I need help in configuring JQL Query

[Naama Lev]

Hi Experts, 

I need help in configuring JQL query

Below is my Query,

In the results i would like to receive all issues from IMMI Project or issues labeled with 'IMMI' that are not labeled with BAU. Additionally I don't want to receive Test, "Project Issue", "Project Risk" issue types

My problem is: i don't receive Issues from the 'IMMI Project' that are not labeled with IMMI

(project = "IMMI Project" OR labels = IMMI) AND Type not in (Test, "Project Issue", "Project Risk") and labels != bau  ORDER BY created DESC

Can you please help me understand why? and what should be the correct query?

Thanks

Naama

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist- · Accepted solution]

When in doubt,

• simplify the query,
• question the requirement,
• question the data as well as the query,

So:

• The query does look kind of correct to me, and there's not much simplification to do - I'd experiment with removing the "type" clause to see if that makes a difference, but I don't really think it will.  I'd also try each clause individually to ensure they do exactly what I expect.
• Often, questioning the requirement isn't helpful as the requirements are simple.  In this case, though, the way English works leaves your requirements with two interpretations - "all issues from IMMI or issues labelled with IMMI that are not labelled BAU".  That could come out as "Project = immi or (label = immi and label != bau)", or "(Project = immi or label = immi) and label != bau".  You've built your query for the second, so that's what I'm assuming.
• Which leads me to data - the simple question there is are you sure you have at least one issue that matches this query?  Could you try just ( project = immi and labels != bau ) ? Check you get a good swathe and then add the "not issue types" clause and check you get something out

[Naama Lev]

Hi @Nic Brough [Adaptavist] Thanks for your answer I know that i have the data to much this filter. When I query (project = "IMMI Project" OR labels = IMMI) AND Type not in (Test, "Project Issue", "Project Risk") I get all the issues from immi project and all the ones that are labeled with IMMI (from the relevant types) Only when i add != BAU, i get only the ones that are labeled with IMMI Can you please advise? Thanks Naama

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Ok, great testing, it eliminates some problems. Next thing to try is labels = immi and labels != bau If that does what you expect, then I think there's something odd with your (), although I can't see what. So I'd then try (labels = immi and labels != bau) or (project = immi and labels != bau)

[Naama Lev]

Hi, Tried the followings (still i don't get IMMI project issue with no IMMI label) : ((project = "IMMI Project" and labels != bau ) OR labels = IMMI) AND Type not in (Test, "Project Issue", "Project Risk") and labels != bau ORDER BY created DESC ((labels = immi and labels != bau) or (project = immi and labels != bau)) AND Type not in (Test, "Project Issue", "Project Risk") and labels != bau ORDER BY created DESC -------- When I have run labels = immi AND labels != bau AND Type not in (Test, "Project Issue", "Project Risk") AND status != closed ORDER BY created DESC, status DESC, key ASC I got less results - when i checked the difference i saw that my first query receive issues from the project 'IMMI' only if they have any label - but when the label is empty it is not Can you please advise? Thanks Naama

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

I need you to simplify - stop adding clauses and look at the absolute basics. What do you get from the two simple searches I gave earlier? Specifically, does the first one return *any* issues which have both IMMI and BAU as labels?

[Naama Lev]

Hi Query: labels = immi and labels != bau Result: Issues that are labeled with 'IMMI' and not with 'BAU' Query:(labels = immi and labels != bau) or (project = immi and labels != bau) Result: Issues that are labeled with 'IMMI' and not with 'BAU' BUT no issues from the project IMMI that has no label at all Can you please advise? Thanks Naama

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Ok, I have it. I am really sorry I have not been grasping the problem as quickly as I should have. I don't think I'd have got there without the simplification, and I certainly wouldn't have got it without your patience. There is nothing wrong with the first simple query, it's doing what you expect. The second query has a flaw though, one which is not obvious. The clause "labels != bau" assumes labels has a value, and hence excludes issues with null values. To tell you that a label is *not* BAU, it has to read all the labels on the issue. When there are no labels to check, it can't logically tell you that there isn't a BAU, so it can't give you a result! So... try this query: (labels = immi and labels != bau) or (project = immi and labels != bau) or (project = immi and labels is empty)

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

p.s. yes, there's a lot of negatives in there, and it's not intuitive for us humans, as we don't usually think that there is a difference between null and none/0.

[Naama Lev]

Hi Thanks a lot - it is working! Naama

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Excellent! Sorry it took me so long to pick up the exact question and spot the actual problem!

[James Strangeway]

Try grouping the or clause and the and clause with parenthesis.