AhmadKamal.UiPath.DataMutator 1.1.0-beta

AhmadKamal.UiPath.DataMutator

A powerful, lightweight extension package designed specifically for UiPath developers. It allows you to seamlessly mutate DataTable rows and IEnumerable collections using inline Action (VB.NET Sub) delegates.

This package elegantly bypasses the notorious UiPath Expression Tree error BC36534 (Expression cannot be converted into an expression tree) that occurs when trying to assign values directly inside an Assign activity lambda.

🚀 Features

• ListMutator: Update value types (like Int32) and immutable reference types (like String) within lists using an innovative ItemWrapper<T>. It returns a completely new sequence, ensuring functional purity.
• DataTableMutator: Safely and cleanly update DataRow fields across an entire DataTable in a single line, eliminating the need for bulky For Each Row activities.
• UiPath Native Compatibility: Built to integrate perfectly with UiPath's VB.NET Expression Trees.

📦 Installation

1. Open your UiPath Studio project.
2. Click on Manage Packages in the ribbon.
3. Select your designated NuGet source (or All Packages).
4. Search for AhmadKamal.UiPath.DataMutator.
5. Click Install and then Save.

💻 Usage & Examples (VB.NET)

1. Mutating a List of Strings / Value Types

When working with standard lists of strings or numbers, UiPath prevents direct assignments like x = "NewValue" inside an Assign activity. We solve this by wrapping items in an ItemWrapper.

Scenario: We have a list of names, and we want to append " _Developer" to each name.

• Activity: Assign
• To: myList (Type: List(Of String))
• Value:

  myList.ListMutator(Sub(w) w.Value = w.Value + " _Developer").ToList()
  
  

How it works: w represents the ItemWrapper. Setting w.Value is treated as a property setter, which UiPath's Expression Tree accepts without throwing the BC36534 error. .ToList() materializes the new mutated list.

2. Mutating a DataTable

You can directly mutate rows in an entire DataTable efficiently.

Scenario: We want to update the "Status" column to "Processed" for all rows in a DataTable.

• Activity: Assign
• To: myDataTable (Type: DataTable)
• Value:

  myDataTable.DataTableMutator(Sub(row) row("Status") = "Processed")
  

How it works: The mutator iterates over the rows and applies your VB.NET Sub directly to each DataRow reference.

⚙️ Compatibility

• Compatible with Windows and Windows-Legacy projects in UiPath Studio.
• Built on .NET Standard 2.0 / .NET 6.0 / .NET 8.0 (Verify based on your target framework).

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.