[GUI customization] Modifying the advanced search functionality in JIRA

[T B]

Hi there!

I was curious if the search functionality offered in JIRA could be customized. More precisely, instead of searching for text or inputting a query one can select (from several combo-boxes) on what criteria to search on (this way controlling that everybody is searching for semantically and syntactically equivalent terms, e.g., application server vs. server vs. deployment server).


Concrete scenario:

I have given users the possibility to annotate issues with certain predefined lables (custom fields: labels). Now what I want to do is give them the possibility to search based on these lables, but with a twist. Instead of searching the text of the label, I want them to select from some GUI element (probably some cascading combo-boxes/lists) what they want to search on. This way I will prevent the above mentioned problem where some people refer to certain components as "deployment server", however, the actually want issues relating to the "application server" label.


More precisely, can I modify the search bar somehow? Do I have even access to the views and their components? I already modified the model a bit with scripts and script-runner, but is this even possible?

Any idea is more than welcome!

[Mauro Badii · Accepted solution]

When doing a simple search, you can search for Labels and other fields by selecting 'More'. It will then create a combo box with the options available to help you find the exact text.

You could create filters with the components you want users to use and by going to simple mode, they would be able to select the values for them. Here is more info on Creating Filters

If you are looking into restricting search options in the simple view, I believe that is not possible. Maybe creating filters you can suggest the options you want them to select.

Hope it helps!

[T B]

Thank you! I feel dumb now! I've been going through the documentation several times and I don't know how I actually missed it :).

[T B]

One last thing, when using the "more" functionality and selecting multiple labels it applies the syntax of A OR B, instead of trying to find an issue that is labelled with A AND B. I do not understand why you use checkboxes then... the semantics of "What fruits do you like?

[x] apples

[] oranges

[X] bananas"

... is I like both apples AND bananas. NOT I like apples OR bananas.

Am I missing something with your "more" > labels > (select with checkboxes) feature? Shouldn't it be AND? Is this a bug?