Are there Smart values to get the link direction in automation rules triggered by "Issue linked"?

Question

When I've got an automation rule triggered by "Issue linked", I can use the common Smart variables for issues with "{{issue}}" (e.g. "{{issue.key}}") and "{{destinationIssue}}" (e.g. "{{destinationIssue.key}}"). And I can use "{{linkType}}".

Is there any way to get the direction of the created link (e.g. "blocks" or "is blocked by")?

Supplement:

My task is to allow a special type of link only for links between issues of two certain projects and in one direction.

The link type is “Epic synchronization”, the “Outward Description” is “Epic synchronizes Epic” and the “Inward Description” is “Epic is synchronized by Epic”.

In project X there are some Epics which must be synchronized with certain Epics from project Y (regarding the issue status).

The other “direction” and the use of the link type for other projects are not allowed.

Since I can’t limit the usage of the link type by defining a context, I want to check it whenever an issue link is created or alternatively in a scheduled automation rule which sends a mail whenever the link type is used incorrectly.

I’ve already managed to create an automation rule for the Epic synchronization itself, but that one assumes that there are only correct links.

Does anybody have any idea how to do the check?

Trudy P Claspill · Answer

Hello @Gisela Lassahn

The link type is “Epic synchronization”, the “Outward Description” is “Epic synchronizes Epic” and the “Inward Description” is “Epic is synchronized by Epic”.

In project X there are some Epics which must be synchronized with certain Epics from project Y (regarding the issue status).

Is my understanding correct, as follows...?

This is valid:
Issue X-1 
-- Epic is synchronized by Issue Y-1
When viewing issue X-1 you would see in the Issue Links section the heading "Epic is synchronized by" with issue Y-1 under that heading

This is not valid and you are trying to detect when this happens:
Issue X-1
-- Epic synchronizes Epic Y-1
When viewing issue X-1 you would see in the Issue Links section the heading "Epic synchronizes Epic" with issue Y-1 under that heading

If I don't have that correct, please let me know the corrections.

To detect the invalid scenario, it is possible to create an Automation Rule that uses the Issue Linked trigger to detect the creation of the link type "Epic Synchronization"

After the trigger you can add a condition to check the Project value of the triggering issue. This is the issue in the pair that will be under the heading "Epic synchronizes Epic”. If I described the directionality correctly above, then when Project of the triggering issue is Y then you have a situation where the link was created in the wrong direction.

You can could optionally add a step to check the Project of the other issue in the pair.

And then you can add a step to Delete issue links to remove the erroneously created link. You could optionally add a step to create the correct type of link to replace it.

Gisela Lassahn · Answer

Hi @Trudy P Claspill ,

many thanks for your hints, but I fear they still are not sufficient to solve my problem. I've edited my question and added a "Supplement" to give some more information, in order to make you understand my task better.

Trudy P Claspill · Answer

Hello @Gisela Lassahn

Rules are normally triggered by an action on a single issue. The Issue Linked trigger is special in that two issues are experiencing an action. However, the issue that triggers the rule will always be the one that appears in the Linked Issues section under the Outward Description.

So, if you are in Issue A, and you create an "is blocked by" link to Issue B, the rule is being triggered by Issue B. Issue B is referenced by {{issue}} and {{triggerIssue}}, while Issue A is referenced by {{destinationIssue}}

I think that addresses your question about the "direction" of the link.

Link Types that have identical Inward and Outward Descriptions, like Relates, don't really have a "direction".