Hello community! The problem I am trying to solve is to store a list of values in a created variable, and then access one of the values with a function inside of an iterator. Has anyone done this? For example: * Created variable named varList contains a list, such as dates: 2021-12-24, 2021-12-31, 2022-01-15 * Iterator attempts to split and then use the values from the list. To only list the values, use {{.}} {{#varList.split(",")}}{{.}}{{/}} * But to use the list value in a function, the {{.}} cannot be used: {{#varList.split(",")}}{#if(issue.created.diff(.).days.gte(0))}}+1{{/}}{{/}} * I wonder if there is another smart value which represents {{.}} that can be used {{#varList.split(",")}}{#if(issue.created.diff(WHAT_TO_PUT_HERE).days.gte(0))}}+1{{/}}{{/}} * Other things I tried which did not help:* Nest the list split() to use the same list inside the iterator, accessed by get(index). This evaluates to null, leading to the conclusion: a list cannot be accessed inside its own iterator, or that index loses meaning as a function parameter. * Copy the created variable list to another variable, and then try the nested list technique with one list insider of another's iterator. This evaluates to null. * Format the list in the created variable as JSON, use the encode function, and then attempt to access the list by attribute name. This evaluates to null. The thing I cannot figure out is how to access the list iterator value. I wonder: * Is there an internal smart value name for {{.}} that can be referenced; or * Can a created variable be structured as an object with attribute names (like "value"), and then split for later reference/use; or * This not possible. The only work-around I have found is to store the values in an entity property instead of the created variable. Thanks for your ideas!

Hey @Bill Sheboy thanks for the answer! The scenario,as posted more than a year ago Could you please give a simple example what data do you have and what do you want to get after? Sorry, I can't get it from the description. For example: I have list of Dates then I need to get date greater than ... Something like this.

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access a created variable's value (from a list), using it in a function...within an iterator

Bill Sheboy

Hello community!

The problem I am trying to solve is to store a list of values in a created variable, and then access one of the values with a function inside of an iterator. Has anyone done this?

For example:

Created variable named varList contains a list, such as dates: 2021-12-24, 2021-12-31, 2022-01-15
Iterator attempts to split and then use the values from the list. To only list the values, use {{.}}

{{#varList.split(",")}}{{.}}{{/}}

But to use the list value in a function, the {{.}} cannot be used:

{{#varList.split(",")}}{#if(issue.created.diff(.).days.gte(0))}}+1{{/}}{{/}}

I wonder if there is another smart value which represents {{.}} that can be used

{{#varList.split(",")}}{#if(issue.created.diff(WHAT_TO_PUT_HERE).days.gte(0))}}+1{{/}}{{/}}

Other things I tried which did not help:
- Nest the list split() to use the same list inside the iterator, accessed by get(index). This evaluates to null, leading to the conclusion: a list cannot be accessed inside its own iterator, or that index loses meaning as a function parameter.
- Copy the created variable list to another variable, and then try the nested list technique with one list insider of another's iterator. This evaluates to null.
- Format the list in the created variable as JSON, use the encode function, and then attempt to access the list by attribute name. This evaluates to null.

The thing I cannot figure out is how to access the list iterator value. I wonder:

Is there an internal smart value name for {{.}} that can be referenced; or
Can a created variable be structured as an object with attribute names (like "value"), and then split for later reference/use; or
This not possible.

The only work-around I have found is to store the values in an entity property instead of the created variable.

Thanks for your ideas!

Accepted answers

All comments

Darryl Lee

This is not an actual answer, but commiseration. I went down a rabbit-hole trying to find an answer to Perla's additional request to iterate with a counter value.

I tried to represent {{counterValues}} in all kinds of list formats, but got nowhere fast.

I think I even tried splitting "1,2,3,4" into its own variable, hoping it would "magically" convert to a list, but Automation did not like that.

Now that I've come back to the question, I see your very clever usage of the index value. That is incredibly SLICK, as I could not for the life of me figure out how to get array values into such a loop.

We really could use the ability to properly define arrays and then some functions for them. When you see something like .split you just naturally think there should be a way to go the other direction.

David Pezet_yyhi7z

@Bill Sheboy Any chance you figured out a solution since when this was posted?

Bill Sheboy

Hi @David Pezet

No, I did not. Created variables are still just text, with no structure. The closest I have gotten to this was to use a homemade, delimited variable and then a match() function later to process it.

Here is an example of that technique to find the latest sprint an issue was in: https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-Software-questions/Re-How-to-create-an-automation-to-set-the-issue-s-last-s/qaq-p/2253719/comment-id/245069#M245069

Kind regards,
Bill

David Pezet_yyhi7z

@Bill Sheboy Thanks for the quick reply. I've been able to flip my thinking to get away from having to reference the current element, and now run into another problem (sorry to derail the thread here). I think I run into the same problem with the string matching solution too. The issue I'm running into is that it doesn't seem I can access a variable inside the list functions (since I'm trying to iterate through two lists).

