Flow Creation

Flows are the heart of Flow Master - they define the sequence of actions that automate your tasks. This guide covers everything from basic flows to complex conditional logic.

Table of Contents

• Flow Fundamentals
• Creating Your First Flow
• Flow Components
• Actions and Logic
• Advanced Flow Patterns
• Testing and Debugging
• Best Practices

Flow Fundamentals

What is a Flow?

A Flow is a sequence of automated actions that:

• Uses captured components to interact with applications
• Follows conditional logic and branching
• Can loop, wait, and respond to changing conditions
• Executes reliably across different environments

Flow Structure

Creating Your First Flow

Step 1: Plan Your Automation

Before building, outline what you want to automate:

Step 2: Start the Flow Editor

1. Navigate to Flows tab in Flow Master
2. Click "Create New Flow"
3. Enter a descriptive name and description
4. Choose trigger type (Manual, Scheduled, Hotkey)

Step 3: Build the Flow

1. Drag Components: From library to flow canvas
2. Configure Actions: Set click, type, or wait behaviors
3. Add Logic: Include conditions and branching
4. Set Timing: Configure delays between actions
5. Add Validation: Verify expected outcomes

Step 4: Test and Refine

1. Test Run: Execute flow in test mode
2. Debug Issues: Fix any problems that arise
3. Optimize Timing: Adjust delays for reliability
4. Final Test: Run complete flow to verify

Flow Components

Action Blocks

Click Actions

Type Actions

Wait Actions

Logic Blocks

Conditional Logic

Loops

Variables and Data

Flow Variables

• Input Parameters: Values passed when flow starts
• Component Results: Data extracted from UI elements
• Calculated Values: Results from expressions
• External Data: File contents, API responses

Data Operations

Actions and Logic

Basic Actions

Component Interactions

• Click: Primary interaction method
• Double-Click: For file opening, selection
• Right-Click: Context menus and options
• Drag & Drop: Moving elements between locations
• Hover: Trigger tooltips or hover states

Text Operations

• Type Text: Enter data into fields
• Clear Text: Remove existing content
• Paste Content: Insert clipboard data
• Extract Text: Read text from UI elements

Navigation

• Key Combinations: Ctrl+C, Alt+Tab, etc.
• Mouse Movements: Precise cursor positioning
• Scroll Actions: Page up/down, mouse wheel
• Window Management: Focus, minimize, maximize

Advanced Logic

Conditional Flows

Error Handling

Data-Driven Flows

Advanced Flow Patterns

Multi-Application Workflows

Application Switching

Window Management

Dynamic Content Handling

Adaptive Flows

Content Recognition

Parallel Processing

Concurrent Flows

Resource Management

Testing and Debugging

Test Strategies

Development Testing

1. Step-by-Step: Test each action individually
2. Partial Flows: Test sections of complex flows
3. Edge Cases: Test with missing components, errors
4. Performance: Verify timing under different loads

Environment Testing

• Different Screens: Test on various resolutions
• OS Variations: Test across Windows, macOS, Linux
• App Versions: Verify compatibility with app updates
• System Load: Test under high CPU/memory usage

Debugging Tools

Built-in Debugging

Logging and Monitoring

Common Issues and Solutions

Timing Problems

• Too Fast: Add delays between actions
• Too Slow: Optimize component matching
• Race Conditions: Use proper wait conditions
• Synchronization: Wait for UI state changes

Component Recognition

• Not Found: Check visibility and positioning
• False Positives: Refine component captures
• Intermittent: Add retry logic with delays
• Performance: Optimize search regions

Best Practices

Flow Design Principles

Reliability

• Defensive Programming: Handle unexpected conditions
• Graceful Degradation: Continue when possible
• Error Recovery: Implement retry mechanisms
• State Validation: Verify expected conditions

Maintainability

• Modular Design: Break complex flows into smaller parts
• Clear Naming: Use descriptive names for flows and variables
• Documentation: Add comments for complex logic
• Version Control: Track changes and maintain history

Performance

• Efficient Searches: Limit component search areas
• Smart Delays: Use dynamic waits instead of fixed delays
• Resource Cleanup: Free memory and close resources
• Parallel Execution: Use concurrency when possible

Code Organization

Flow Structure

Reusable Components

• Sub-flows: Create reusable workflow segments
• Functions: Build custom action libraries
• Templates: Standardize common patterns
• Libraries: Share flows across projects

Documentation Standards

Flow Documentation

Comments and Annotations

• Action Comments: Explain complex or critical steps
• Decision Points: Document why specific logic was chosen
• Maintenance Notes: Record known issues or workarounds
• Performance Notes: Document optimization decisions

Testing Standards

Test Coverage

• Happy Path: Normal execution scenarios
• Error Conditions: All possible failure modes
• Boundary Cases: Minimum and maximum values
• Integration: Interaction with other flows
• Performance: Speed and resource usage

Test Documentation