Is there a reason why when changing a previously saved filter, you have to run the search before it can be saved? I do find it a little annoying. Why not just let me save the change with a single keystroke?
Because that bypasses some of the checks that your new filter isn't junk. The syntax check is basic and only checks syntax.
Running the filter allows you to check that it actually does what you are expecting and that it doesn't break horribly despite the syntax being ok.
You'd be horrified how many people used to post "my filter broke" here during a brief period where you didn't have to run it before saving. The community, as it was then, let alone Atlassian support, wasted 90% of their efforts on those versions of Jira on it!
I know, it does seem like the syntax check should be enough to enable the save button, and for a lot of us, it probably is. But there are enough people in the minority who inadvertently write bad JQL to justify a quick test before saving. (I'm in that minority by the way - I get over-confident about my JQL skills sometimes, and it's a nice reminder that I'm not that good...)
