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How to Explore the UiPath.Activities.Api SDK Using Visual Studio

This page describes techniques to explore the UiPath.Activities.Api SDK from within Visual Studio, based on a working minimal rule project. These approaches help in understanding available types, interfaces, and behaviors when official documentation is limited.

1. Use IntelliSense While Writing Code

With the SDK referenced and your project compiling:

• Type code in your rule class and observe IntelliSense suggestions.
• Use Ctrl+Space to trigger completion for types, methods, and properties.
• Hover over any symbol to view parameter descriptions, return types, and type hierarchies.
• IntelliSense reveals what’s publicly exposed by the SDK.

2. Use Go To Definition and Metadata View

• Ctrl+Click on any SDK type or method to open its definition view.
• Visual Studio shows a read-only metadata stub (.cs view) that includes:
  • Method signatures
  • Property types
  • Interface declarations
• This view does not expose implementation details, but gives full structural insight.

3. Use Object Browser for Navigation

• Open Object Browser: View > Object Browser
• Select your solution or the UiPath.Activities.Api reference.
• Browse through:
  • Namespaces (e.g., UiPath.Studio.Activities.Api.Analyzer)
  • Interfaces (e.g., IActivityModel, IAnalyzerConfigurationService)
  • Class hierarchies and inheritance trees

This helps map how SDK components are related.

4. Use Debugger to Inspect Runtime Behavior

For the following to work correctly, ensure you have built the rule project in Debug mode and copied to the UiPath Studio folder under C:\Program Files\UiPath\Studio all 3 files:

• YourRule.dll
• YourRule.pdb
• YourRule.deps.json

This allows the debugger to access symbols and source code.

The following does NOT work with a user-defined location in UiPath Studio > Settings > Locations > "Custom Workflow Analyzer rules location".

• Set a breakpoint inside your rule logic (e.g., in Inspect()).
• Launch UiPath Studio and attach the debugger:
  • Debug > Attach to Process > UiPath.Studio.exe
• Trigger the analyzer inside Studio (Analyze or open a workflow).
• Step through execution and inspect:
  • What data IActivityModel contains
  • How properties like Variables or DisplayName are populated
  • What objects are passed into rule parameters

Use this to confirm behaviors and structure live, directly from Studio execution.

5. Use Reflection (Advanced)

For programmatic inspection during development:

var members = typeof(IActivityModel).GetMembers();
foreach (var m in members)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"{m.MemberType}: {m.Name}");
}

This can help reveal available members at runtime, especially in unknown or version-shifting APIs.

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These methods use only standard Visual Studio tooling and SDK exposure. No special tools or disassembly required. They are ideal for learning and documenting how the SDK behaves during custom rule development.