# Workarounds for problematic windows objects

**URL:** <https://forum.katalon.com/t/workarounds-for-problematic-windows-objects/46020>\
**Category:** Desktop Testing\
**Tags:** desktop, windows, katalon-studio\
**Created:** [July 29, 2020, 2:48pm UTC](https://forum.katalon.com/t/workarounds-for-problematic-windows-objects/46020 "2020-07-29T14:48:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kevin.mcandrew1](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/katalon/user_avatar/forum.katalon.com/kevin.mcandrew1/32/20464_2.png) [@kevin.mcandrew1](https://forum.katalon.com/u/kevin.mcandrew1)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 2020, 2:48pm UTC](https://forum.katalon.com/t/workarounds-for-problematic-windows-objects/46020/1 "2020-07-29T14:48:12Z")

</div>

I’m trying to automate a windows desktop application that uses old controls in some parts of the system, which I think Katalon may be unable to detect using Object Spy (e.g. the main menu of icons at the top of the application is just seen as a single pane).

Are there any decent workarounds that could be used in such instances?

For example, I’ve tried using the object that represents the entire application window, with x & y values, but this doesn’t seem to work…is there a way to make this work?

Katalon - do you have any plans to introduce either of the following please…

1. A means of clicking somewhere in the application (or on the screen) based on x and y positions?

2. Wider support for older windows controls?

3. Any other means of enabling identification of, and interaction with old/difficult controls?

The suite of applications I’m looking to automate right now are Windows / Web / Mobile / APIs, so Katalon in this sense is ideal, but the issue is that Windows is the primary target for automation.

Many thanks for any help offered 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kevin.mcandrew1](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/katalon/user_avatar/forum.katalon.com/kevin.mcandrew1/32/20464_2.png) [@kevin.mcandrew1](https://forum.katalon.com/u/kevin.mcandrew1)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 6:51pm UTC](https://forum.katalon.com/t/workarounds-for-problematic-windows-objects/46020/2 "2020-08-06T18:51:16Z")

</div>

Bump, please - does anyone have any thoughts on this? 🙂