_ is exceeded without the window having appeared, the action step returns an error.
    * **Window is active**
_Window Wait_ checks, if a window matching the given criteria is active.
If this is not the case, the action step returns an error immediately.
    * **Window exists (with Activation)**
_Window Wait_ checks, if a window matching the given criteria does exist. This window can be minimized or in the background. If such a window is found, it will be activated (and be brought to the foreground, even from a minimized state).
If the window does not exist, the action step returns an error immediately.
    * **Window doesn’t exist**
_Window Wait_ checks, if a window matching the given criteria does not exist.
If such a window is found, the action step returns an error immediately.
    * **Window Appears (without Activation)**
_Window Wait_ waits at most for the given _Timeout_ time until a window matching the search criteria is found.
If the _Timeout_ is exceeded without the window having appeared, the action step returns an error.
    * **Window exists (without Activation)**
_Window Wait_ checks, if a window matching the given criteria does exist. This window might be minimized or might be in the background.
If the window does not exist, the action step returns an error immediately.
  * **Wait Delay**
    * **Legacy mode** (Compatibility setting)
The wait delay until the start of the search is the value entered before the last saving.
    * **Normal mode**
If this option is activated, you can enter a value of your choice in the field _Wait Delay_. The default value is 50ms.
This value can also be filled via Pin-Variable.