Custom Text Field comparison always returns false - how is this possible?

[Ben]

Hi there fellows, 

This one is breaking my head ;-)

I have this custom text field which has the following formula: 

<!-- @@Formula:

String critical = "Critical"; // this variable has a string value of Critical
String high = "High"; // this variable has a string value of High
String medium = "Medium"; // this variable has a string value of Medium
String low = "Low"; // this variable has a string value of Low
String verylow = "Very Low"; // this variable has a string value of Very Low

String probability = (String)issue.get("Risk probability"); //This field is a Select List (single choice) from 5 possible entries.
String consequence = (String)issue.get("Risk consequence"); //This field is a Select List (single choice) from 5 possible entries.

if (probability == critical)
 return "The same values:" + probability;
else
 return "Field Value:|" + probability + "| != constant value:|" + critical + "|";

-->

When the calculation executes, it always result in FALSE

• The first value from the bottom is "Risk probability" custom field of type Select List (single choice)  
• The second from the bottom is the "Risk consequence" custom field of type Select List (single choice) 
• The last value from the bottom is the result of the calculation formula at the top. I cannot seem to get it to validate true. 

The following script has the same outcome:

<!-- @@Formula:

String critical = "Critical"; // this variable has a string value of Critical
String high = "High"; // this variable has a string value of High
String medium = "Medium"; // this variable has a string value of Medium
String low = "Low"; // this variable has a string value of Low
String verylow = "Very Low"; // this variable has a string value of Very Low

String probability = issue.get("Risk probability").toString(); //This field is a Select List (single choice) from 5 possible entries.
String consequence = issue.get("Risk consequence").toString(); //This field is a Select List (single choice) from 5 possible entries.

if (probability == critical)
 return "The same values:" + probability;
else
 return "Field Value:|" + probability + "| != constant value:|" + critical + "|";

-->

 What am I missing? Or do I need to use another approach?

[David Fischer]

Hi,

this is likely because you are using the "==" operator to compare Strings. This would be valid in Groovy, but in Java (and BeanShell, which is derived from Java), the "==" operator returns true only if the two operands are one and the same. To test for String equality, you must use the equals() method:

"a".equals("a")

returns true, but:

"a" == "a"

returns false (because the two strings are two different Java objects, even though they contain the same characters).

[Ben]

Thank you David for calling that out, very much appraciated!!!