{{lookupissues.customfield.distinct}} returning duplicates

[Daniel Landino]

Hi Everyone!

Background: using {{lookupissues}} in automation for slack messages in a variety of ways but have been unable to figure out how to successfully utilize the distinct function to remove duplicates for a text-based custom field

(documented here under list.distinct)

Closest thing I have found on the community is (Automation distinct and formatted ) but to be honest it's a bit over my head and really looking for some help!

Example: 

• Let's say customfield_16575 is for Name and the 5 results from the lookupissues filter I'm using are: Dan, Dan, Dan, Alex, Rob.
• I'd want it to output: Dan, Alex, Rob
• Instead {{lookupIssues.customfield_16575.distinct}} results in Dan, Dan, Dan, Alex, Rob

Any insight and help is greatly appreciated, I've spent many hours trying a lot of stuff unsucccessfully. 

[Garrett McCreery · Accepted solution]

@Daniel Landino 

The lookupIssues function doesn't contain custom fields. it only has a few fields that you can reference (see: https://support.atlassian.com/cloud-automation/docs/jira-smart-values-issues/#Available-properties)

You will have to build your list some other way than lookupissues. Once you have that, then you can use the split with the distinct function that I mentioned in the other solution: 

https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-Software-questions/Automation-distinct-and-formatted/qaq-p/2017250?utm_source=atlcomm&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mentions_reply&utm_content=topic

[Daniel Landino]

bummer on the custom fields but much appreciated for your help and quick reply!

I'll think through how/if I can tackle this another way.

Cheers

[Daniel Landino]

To clarify a little, I thought the custom fields wouldn't be supported due to that documentation but I am able to output a list with {{lookupIssues.customfield_16574}} .

It's just the distinct aspect that isn't working

[Garrett McCreery]

Ok... Then try adding the lookupissues to a variable "myList" like this notice the comma on the end:

{{#lookupIssues}}{{customfield_16574}},{{/}}

Then using that variable "myList" create another variable "myDistinctList":

{{myList.split(",").distinct}}

Maybe that will work?

[Daniel Landino]

YESSSSSSSSSSSSS!

you have no idea how happy I am. Thank you so much

[Garrett McCreery]

Glad I could help!

[John M Funk]

Hey Daniel - Can you publish your actual rule with the code showing so future people looking here can see the solution you used? Thanks!

[Daniel Landino]

Certainly!

1. It's a scheduled rule:
   1. 0 59 14 ? * MON-FRI
2. Then Lookupissues
   1. project = "Test-Project" AND "Date" = startOfDay(0)
3. if:matches
   1. if {{lookupIssues.size|0}} does not equal 0
      1. Then: create variable
         1. variable name = myList
         2. smart value = {{#lookupIssues}}{{customfield_16575|"not specified"}},{{/}}
      2. Then: create variable
         1. variable name = myDistList
         2. {{myDistList.split(",").!="not specified".distinct}}
4. And: Send Slack Message
   1. # of Things Scheduled Today: *{{lookupIssues.size}}*
      *Locations:* {{myDistList}}
5. There's an else-if: matches here but not important for this example

customfield_16575 refers to locations, I'm also messing around with the inputting "not specified" for invalid references - when testing I found that if customfield_16575 was left blank I would get some wonky results, e.g "America, Mexico, , Canada"

[John M Funk]

Awesome - thanks for sharing that!

[John M Funk]

Hey Daniel, 

I have not tried the function before, but looking at the documentation, maybe try this:

{{lookupIssues.customfield_16575.split(",").distinct}}

[Daniel Landino]

no dice, that ^ actually returns a blank message but I do appreciate the attempt!