For example, I have an array of ids [1,2,3.4] stored in a variable (testArray) and an array of objects ("options") [{"id":1,"value":"text1"}, ...] returned by a web request.

If I use,

{{#webResponse.body.data.options}}
    {{#if(equals(id,3))}}
        {{value}}
    {{/}}
{{/}}

this returns the string for the corresponding value.

My hope was to do something like,

{{#webResponse.body.data.options}}
    {{#if(testArray.split(",").contains(id))}}
        {{value}}
    {{/}}
{{/}}

But it seems that other variables are not able to be referenced inside of the list since,

{{testArray}}

will log the variable just fine outside the list, but

{{#webResponse.body.data.options}}
    {{testArray}}
{{/}}

logs nothing ({{value}} works).

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Bill Sheboy

Some things to note...

Create variables (and even some issue fields) appear not to work in all possible functions.
And...smart value, list filtering has the same challenge, as you can read in the comments to this article: https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Automation-articles/Filtering-smart-value-lists/ba-p/1827588
And...smart value list iterators cannot both walk the list and reference the entire list at once. (e.g. walk the fixVersions and reference the maximum date in the iterator)
My hypothesis is some of those smart values passed to a functions are not evaluated and resolve to null, and then the iterator either collapses to null or returns all list items.

This symptom is the idea behind the work-around I noted: if you can create a regular expression to use in a match() then that eliminates the need to use the iterator for filtering.

For your scenario you could build the regular expression by expanding your array of id values into something like 1|2|3|4 within the expression, and use that with match as:

{{webresponse.body.data.options.match(varForYourRegularExpression)}}

Then add appropriate list and text functions to the end to process your results.

Slava Gefen

Hi All!

It seems after a while I was able to solve this issue. Bellow is the example of my Automation rule. This Automation is getting a list from 1,2,3, ... string variable.

1. Set a manual trigger
2. Then create a variable

3. Then add value to the log

4. Then make additional Log

5. Then create Advanced branching

6. And finally log action again

As a result, you'll get this:

Even More you can continue with the new available smart-value called lookup table

1. At first this

2. Then Log action

3. And finally access your table

As a result, you'll get this:

Hope it helps!
With kind regards
Slava

Slava Gefen

Hey @Darryl Lee

I think I even tried splitting "1,2,3,4" into its own variable, hoping it would "magically" convert to a list, but Automation did not like that.

I was able to split 1,2,3 string variable into a map. Please look at am answer above.

With kind regards
Slava

Bill Sheboy

Hi @Slava Gefen

Thanks for your suggestions.

As I noted to you in my other post for the open backlog/suggestion item on created variables...that does not help in this scenario as the advanced branches are executed asynchronously and non-deterministically. The scoping issues would prevent usage of the accumulator result.

And...I can confirm that although the new lookup tables help with some things, they also cannot by iterated over as an alternative.

My understanding from Atlassian people is that eventually created variables will be typed/objects; when (if?) that happens split lists can be referenced by other than {{.}} to enable more complex use cases.

Kind regards,
Bill

Slava Gefen

.that does not help in this scenario as the advanced branches are executed asynchronously and non-deterministically

@Bill Sheboy could you please describe the exact scenario you want to achieve?

Bill Sheboy

The scenario, as posted more than a year ago, is in the original question. It is a pattern to use iterator data within functions when the iterator has no structure. There are other work-arounds for this (e.g., repeated if/else with created variables).

Odimar Tomazeli_vl8u0r

I have a similar but different issue. I'm new to Jira Automation and trying to figure it out any help will be appreciated

Ok So the issue lies on Organizations Locked field in Jira Service Management I need to bring this information to a project in Jira Software so I created a custom field called Organization(s) and Assigned to both projects my Idea was every time the Organizations field changes i update the Organization(s) field then when I create the issue in Jira Software I only have to copy the value as if i try to copy directly from Organizations field it doesn't work.
My problem is that I'm not able to convert Organizations field type Organization into Organization(s) field type labels.

Any idea how I can achieve this?

I have tried to create a variable {{Orgs}} and assign the below expression
{{Issue.Organizations.name.flatten()}}

then restore it to the Organization(s) field using
{{Orgs.split(",")}}

Bill Sheboy

Hi @Odimar Tomazeli

I recommend creating a new question for this one, and perhaps linking back to this one. Otherwise only the people following this older thread will see it, limiting the amount of community suggestions offered.

When you post your question, please include images of your complete rule, showing details of the actions, and of the audit log details showing the rule execution. Those will provide context for the community to offer more targeted ideas. Thanks!

Kind regards,
Bill

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