Groovy editor in JMCF

Starting with version 2.0.0, the JMCF add-on is provided with a Groovy script editor and tester in the configuration screens of calculated custom field provided by JMCF. This document details the Groovy editor in JMCF, its features, its availability and keyboard shortcuts. 

On this page:

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: 

CommandDescriptionPCMac

find

Opens the search box. Use /re/ syntax for regexp search

Ctrl-FCmd-F

findNext

Post a search, finds the next occurrence of the searchCtrl-GCmd-G
findPrevPost a search, finds the previous occurrence of the searchShift-Ctrl-GShift-Cmd-G

replace

Opens the Replace window.

Shift-Ctrl-FCmd-Alt-F
replaceAllOpens the Replace all windowShift-Ctrl-RShift-Cmd-Alt-F
selectAllSelect the whole content of the editorCtrl-ACmd-A
singleSelectionWhen multiple selections are present, this deselects all but the primary selectionEscEsc
killLineDeletes the part of the line after the cursor. If that consists only of whitespace, the newline at the end of the line is also deleted.
Ctrl-K
deleteLineDeletes the whole line under the cursor, including newline at the end.Ctrl-DCmd-D
delWrappedLineLeftDelete the part of the line from the left side of the visual line the cursor is on to the cursor.
Cmd-Backspace
delWrappedLineRightDelete the part of the line from the cursor to the right side of the visual line the cursor is on.
Cmd-Delete
undoUndo the last changeCtrl-ZCmd-Z
redoRedo the last undone changeCtrl-YShift-Cmd-Z or Cmd-Y
undoSelectionUndo the last change to the selection, or if there are no selection only changes at the top of the history, undo the last change.Ctrl-UCmd-U
redoSelectionRedo the last change to the selection, or the last text change if no selection changes remain.Alt-UShift-Cmd-U
goDocStartMove the cursor to the start of the document.Ctrl-HomeCmd-Up or Cmd-Home
goDocEndMove the cursor to the end of the document.Ctrl-EndCmd-End or Cmd-Down
goLineStartMove the cursor to the start of the line.Alt-LeftCtrl-A
goLineStartSmartMove to the start of the text on the line, or if we are already there, to the actual start of the line (including whitespace).HomeHome
goLineEndMove the cursor to the end of the line.Alt-RightCtrl-E
goLineRightMove the cursor to the right side of the visual line it is on.
Cmd-Right
goLineLeftMove the cursor to the left side of the visual line it is on. If this line is wrapped, that may not be the start of the line.
Cmd-Left
goLineUpMove the cursor up one line.UpCtrl-P
goLineDownMove down one line.DownCtrl-N
goPageUpMove the cursor up one screen and scroll up by the same distance.PageUpShift-Ctrl-V
goPageDownMove the cursor down one screen and scroll down by the same distance.PageDownCtrl-V
goCharLeftMove the cursor one character left, going to the previous line when hitting the start of the line.LeftCtrl-B
goCharRightMove the cursor one character right, going to the next line when hitting the end of the line.RightCtrl-F
goWordLeftMove the cursor to the start of the previous word.
Alt-B
goWordRightMove the cursor to the end of the next word.
Alt-F
goGroupLeftMove to the left of the group before the cursor. Ctrl-LeftAlt-Left
goGroupRightMove to the right of the group after the cursor.Ctrl-RightAlt-Right
delCharBeforeDelete the character before the cursor.Shift-BackspaceCtrl-H
delCharAfterDelete the character after the cursor.DeleteCtrl-D
delWordBeforeDelete up to the start of the word before the cursor.
Alt-Backspace
delWordAfterDelete up to the end of the word after the cursor.
Alt-D
delGroupBeforeDelete to the left of the group before the cursor.Ctrl-BackspaceAlt-Backspace
delGroupAfterDelete to the start of the group after the cursor.Ctrl-DeleteCtrl-Alt-Backspace or Alt-Delete
indentAutoAuto-indent the current line or selection.Shift-TabShift-Tab
indentMoreIndent the current line or selection by one indent unit.Ctrl-]Cmd-]
indentLessDedent the current line or selection by one indent unit.Ctrl-[Cmd-[
defaultTabIf something is selected, indent it by one indent unit. If nothing is selected, insert a tab character.TabTab
transposeCharsSwap the characters before and after the cursor.
Ctrl-T 
newlineAndIndentInsert a newline and auto-indent the new line.EnterEnter
toggleOverwriteFlip the overwrite flag.InsertInsert
Group

A group is a stretch of word characters, a stretch of punctuation characters, a newline, or a stretch of more than one whitespace character.