NAME

RT-Extension-MandatoryOnTransition - Require core fields and ticket custom fields on status transitions

DESCRIPTION

This RT extension enforces that certain fields have values before tickets are explicitly moved to or from specified statuses. If you list custom fields which must have a value before a ticket is resolved, those custom fields will automatically show up on the "Resolve" page. The reply/comment won't be allowed until a value is provided.

See the configuration example under "INSTALLATION".

Supported fields

This extension only enforces mandatory-ness on defined status transitions.

Basics

Currently the following are supported:

Content

Requires an update message (reply/comment text) before the transition.

TimeWorked

Requires the ticket has a non-zero amount of Time Worked recorded already or that time worked will be recorded with the current reply/comment in the Worked field on the update page.

TimeTaken

Requires that the Worked field on the update page is non-zero.

A larger set of basic fields may be supported in future releases. If you'd like to see additional fields added, please email your request to the bug address at the bottom of this documentation.

Custom fields

Ticket custom fields of all types are supported.

CAVEATS

Custom field validation (Input must match [Mandatory])

The custom fields enforced by this extension are validated by the standard RT rules. If you've set Validation patterns for your custom fields, those will be checked before mandatory-ness is checked. Setting a CFs Validation to (?#Mandatory). will not magically make it enforced by this extension.

Actions menu

This extension does not affect "quick actions" (those without an update type) configured in your lifecycle (and appearing in the ticket Actions menu). If you're requiring fields on resolve, for example, and don't want folks to have a "Quick Resolve" button that skips the required fields, adjust your lifecycle config to provide an update type (i.e make it a non-quick action). Quick actions may be supported in a future release.

Not all pages where you can change status are supported

The ticket Basics page, for example. See "TODO" for others.

INSTALLATION

perl Makefile.PL
make
make install

May need root permissions

Edit your /opt/rt4/etc/RT_SiteConfig.pm

If you are using RT 4.2 or greater, add this line:

Plugin('RT::Extension::MandatoryOnTransition');

For RT 4.0, add this line:

Set(@Plugins, qw(RT::Extension::MandatoryOnTransition));

or add RT::Extension::MandatoryOnTransition to your existing @Plugins line.

Then configure which fields should be mandatory on certain status changes (either globally or in a specific queue) using the %MandatoryOnTransition config option. This option takes the generic form of:

Set( %MandatoryOnTransition,
    'QueueName' => {
        'from -> to' => [ 'BasicField', 'CF.MyField', ],
    },
);

from and to are expected to be valid status names. from may also be * which will apply to any status and also tickets about to be created with status to.

The fallback for queues without specific rules is specified with '*' where the queue name would normally be.

Below is an example which requires 1) time worked and filling in a custom field named Resolution before resolving tickets in the Helpdesk queue and 2) a Category selection before resolving tickets in every other queue.

Set( %MandatoryOnTransition,
    Helpdesk => {
        '* -> resolved' => ['TimeWorked', 'CF.Resolution'],
    },
    '*' => {
        '* -> resolved' => 'CF.Category',
    },
);

The transition syntax is similar to that found in RT's Lifecycles. See perldoc /opt/rt4/etc/RT_Config.pm.

Clear your mason cache
rm -rf /opt/rt4/var/mason_data/obj
Restart your webserver

IMPLEMENTATION DETAILS

If you're just using this module on your own RT instance, you should stop reading now. You don't need to know about the implementation details unless you're writing a patch against this extension.

Package variables

@CORE_SUPPORTED

The core (basic) fields supported by the extension. Anything else configured but not in this list is stripped.

@CORE_TICKET

The core (basic) fields which should be called as methods on ticket objects to check for current values.

%CORE_FOR_UPDATE

A mapping which translates core fields into their form input names. For example, Content is submitted as UpdateContent. All fields must be mapped, even if they are named exactly as listed in @CORE_SUPPORTED. A supported field which doesn't appear in the mapping is skipped, the implication being that it isn't available during update.

%CORE_FOR_CREATE

A mapping similar to %CORE_FOR_UPDATE but consulted during ticket creation. The same rules and restrictions apply.

If you're looking to add support for other core fields, you'll need to push into @CORE_SUPPORTED and possibly @CORE_TICKET. You'll also need to add a pair to %CORE_FOR_UPDATE and/or %CORE_FOR_CREATE.

Methods

RequiredFields

Returns two array refs of required fields for the described status transition. The first is core fields, the second is CF names. Returns empty array refs on error or if nothing is required.

Takes a paramhash with the keys Ticket, Queue, From, and To. Ticket should be an object. Queue should be a name. From and To should be statuses. If you specify Ticket, only To is otherwise necessary. If you omit Ticket, From, To, and Queue are all necessary.

The first transition found in the order below is used:

from -> to
*    -> to
from -> *

CheckMandatoryFields

Pulls core and custom mandatory fields from the configuration and checks that they have a value set before transitioning to the requested status.

Accepts a paramhash of values: ARGSRef => Reference to Mason ARGS Ticket => ticket object being updated Queue => Queue object for the queue in which a new ticket is being created From => Ticket status transitioning from To => Ticket status transitioning to

Works for both create, where no ticket exists yet, and update on an existing ticket. ARGSRef is required for both.

For create, you must also pass Queue, From, and To.

Update requires only Ticket and To since From can be fetched from the ticket object.

Config

Takes a queue name. Returns a hashref for the given queue (possibly using the fallback rules) which contains keys of transitions and values of arrayrefs of fields.

You shouldn't need to use this directly.

TODO

Enforcement on Create
index.html / QuickCreate    - Not yet implemented.
SelfService                 - Not yet implemented.
Enforcement on other update pages
SelfService - can't do it without patches to <form> POST + additional callbacks
Basics      - need to patch callback for skipping (at least)
Jumbo       - need to patch callback for skipping (at least)

AUTHOR

Best Practical Solutions, LLC <modules@bestpractical.com>

BUGS

All bugs should be reported via email to

L<bug-RT-Extension-MandatoryOnTransition@rt.cpan.org|mailto:bug-RT-Extension-MandatoryOnTransition@rt.cpan.org>

or via the web at

L<rt.cpan.org|http://rt.cpan.org/Public/Dist/Display.html?Name=RT-Extension-MandatoryOnTransition>.

LICENSE AND COPYRIGHT

This software is Copyright (c) 2012-2014 by Best Pracical Solutions, LLC.

This is free software, licensed under:

The GNU General Public License, Version 2, June 1991