Enterprise 11: Enable bots to run on other computers

Botdevelopers must consider how bots function with the Bot Runner to allow bots to run on other computers.

During the development of new bots, developers often point to local copies of files and attachments. This works great if the bot is only run on the developers' local computers. A local path looks something like this: 
C:\Users\UserName\Documents…

Bot Runners are unattended computers (physical or virtual computers) whose job is to run the tasks presented to them. Because these Bot Runners have their own account login credentials, localized paths do not work.

The system variable $AAApplicationPath$ resolves this problem.

Local path during development:
C:\Users\UserName\Documents\Automation Anywhere Files\Automation Anywhere\My Docs\accounts.xlsx
Relative path that works in Bot Runner:
 $AAApplicationPath$\Automation Anywhere\My Docs\accounts.xlsx

Not only does this make the path shorter, but it also makes the bot portable. When preparing a Task Bot to work with Bot Runner or a co-worker's computer, use the $AAApplicationPath$ anywhere that points to a local file.

Tip: Create variables, for example, "vPath," then use the Variable Operation with $AAApplicationPath$ to make the paths short and manageable.