Groovy editor in JMCF

Groovy editor features

Groovy editor in JMCF is where you should be writing your Groovy scripts. This editor has the

• Basic features like automatically indenting the code, checking for syntax errors in the code, colorizing keywords, comments, variables and so on and
• Advanced features, such as Find and Replace, that are available through keyboard shortcuts. 

Groovy Help in the Groovy editor

The editor also has a Groovy help section that assists you in writing your Groovy scripts with ease. It has the following tabs:

Expected Value: This tab lists the possible expected values for the calculated custom field being configured. Click on Expected Value tab of the Groovy help editor to see the expected values for the calculated field. 

Globals: This tab lists the Global variables and functions that are available for your Groovy expressions. Hover over any button to get the information, click on it to insert it into the editor. For more information, click here.

Issue Fields: This tab lists the fields of the current issue, linked issue or the parent issue depending on the context. Select a field. The help editor displays a few Groovy expressions accessing the field values, sub-fields etc by the field name. You can refer to the issue either by the field name or the field ID.  Groovy expressions to access all the fields of an issue are listed here.

Issue Methods: This tab lists the methods applicable to the current issue, linked issue or the parent issue depending on the context. Hover over any button to get the information, click on it to insert it into the editor. For more information, click here.

Interfaces: This tab can describe any Jira, Groovy or Java interface or class. Select an interface and the editor displays the properties and methods of the selected interface. Hover over any button to get the information, click on it to insert it into the editor. Methods/properties in green are provided by the add-on, and those in blue by the Groovy language. For more information, click here.

More help: This menu gives you access to additional help pages.

Using Groovy Help in the Groovy editor

Suppose you want the calculate and display the Project name of the issue's project

• Create a Calculated Text custom field type: Project Category, from the Custom fields administration page.
• Locate the custom field on the Custom Fields administration page.
• Click on the cog wheel and click on Configure
• Click on Edit Groovy Formula
• Click on Issue Fields tab of the help editor.
• Select Project under Select a field.
• Under the Accessing sub-fields section locate the Groovy expression to access the project name.
• Click on it to insert it into the editor.

Groovy editor availability

The Groovy script editor in JMCF is available on the Custom field configuration screens of calculated custom field types that expect the result of a Groovy script.

Groovy editor toolbar

The Groovy editor has a toolbar with the following features. Clicking on:

• Find: Opens the search box. Use /re/ syntax for regexp search
• Find Next: Finds the next occurrence of a search
• Replace: Opens the Replace window. Replace a certain text with a specified text
• Test Groovy Script: Opens the Test Groovy script window to input the Issue key. Use it to test your script.
• Test again: Retests your script

The shortcuts for Find, Find Next and Replace are shown in the table below.

Groovy editor keyboard shortcuts

You can use the following shortcut keys as an alternative to the mouse when working in this editor, while the cursor is active in a code editor: