Filters: watchers where current user is not an assignee - returning incorrect results

[ckdesigns]

I am attempting to create a filter that will show all tickets I am watching, but am not assigned to. I know that I am watching six tickets on my company's JIRA system, and I know I am assigned to only one of those tickets.

This Query works as expected:
watcher = currentUser() ORDER BY updatedDate DESC 
=> Results in six tickets

This Query Works as expected:
watcher = currentUser() AND assignee = currentUser() ORDER BY updatedDate DESC
=> Finds one ticket that I am watching and assigned to

This Query does not work:
watcher = currentUser() AND assignee != currentUser() ORDER BY updatedDate DESC
=> Finds ONE ticket, there are four missing tickets

I noticed there is one difference between the four tickets that were not found and the one ticket that was found. The ticket that was returned has a user assigned to it, all the other users are unassigned.


I have attempted these variations:
watcher = currentUser() AND assignee not in (currentUser()) ORDER BY updatedDate DESC
issue in watchedIssues() AND assignee not in (currentUser()) ORDER BY updatedDate DESC
issue in watchedIssues() AND assignee != currentUser() ORDER BY updatedDate DESC
issue in watchedIssues() AND NOT assignee = currentUser() ORDER BY updatedDate DESC

All of these variations give me the same results.

My company is currently using JIRA v6.3.1.

UPDATE:

I have tried this search too:

watcher = currentUser() AND assignee is EMPTY ORDER BY updatedDate DESC
=> Results in the four unassigned tickets
watcher = currentUser() AND assignee is EMPTY AND NOT assignee = currentUser() ORDER BY updatedDate DESC
=> No tickets

I think I am getting closer but it seams like I am still missing something.

[ckdesigns · Accepted solution]

This seams to work, the comparator was the important piece that I was missing.

watcher = currentUser() AND (assignee is EMPTY OR assignee != currentUser()) ORDER BY updatedDate DESC

[Dave H.]

It seems like a bug that "assignee != currentUser()" does not cover assignee is EMPTY... logically if assignee is EMPTY, it's also != currentUser().

[Tom Bell]

Agreed Dave H.  "assignee is EMPTY" shouldn't be necessary but at least the filter works correctly now.  Thanks ckdesigns!

[Nick Salve]

if you think of EMPTY as NULL, it would make sense that NULL does not return as "not equal to" a value since there is nothign to compare. It's not uncommon in languages. 

[Mike Bewley]

EMPTY is unassigned

[Shelly Millet]

Thank you so much, so happy I finally found this query!!!! 

[Johannes van Wijk]

Same with the Watcher.

(watcher != currentUser() OR watcher = empty)

did the trick for me. Just having the watcher != currentUser() gives me empty filters

[Winston]

Has this changed? This solution isn't working on my end

[Saumya Agarwal]

Thank you! This has been a great help!

[Jillian Campbell]

Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for!