How to create custom validators - subtask must exist

[laurence bascle]

I thought i might be able to use validators to ensure that i can enforce the existence of a subtask before an issue (story type) reaches a particular step in the workflow.

However the ADD VALIDATOR option is limited to 3 options below.

- Complete Session Validator Validates that all Bonfire test sessions related to this issue are complete.

- Permission Validator Validates that the user has a permission.

- User Permission Validator Validates that the user has a permission, where the OSWorkflow variable holding the username is configurable. Obsolete.

How do i get about creating a custom validator, and can the validation 'subtask must exist' be created? (ps: i checked conditions, but all conditions checks is the status of a subtask, so that if no subtask exists, status cannot be checked)

[Alex Perez · Accepted solution]

I have a very similar validator implemented, but is not the same case. In my case the validator check if the task (have subtasks AND they are all closed ) OR ( no subtasks at all).

Try searching in marketplace, it seems a pretty common use case and you can get this done.

Or, you can create a plugin as a workflow validator, to check if there are subtasks. The code is somewhat like:

public class CheckSubtastks implements Validator {

	public void validate(Map transientVars, Map args, PropertySet ps) throws InvalidInputException, WorkflowException {

		boolean validate = false;
		Issue issue = (Issue) transientVars.get("issue");

		int subtareas = issue.getSubTaskObjects().size();


		if (subtareas == 0) {
			validate = false;
			throw new WorkflowException("Define some subtasks to go ...");
		}

	}
}

[laurence bascle]

thanks guys,

i am so impressed by the quick feedback, so many times i got stranded with Atlassian generic answers, that totally beats it.

i am usually a bit dubious about finding 'solutions' to my issues on marketplace, but with the reassurance that it might be a common use case, i downloaded https://marketplace.atlassian.com/plugins/com.fca.jira.plugins.workflowToolbox.workflow-toolbox and that particular use case was in there, so that i didn't have to code at all!

Happy :)

[laurence bascle]

ps: might not work for everyone as it is a paid solution, however i am on a community license, so that is good enough for me

[Dipti Ranjan Behera]

Hi Laurence,

Through this plugin guide you can create your custom validator plugin :

https://developer.atlassian.com/display/JIRADEV/Workflow+Plugin+Modules#WorkflowPluginModules-Validators

in the validator , you can have your own logic of validation.

Another important: condition is basically used for user permission (through these we can specific who all can see the transition).

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

You are on the right track - that's exactly what validators are for.

However, Jira does not ship with very many of them. Most of us install add-ons to get some of the more basic validators (that really should be included in the core in my humble opinion) - the Jira Suite utilities is the one I usually reach for first. There are a lot of other validators in the marketplace too.

If you can't find one that matches, then you'll need to write one. I do this in two ways:

1. Write one as a plugin

2. Add the script runner add-on - it provides a framework that saves you having to write all the structure around your own plugin, you can get stuck straight into the code.