When job parameters are defined in the Jenkinsfile/script, Jenkins doesn't know what parameters are required until the job is run. You see the problem? to run the job you need the parameters. To know what parameters are required to run the job.

      This is most visible with a new branch in multibranch jobs (there have been complaints).

      In scope:

      • Investigate if it is possible to know without executing what parameters will be required
      • If possible, an api to return such parameters

      This could span general pipeline script, or pipeline model.

          [JENKINS-40241] Detemine parameters before running job

          Michael Neale created issue -
          James Dumay made changes -
          Epic Link New: JENKINS-36291 [ 172300 ]

          Andrew Bayer added a comment - - edited

          So I'm only thinking in terms of Declarative for the moment, because, well, viability.

          The first thing coming to mind is to have the logic that takes the parameters section check if each parameter is already defined on the job at that point (with the same type too), and if not, add an environment variable for the parameter name using the default value for the parameter. i.e., the first run still would not prompt for parameters, but it would act as if the default parameters had been specified.

          Andrew Bayer added a comment - - edited So I'm only thinking in terms of Declarative for the moment, because, well, viability. The first thing coming to mind is to have the logic that takes the parameters section check if each parameter is already defined on the job at that point (with the same type too), and if not, add an environment variable for the parameter name using the default value for the parameter. i.e., the first run still would not prompt for parameters, but it would act as if the default parameters had been specified.

          Andrew Bayer added a comment -

          Also - the editor knows the parameters defined in the Jenkinsfile (even if the job isn't run) since it's parsing the Jenkinsfile. Not sure how we could get this to Blue Ocean for kicking off builds without also doing a Jenkinsfile parse there too...

          Andrew Bayer added a comment - Also - the editor knows the parameters defined in the Jenkinsfile (even if the job isn't run) since it's parsing the Jenkinsfile. Not sure how we could get this to Blue Ocean for kicking off builds without also doing a Jenkinsfile parse there too...

          Andrew Bayer added a comment -

          So since https://github.com/jenkinsci/workflow-cps-plugin/pull/60 landed, there's a new global variable, params. If you do a properties call adding parameters (let's say we add one named foo) and then do params.foo afterwards in the same run, you'll get the default value for foo, assuming one was defined. It's still not possible to prompt the user for parameters before having the build run with properties, but at least you can prevent the build from breaking due to undefined parameters this way. Thoughts as to whether that's sufficient? Should we also add it to the env global variable?

          Andrew Bayer added a comment - So since https://github.com/jenkinsci/workflow-cps-plugin/pull/60 landed, there's a new global variable, params . If you do a properties call adding parameters (let's say we add one named foo ) and then do params.foo afterwards in the same run, you'll get the default value for foo , assuming one was defined. It's still not possible to prompt the user for parameters before having the build run with properties , but at least you can prevent the build from breaking due to undefined parameters this way. Thoughts as to whether that's sufficient? Should we also add it to the env global variable?
          Michael Neale made changes -
          Description Original: When job parameters are defined in the Jenkinsfile/script, Jenkins doesn't know what parameters are required until the job is run. You see the problem? to run the job you need the parameters. To know what parameters are required to run the job.

          In scope:
          * Investigate if it is possible to know without executing what parameters will be required
          * If possible, an api to return such parameters

          This could span general pipeline script, or pipeline model.
          New: When job parameters are defined in the Jenkinsfile/script, Jenkins doesn't know what parameters are required until the job is run. You see the problem? to run the job you need the parameters. To know what parameters are required to run the job.

          This is most visible with a new branch in multibranch jobs (there have been complaints).

          In scope:
          * Investigate if it is possible to know without executing what parameters will be required
          * If possible, an api to return such parameters

          This could span general pipeline script, or pipeline model.

          Michael Neale added a comment - - edited

          hrm ok.. this may have to sit in the backlog for a while.

          So whilst PR#60 helps with error message, it is still a broken UX that pops up for the wrong things... so we may need to park this for some future work to make it work out ahead of time what the params are via some kind of evaluation... I don't think this is a problem specific to declarative, and perhaps declarative shouldn't solve it?

          EDIT: I am prepared to park this and then let things come in as bug reports... more thought is needed ...

          Michael Neale added a comment - - edited hrm ok.. this may have to sit in the backlog for a while. So whilst PR#60 helps with error message, it is still a broken UX that pops up for the wrong things... so we may need to park this for some future work to make it work out ahead of time what the params are via some kind of evaluation... I don't think this is a problem specific to declarative, and perhaps declarative shouldn't solve it? EDIT: I am prepared to park this and then let things come in as bug reports... more thought is needed ...
          Andrew Bayer made changes -
          Link New: This issue relates to JENKINS-40631 [ JENKINS-40631 ]

          abayer although the params really works well, I would still add them to env too - thats just what people are used to.

          Dominik Bartholdi added a comment - abayer although the params really works well, I would still add them to env too - thats just what people are used to.
          James Dumay made changes -
          Priority Original: Major [ 3 ] New: Minor [ 4 ]

            abayer Andrew Bayer
            michaelneale Michael Neale
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            4 Vote for this issue
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            17 Start watching this issue

              Created:
              Updated:
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