I need an automation to email the last comment made on a page when status changes

[Paul Rathgeb]

I am trying to create an automation as follows: 

1. Status changes.
2. Email is sent
   1. Email contains the last content posted.

I've tried {{comment.last.body}}, {{comment.body}}, {{issues.comment.body}}, {{issues.comment.last.body}}. Everything produces nil. How can I retrieve comments using CQL and/or Smart Values?

[Shawn Doyle - ReleaseTEAM · Accepted solution]

When using the status changed trigger, the smart values that are populated are:

{{page}}

{{content}}

{{space}}

{{priorContentStatus}}

https://support.atlassian.com/cloud-automation/docs/triggers-in-confluence-automation/#Page-status-changed

It would seem the only time the smart values for comments are populated is with the trigger Page commented.

[Shawn Doyle - ReleaseTEAM]

Confluence would use the following for comments.

Comment properties (page and inline)

{{comment}} – Returns all available comment properties

• {{comment.url}}

• {{comment.id}}

• {{comment.body}}

• {{comment.author.fullName}}

• {{comment.author.publicName}}

• {{comment.author.emailAddress}}

• {{comment.author.timeZone}}

• {{comment.author.accoundId}}

• {{comment.dateAdded}}

• {{comment.dateLastEdited}}

https://support.atlassian.com/cloud-automation/docs/smart-values-in-confluence-automation/

[Paul Rathgeb]

I used {{comment.body}} and it returns nothing at all - As if there are no comments posted. The same thing for {{comments.last.body}}.

Can you verify if this actually works? If so, why does it not return a value?

More likely, how am I misapplying the smart value?

Thanks

[Paul Rathgeb]

Here's an image of the rule:

[Shawn Doyle - ReleaseTEAM]

What does the automation look like before you get to the email part?  Are you sure your rule is finding something that would have a comment in scope? 

I don't think you are misapplying the smartvalue, my guess is that what is being returned by the automation isn't filling out all the smartvalues you expect.

[Paul Rathgeb]

The rest of the automation is below. The email is received. I've attached the image below, as well.

[Paul Rathgeb]

Hi Shawn,

After reviewing the documentation you sent via email, it seems that I can only display the most current comment when using the "Page commented" trigger. Did I understand this correctly?

Also, it only works with the structure, {{comment.body}}, and displays the comment that enacted the trigger.

This is a huge limitation, as it seems reasonable to expect the Smart Value to access (at least) the most recent comment under any circumstance.

[Shawn Doyle - ReleaseTEAM]

It would seem the only time the comment smart values are populated are when triggering off the page commented trigger. 

I tested it in my instance and can confirm they are empty when trigging off Status changed.